Today we did not have any specific commitments because we planned to drive to various locations to enjoy the sites of the Margaret River region. We went to breakfast in the guesthouse and enjoyed another nice breakfast - this time with eggs benedictine - and there was no rush this time.
After breakfast, Suzy wanted to go to some of the shops in the main street of Margaret River. I drove the car down to meet her at 10:30am.
The first place we went to on the coast was the beach at Gas Bay which gets its name from the gasworks near the beach. Like many other beaches along the coast, it is a very pretty beach with golden sand and a reasonable surf.
There were very few people at the beach but they must get good crowds at times because there was a large car park. There was no particular reason for going here - we simply got lost looking for our next destination. However, it was an idyllic place to get lost.
Just a short distance further north, we stopped at Gnarabup which is a similar beautiful beach. Vicki had suggested that we go there because there is a nice cafe (White Elephant) next to the beach. It was a great place to get a cup of coffee and enjoy the sunshine and the view. The seagulls seemed to enjoy it too.
Further north, we stopped at Surfers Point which, as you might expect, is popular with surfers. Today there was a WA surfing competition under way.
From there, it was only a very short drive to the mouth of the Margaret River. It's not a big river and there wasn't any sign of a strong flow of water - just pools of water and sandbanks.
Next we drove along Caves Road heading south. It gets its name from the caves that are a great tourist destination. Suzy had been to one of these caves earlier this year when she'd come to Margaret River with her sisters but we had decided not to visit any of the caves today.
What she wanted me to see was the Karri forest near Boranup. We pulled over at a small carpark on the side of the road and I walked a short distance to a timber viewing platform that overlooks the valley and lets you look up at these amazing trees.
Karri trees are slim but very tall. They typically grow to about 60m in height. They are so tall that it is hard to get a photo that does justice to the full height. Suzy stood at the base of a tree on the other side of the road as I took a photo of the trees. She was little more than a dot at the base of the tree.
Nearby, we stopped at a furniture shop called Boranup Gallery. At our guesthouse, we'd seen an amazing table made from a large plank of timber. Here in this showroom, we saw many such amazing tables plus other timber artefacts.
Next to the showroom, there was a cafe where we had lunch. We ate inside because it was cold outside on the terrace with a cool wind blowing. Service was slow. It took almost 30 minutes for my beef burger to arrive but it was worth it in the end because it was probably the best burger I've had in ages.
After lunch, we drove to Hamlyn Beach because we'd been told you can sometimes see stingrays there. Suzy walked up and down the water's edge but couldn't see any stingrays.
Next, we headed south to Cape Leeuwin to see the lighthouse. This lighthouse is at the intersection of the Southern Ocean and the Indian Ocean. It's a beautiful spot and a great tourist location.
Suzy stayed in the car rather than walking out to the point. For me, it was a great photo opportunity especially since the last time we were here about ten years ago, it was pouring with torrential rain and I could only get out of the car for seconds to take a photo before being driven back into the car to escape the deluge.
You can do a guided tour that involves walking up the staircase to the top of the lighthouse. Instead I bought a pass to wander through the area at ground level.
The next destination was the Berry Farm back near the town of Margaret River. Although the cafe closes at 4pm, the cellar door and shop are open until 4:30pm and we managed to get there soon after 4pm.
Suzy had heard good things about their jams etc and when she tasted them, she could see why. She bought a variety of jams to take home in her luggage.
For dinner, we'd booked to go to a pizza restaurant, Pizzica, in the main street of Margaret River at 8pm. It was an excellent meal. We followed the waiter's advice and had the house red, a Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
Back in the guesthouse, we had our bags packed ready for an early start tomorrow to travel back to Sydney.
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