Map of the region, showing Margaret River in relation to Perth:
Monday, 8-Nov-21:
On a brief visit to Margaret River: there are still plenty of wildflowers about, eg on our "usual" walk upstream along the river, near where the Parrys/Masareis used to have a house.
Pink Bottlebrush:
Cowslip Orchid:
Blue Sun Orchid (Thelymitra sp.):
"Egg and Bacon" flowers:
Blue Lechenaultia?:
Cowslip Orchids:
Mauve Pea Flower:
Tuesday, 9-Nov-21:
Whilst walking in the bush around Margaret River, and especially nearby to where the Parrys/Masareis once had their house, encountered a range of creatures!
King Skink:
King Skink:
White Breasted Robin:
Australian Ringneck (commonly known as a "28" on account of their call):
Ducks on the banks of the Margaret River:
Strange human creatures on a bush walk:
Some familiar haunts around Margaret River. Beautiful bushland (trees, wildflowers, some fauna):
Walking along the path of the old railway line on North side of the Margaret River:
Rendall Close bridge, Margaret river:
Pool above Rendall Close Bridge/Weir:
Former house of Parrys/Masareis, now almost obscured by the greenery they planted...:
Later, we had another walk through the bush near our accommodation and the Margaret River, crossing the river on at the Barrett Street Weir, finding more wildflowers...
A Bush of white flowers:
Yellow Flag Iris??:
More blue lechenaultia??
Barrett Street Weir, Margaret river:
Today we drove though the Boranup Forest of karri trees - one of my favourite places. A lot of this timber was cut down in the early 20th Century and shipped to England for railway sleepers and the like. Boranup is one place where it still thrives, though I think most of it is regrowth... And more wildflowers... And from the Lookout, the trees clear and you get a glimpse of the sea.
Caves Road winding through Boranup Forest:
Lots of trees!
Quite a lot of this lovely pink flower growing in the forest:
Boranup Lookout (sea in the distance):
Pink Fairy orchid - Caladenia latifolia:
Boranup Forest Drive:
Rest-a-While in a clearing along Boranup Forest Drive:
Hovea along Boranup Forest drive:
We visited the Berry Farm at Rosa Glen (about 20km from Margaret River) today, for lunch and to check out their "cellar door". Lovely setting, and lovely scenery around Rosa Glen.
The Kitchen Herb garden at The Berry Farm:
The Avocado Plantation at the Berry Farm:
Some of the gardens at the Berry Farm:
Natural Playground at the Berry Farm:
Erica and Louisa at the Berry Farm:
Flycatcher bird at the Berry Farm:
Gladiolas along the roadside in Rosa Glen near the Berry Farm:
Rolling Vineyard landscale at Rosa Glen near the Berry Farm:
Wednesday, 10-Nov-21:
This was our last morning in Margaret River and I got up really early and captured the river at dawn, all misty and reflective...
Not Upside Down!
Near the Rendall Close Bridge/Weir:
Rendall Close Bridge/Weir and ex-Parry house on the Left:
Walking through the bush at Margaret River early in the morning I encountered lots more wildflowers - I don't know the names of most of these, so hoping someone like Michael will tell me, correct me! Such variety and colours!
Blue enamel orchid (Elythranthera brunosis):
Some brilliant red flowers, though small:
Thought by some to be sundew (Drosera occidentalis), I think not (no sticky anywhere), and my ex-Ranger rellie Michael says definitely not Drosera occidentalis, maybe a species of Borya - I remain mystified!:
Trigger plants (tylidium sp.) - I like to think of them as Butterfly Flowers:
Another lovely blue flower:
Same pompom variety as in my post from Boranup, but much paler (almost no pink):
More Egg and Bacon pea flowers:
A Trigger plant - I like to think of them as Angel Flowers!:
Another beautiful pink pea flower:
Pea flowers on a large bush:
A cluster of Cowslip Orchids:
And so we returned to Perth, stopping only to grab a bite of lunch on the foreshore of the Lagoon in Mandurah.
Home in 4 hours, 20 minutes; 296km.
Alex Reid
2-Dec-21