29th April 2019 - Dryandra to somehwere near Dwellingup on "The Track"

 198KM 

We made our first stop the arboretum, which was back towards the Dryandra village.  This was last worked on in the 1970s and it was a bit hard to make out what we were supposed to find..













Occasionally we located a wooden post with a species name on it ,but it was still unclear which of the trees nearby might be the ones named…

The plus was that we got to see lots of lovely trees and some blossom







and also the birds were enjoying the area,

which meant that Ross had a lovely time identifying what was around.

We also discovered that there was a fm radio tour which covers some of the area, which we had not read about on any of the other signboards of the printed info for the area. Next time it would be great to try this. 

We also discovered another camp site (Gnaarla Mia) which is a large new campsite near the one we stayed in, at 8.30am there was no evidence that anyone had stayed in the 25 or so lovely flat sites or used the 2 amazingly large camp kitchen shelters with bbqs.  Next time we come through here we should stay here - lots of flat sites with a good amount of room between them.

We drove up the highway towards the track and started in on it at mid morning (Jarrahdale road MC9). 

Light rain was falling and we wondered what the day would be like – and the area was amazingly green compared to the dryandra area.

These scores on the trees were the early navigation system in the area. Some of them were used for the indicators on the track we were following. (turn right at the BV 69 1)

It wasn’t long before we arrived at the old POW camp – this was really an internment camp for Italians during the 2^nd world war (who were worked like crazy milling timber and then send back to Italy after the war finished).  It sounded like cheap labour to us.

very little remains of the camp.

The track took us through Jarrahdale’s orchards and on to the Serpentine Dam, where there are hundreds of car parks near the café (not counting the overflow parking of another hundred or so) . We had lunch at the lower picnic area, where we took a photo of Bridget’s trophy looking down over the autumn leaves. (since we are bringing it home for her it is making a tour on the way).

slightly later on the dam wall lookout of a dam further down.

We did encounter some wash-away sections on the track which actually gave us some thinking about how to pick the correct line , and did a short stretch of bitumen and then back on to dirt before coming to the parking for the Marrinup falls. We took the track down to see the falls, but found a dry river bed instead – with pretty rocks and a little pool. (1.5km)

from the distance this looked like a cemetery.  Then we realised people had been placing piles of rocks. 

Soon after this we came to the old Marrinup townsite which is now a campsite, and we drove around until we found two fairly flat sites side by side and isolated from the rest of the campers.  Ideal.  So we set up.  We actually put up the foxwing awning and the 2 sides – giving lots of shelter in case of possible rain. 

just down the track from our camp 

first time up with sides on

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It is a very crispy night with bright stars (maybe there will be no rain) so we all gathered under the canvas shelter and enjoyed some great conversation until late (8.20pm)  when we all agreed it was time for bed after our long, hard day. 

We are just north of Dwellingup and can hear a sound something like the sound of the grand prix in Adelaide – a constant high buzzing, like the sound of the cars whizzing around the track.  We assume that this is some mining equipment and will probably be an annoying company for the entire night.  We are sure that it will be just a buzz in the background after a while.  

Please note:  days later we realised that the sound was frogs!!