Entries about collie area

Gnomesville

Gnomesville itself was amazing! Showcasing some rather creative ideas from numerous different people and groups. I can't think of anywhere else that has such a showcase of gnomes. Definitely worth taking the detour to have a quick look. Which then, depending on your appreciation of gnomes... may turn into a bit more than 'just a quick look'!! Who knows, you may even want to add to the population!

Wait for me Kaden!	Smurfs
Country music gnomes	Gnomesville PCYC Windmill
Gnomesville School Bus	Gnomesville School Bus

Donnybrook

On the way out of Donnybrook, heading towards Capel, we pulled into Ironstone Gully Falls. A small gully/stream that would have a rather picturesque waterfall in wetter months. Considering it was the beginning of March, it was rather warm, and bone dry everywhere. So instead of an interesting waterfall, we enjoyed some dark red/brown rocks and radiating heat. Sonia and Kaden enjoyed running around and jumping on the rocks till we decided they were a tad too close to the edge of the dropoff where the waterfall would start, and headed back to the car. During cooler, wetter months, this site would make a rather nice free campsite.

"How was today's mission?"

Well... in short, both a failure and a success. If that's at all possible!

(That was basically the gist of the answer to my new friends inquiring question. We'd not long moved into the area and we'd slowly been trying to explore and find a lot of the recommended things to see and do for the region. My 'mission' for that particular day had been to try and find Gibraltar Rock. However as the following story shows, plans soon changed.)

We headed out to find the large rock formations, and found newer looking signs up declaring Dieback disease risk area, requiring a permit to enter the area... so decided to play it safe and leave that one alone.

With that let down, we decided we'd go exploring around Potters Gorge instead. With a detour to see an old weir (looks like it may have once had an old walk bridge along the top of it) down river from the Mungalup Rd bridge. Kids loved it, despite me being the overprotective mum not letting them get too close without holding my hands!

Then onto a constantly interrupted lunch at Potters Gorge to chase magpies and twenty eight's away! Kaden threw a tantrum and they stole half his sandwich while I was dealing with him, much to Sonia's disgust!! We also managed a small smoky campfire (damp wood) to boil water for a nice hot milo (forgot the spoons and milk though!). Kids loved running around playing on the beach after lunch.

Heading the long way home, we stopped at the Munda Biddi trail crossing on Pile Rd to see if we could walk in and find the Nglang Boodja hut (approx 1.6km from Pile Rd according to internet research I'd previously done). Gentle down hill the whole way in, to find a nice little hut, and creek not far from the hut. Coming back out was the not so fun part, as my knee decided to play up and both kids (especially Kaden) were really tired by then and definitely ready for home!

Get home though, and they were both still asking to be able to go camping. At either site... Potters Gorge, or Nglang Boodja much to my surprise!!
So yes, failure and success! And an early bed time for us all!

• Survey reference tree

Found whilst stopping to look for a geocache en route to Lane Poole Reserve from Collie, via a gravel road we hadn't previously explored. This is an interesting blog about survey reference trees by Eric Smith for Doherty Smith & Associates Consulting Surveyors in NSW.

• Blackboys after a bush fire

I've seen plenty of blackboys with single spike flowers before, but never with flowers like in these pictures. We saw plenty of these driving through an area of Lane Poole Reserve that had the bush fires go through in January 2016.

• Old Stockton Mine entrance

Near Stockton Lake, and once again, found whilst looking for a geocache.

• Mungalup fire tower

Went exploring and found this with some friends. Kids loved exploring around it, but weren't too impressed with not being allowed to climb it at that particular time!

• Gibraltar Rock (Collie)

Not far from Cardiff, are some rocks known as Gibraltar Rock that are rather interesting to see and fun to climb. Made for a very pleasant day out in the sun after being cooped up sick for a week in a cold house. Please note, this is not the same as the Gibraltar Rock located in the Porongorup National Park.