Entries about kids

Adventures, stories, experiences... who else enjoys hearing or reading about these sorts of things? I certainly do, and so thought I'd start a new section to this slightly disjointed blog. Covering our miscellaneous escapades.

Credit is owed to one of my new friends for this idea though, as the idea came to me after explaining the day's happenings to her in response to the question "How was today's mission?"

So if you're reading this, thank you for sparking the inspiration

"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.

After moving to Collie, Lane Poole Reserve has become one of the main areas for us and family/friends to get out bush and enjoy some 'away' time together. Mainly due to its location (fairly centrally located between all of us), and the varying things available to see and do.

Games while waiting for tea

For this trip, due to late confirmation of everyone's availability and weather, the only pre-bookable sites available to us were at the Chudditch campground (decided we'd avoid Nanga Mill on weekends due to crowds). Considering our plans of canoeing for the weekend, this actually turned out really well because of its location, despite the kids wanting their last campfire for the season, and fires not being allowed at the Chudditch campground. (Toasted marshmallows on the gas stove will suffice if they have to!).

Considering myself and one of my sisters were pregnant, and unable to now physically fit ourselves plus a kid or two into the kayaks we have... we decided we'd utilise the services of Dwellingup Adventures, and hire some canoes for a day trip. We found Dwellingup Adventures to be amazing to deal with. Extremely helpful and accommodating. We decided we'd purposely do a shorter trip (maps and info) so we could take it easy, have fun, enjoy the trip, and relax. So instead of going from Island Pool all the way through to Baden Powell, we requested for the canoes to be dropped off at Island Pool, and picked up at Bob's Crossing (map). This worked extremely well for us. I don't think either us, or the kids would have enjoyed it nearly as much if we'd tried to do the whole length through to Baden Powell.

Ready to go	Snack time

After growing up and canoeing on faster parts of the Avon River, my sisters and I found the section that we'd chosen to canoe fairly flat and slow. Perfect for introducing two kids to canoeing when you're pregnant! Due to the water levels at the time, and the extra weight of pregnancy, there were a few sections that required at least one of us to get out of the canoes to assist over rocks or logs. We also found that one of the canoes we'd been given had a small leak, requiring an occasional stop to empty it out. Otherwise all good, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

Steps...	Leaky canoe...

Recommendations for next time... Remember the sunscreen!!! I'd forgotten that I'd removed the sunscreen from my vehicle's glove box after discovering it'd leaked everywhere several weeks prior... and so with everyone else also forgetting to bring some... we covered up as best we could and amazingly didn't get as burnt as I thought we might have.

Another thing well worth considering if you're hiring canoes, is to hire a dry barrel as well. With kids, canoes, and water (and the occasional small drop over rocks/rapids), having somewhere you can store and keep things dry is greatly appreciated!! We hired one, and were very thankful we had. Otherwise all our snacks, keys, phones... etc. would've been totally soaked by the time we finished.

We are a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids), however due to school and work commitments over the last few years, it’s mostly been just myself and the kids enjoying our camping trips. Using simple mats and sleeping bags, 4 people fit ok into the Oztent RV5 Tent (a bit squishy, but not too bad). For longer trips however, I decided a bunk bed would greatly help make better use of the available floor space.

Enter… the Oztrail Deluxe Double Bunk! We’ve found it to be excellent! Especially when staying in the same spot for more than 3 nights. We even use it on occasion when visiting my parents to help with space and bedding arrangements.

To fit it into the RV5 from front to back along the side wall though, some modifications were required. As the standard uprights make the bunks too big to fit that way. Some puzzling over it for a while, and a quick trip to our local hardware store soon rectified that problem. They recommended dowel (ie, broom/mop handles), and so far it’s worked amazingly!

Standard upright: 602mm
Dowel upright: 525mm

• The camera angle makes that look different in the picture (602 & 525 is correct).
• Ends have been sanded to ensure they’ll slide in/out easily
• All treated with linseed oil to help seal the wood. Hoping to reduce the chance of them accidentally getting stuck due to swelling with different climate moisture levels.

External dimensions
• Standard uprights: 1815 x 730 x 1060mm (l x w x h including side rails)
- (895mm high without side rails)
• Dowel uprights: 1815 x 730 x 920mm (l x w x h including side rails)
- (755mm high without side rails)

Bunk ends
• Requires bolts through the tubing to stop the dowel being pushed too far in. This prevents the dowel pushing right through the top, of the top bunk end, and jamming in the bottom, of the bottom bunk end.
• From edge of tube entrance to centre of bolt hole: 85mm (both top and bottom ends)

Bottom bunk end	Top bunk end

Inside the tent
• We’d normally have some foam tiles under the feet rails to help protect the floor

Back corner where bunk meets tent wall/corner/roof
• I forgot to take the thickness of the foam tiles into consideration when measuring for the dowel length. This is ok for shorter stays so far. I’d probably shorten the dowel a bit more to reduce rubbing on the tent if going for an extended timeframe.

Still plenty of room for me to be comfortable on the bottom bunk.

Bottom of the bunk bag.
• Small holes at both ends of bag
• One large one that I roughly hand stitched to get it home from a trip, and has since stayed that way! (Accidentally caught the bag on a tie down button on the side of my ute).
• Not the most durable of materials for holding metal pipe framework over long distances/timeframes (including corrugations).

Amazingly stable!!
• This is currently how the kids like to get from top to bottom bunk!
• Not quite so stable if no one else is on it to weight it down whilst doing this though (as they’ve already learnt!)

Any other camping hacks you've found extremely useful?

What to do when the school schedules a pupil free day for the Friday of a long weekend?... Organise a camping trip further afield! Well, in this instance, it was more like suggest the idea to my sister's and their partner's/families, and let them do most of the decision making!

Thank you Jeremy for the location, ideas, and research results you provided. Thank you also to everyone for pitching in and helping out with all the kids! Helped make it a very enjoyable long weekend.

Day 1

Pinnacles

• Kids had seen pictures of the pinnacles in various brochures, and regularly requested to see them. So the plan was to meet Ayla and family there on the way up to Sandy Cape to finally let the kids see and experience the pinnacles.
• Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre - Found this rather interesting and well worth looking through. For both adults and kids.
• Due to earlier toilet stops and some quick lookout explorations (...and hoping to get a decent campsite before they were all taken!), we had to cut our time at the pinnacles short. No extended explorations, or time to wander around and just enjoy the area unfortunately. Will need to plan that better next time!
• So a look through the Discovery Centre, then a walk up the path (pram friendly) to the edge of all the pinnacles was all we managed while Ayla and family had their lunch (they'd gotten there before us and already completed the drive).
• Map of the walk trail, and Pinnacles Drive.

| My turn for the camera	|| Going to see the sunset, Campsite in the background.

Sandy Cape

• We got there about mid afternoon on Friday, and considering it was a long weekend, found the designated campsites (north and south of the main entrance) to be pretty much completely full! Looked like it was set up really well though with new toilets.
• Too squashed and crowded for us. Plus we needed a slightly larger area for three 'families' to set up camp together.
• So we continued north through all the campsites, and followed a track heading into the dunes to find a more accommodating site.
• The track was a mix of sandy and rocky patches (no real 4wding required, but did need to take it slower over the rocks), and generally followed the coastline, with quite a few nice spots for camping.
• Finally found one that wasn't already taken and suited us really well. Located in some bush directly behind some dunes, alongside the beach. And a big plus for Ayla, the kids, and I... hardly any wind!!
• Kids loved it too!! Bush with plenty of 'tunnels' and 'cubby houses', and only needed to climb one dune to get to the beach.
• The only real downside, was the slow drive out in the morning to go exploring, then back in again at the end of the day. Nice having our own little secluded campsite though!
• Fees could be paid at the information board at the main entrance, or to the caretaker who caught up with us one morning on his quad bike doing his rounds.

Day 2

Stockyard Gully

Link 1, Link 2

• A really nice spot to explore, with the gully and cave feeling a bit like an oasis. Creating a rather nice, relaxed sort of atmosphere.
• My sister's and I have visited this area before, and still enjoy returning to it, to see and walk through it again. Especially this time being able to share it with the kids, and share in their enjoyment of it all!
• 4wd access once again, with both sandy and rocky sections.
• Can be accessed from the south off the Coorow-Greenhead Rd, or from the north off the Coolimba-Eneabba Rd.
• There are two parking / picnic areas. One at each end of the cave tunnel.
• The picnic tables were all being used when we got there though, so instead we set up Jordan and Ayla's side awning for some shade, and enjoyed lunch in the carpark.
• The full loop walk is only about 1.3km long, and the kids loved being able to use their head torches through the cave tunnel!
• They also enjoyed finding/seeing quite a few beehives.

Lunch in the carpark	Stockyard Gully - Rocky western entrance

Stockyard Gully - Western entrance	Stockyard Gully - Eastern entrance

Bee hives	Stockyard Gully - Eastern entrance

Sand Dunes

• The remainder of the afternoon was spent playing in some sand dunes... And slowly working our way back to camp along a narrow, rocky, sandy track.

Sand dune fun	Slide... climb... slide... climb... slide...

Fun on the beach	Enjoying the fire!

Day 3

Beach fun and finding some WWII bunkers at North Head

• A nice warm morning on the beach was enjoyed by all. No real swimming though, as we found the water to be rather cold. Instead, the making of some much loved sand sculptures!
• Then time for lunch, help Ayla and family pack up, and finally head off to find the WWII bunkers.
• Had a basic idea that a track heading south beside the Sandy Cape entrance information board would lead to them. So went to have a look, and before heading down the track, confirmed their location by asking one of the vehicles coming out of the track.
• After passing many more campsites along the track, we found them.
• Was rather interesting to explore around and imagine living/working in the area when it was operational as a coast watch station in 1942, and as a radar station in 1943-45. ( ABC News story, Heritage survey report)
• Was also interesting to see a memorial set up for R.M. Bartle who died there in a shark attack in August 1967.
• And finally... Time to say goodbye to Ayla and family, and head back to camp for the last night.

North Head WWII Bunker	North Head WWII Bunkers

R. M. Bartle Memorial	R. M. Bartle Memorial plaque

Day 4

Heading home via a detour to visit family

• Nothing really spectacular about heading home. Packing up camp isn't the most fun thing to do. Especially if you're 18months, 5yrs or 7yrs old!!
• Instead of heading straight home down the coast though, we detoured inland to catch up with family.
• On the way there, we were pleasantly surprised to find a lookout with a familiar name on it! G. E. Lang as we later confirmed, was related to us!!

We've been through, and camped at Pemberton a few times, finding more things to see and do each time. Here is some of what we've experienced so far.

Camping

• There are numerous camping areas available around the Pemberton area.
• We've stayed at the Pemberton Caravan Park, and Big Brook Arboretum, enjoying both.
• In searching for information, I found 4wding Australia have written a great review of Warren River Campground, and overview of things to do around Pemberton as well.

Pemberton Swimming Pool

• Easy to walk to from the Pemberton Caravan Park.
• It was too cold for swimming when we were there. But I'm guessing it could be rather popular in summer.

This way...	How deep is it?

Log bridges are always fun!	No tadpoles...

Fire Lookout Climbing Trees

• There are three trees of different heights that are able to be climbed within the Pemberton area.
• A National Parks Pass is required for vehicles to enter the National Parks where they're located. These can be obtained online, or from the Pemberton Visitor Centre. Or if you're a RAC member, you can get discounted National Parks Passes.
• Sonia and Kaden request to climb these trees every visit, but with the gaps between the pegs, tantrum potential from one child, and needing to look after a younger sibling, they have yet to be allowed to climb higher than about 3m. Much to their annoyance!
• Gloucester Tree - Approx 3km to walk to this tree from Pemberton town centre. Various other walks to do from the tree as well.
• Dave Evans Bicentennial Tree
• Diamond Tree

The Cascades

• There are some steps to navigate, but then it's an easy enough walk for a pram to get to the cascades from the car park

The Cascades	Come on!

Karri Forest Explorer Drive

• Brochure and map
• There are interesting audio points on the radio
• I enjoyed it, but the kids didn't particularly find it that interesting. Was just another drive for them.

Heartbreak Trail Scenic Drive

• Brochure and map
• There are quite a few nice places to camp along this drive.
• Unfortunately there were no gentle easy slopes into the water for little kids that I could find though.
• Good for flat water canoeing/kayaking however.

Beedelup Falls and the Walk Through Tree

• It's a nice easy trail to the falls. Suitable for a pram to the lookout.
• I'm not exactly sure how far it is from the falls information boards to the Walk Through Tree.
• You can do a loop walk including the falls, walk through tree, and Karri Valley Resort.
• Kids weren't in a particularly good mood for this walk... but did really enjoy climbing through the tree!!

Yeagerup Lake and Sand Dunes

• Looked like a nice campsite near here.
• I'd love to go exploring more across the sand dunes to the beach. But only if I had more experience, or someone else to go with for assistance getting out in case I got stuck!
• We found the track to the start of the dunes was fairly firm. Finding a spot to park that was close enough for a short walk to the edge of the dunes.
• Kids loved running/playing on the sand dunes!

Yeagerup Lake platform	Race you!

Manjimup Timber and Heritage Park

• Only about 25mins from Pemberton to Manjimup
• Considering we generally head south through Manjimup to get to Pemberton, we always have to stop for a play at the Manjimup Timber and Heritage Park.
• Kids love it, and so do I!!
• Amazingly huge slide (It may get rather hot on really hot days though. However, it was fine for us on a cooler day in December)
• Fun big double flying fox
• Historical Hamlet
• Plus other playgrounds, swings, picnic tables, BBQ's etc.
• See this link for opening times.

How did this work mum?	Fun climbing