After a bit of a crazy 2021, the fam and I escaped ‘down south’ for a bit of a breather.

With the usual holiday musings of starting a new career as a blogger (the blog would be called “The Rock Hopper”), I found plenty of material. But fortunately I was brought to my senses to continue with my love of gardens, and just bore anyone who drops by here with my ramblings on one of my other loves: the (tame) outdoors.

This year we concentrated on Torbay and Yallingup. These two great spots of the Western Australian coastline gave endless opportunity to scramble over amazing rocks, swim in incredibly beautiful locations, and find some great spots for our traditional ploughman’s lunch.

TORBAY

Bottom line: the Torbay area is awesome. Who’d have thought that there were big trees, I mean REALLY big trees that far west of Denmark / tall tree country. So you have the double whammy of tall trees and amazing beached - my favourite combo.

Rock Hopping Location #1: Mutton Bird

Let’s start with Mutton Bird beach (contention over whether it is Mutton Bird beach or Mutton Bird Island, but you know what I mean). Think Bay of Fires in Tasmania, but better, and without the hype and tourists. Its not big or fancy, but its great. I think its not recommended to go to the island for environmental reasons, but we didn’t anyway cos it was too cold (at the beginning of February, go figure). Ploughman’s location #1.

There’s a bunch of other beaches: Cosy Corner, Perkins Beach, Shelley Beach, plus a bunch that you can only get to with 4WD. The day we went was too windy for any of them. Nice beaches, just not the day for it.

Rock Hopping Location #2: Misery Beach

OK so only some of us ‘hopped’ on this rock.

We found out while we were down there that this was voted AUSTRALIA’S best beach. How could we not go? Nice, and a cool rock. But would not get my vote.

(Non)Rock hopping location #3: The Gap / Natural bridge, Albany.

Boring Mum wouldn’t let the family rock hop (forgive me…its scary!)

Rock hopping location #4: Lowlands Beach

My all time favourite beach, ever.

So now that I’ve talked it up way too much, please don’t be disappointed. It is partly circumstantial / situational, partly because we just ‘found’ it and had no clue and no expectations.

But the rocks (the geology of the place!!), the waves, the rock pools (ah the rock pools!), the beach, the other hidden beach around the corner (head over the rocks to the right / west)…its the whole package. And protected on windy days. Cannot rave enough. Misery beach my ass!

Second beach, near Lowlands. Look carefully - that enormous smiley face was our afternoon activity.

YALLINGUP

OK so EVERYONE has been ‘down south’ a heap, but you can never get tired of it, and you can never have seen everything, scrambled over every rock, had a swim in every bay. There is always more to discover (and that’s without a 4WD).

Rock hopping location #5: Canal Rocks

Rock hopping location #6: Sugar loaf rock

Rock hopping location #7: Wyadup natural spa

Having been to Injidup and Wyadup lots before I’m not sure how I missed this spot. I obviously hadn’t noticed all the beautiful people heading down there for their insta photo before. I can see why they go - its beautiful. Just make sure you enjoy it for what it is.

Rock hopping location #8: The aquarium, Canal Rocks

Ditto to the natural spa at Wyadup. Watch for the many beautiful people heading off on a bit of the Cape to Cape walk with nothing but their thongs, a towel and their phones.

Musings

A WA breather (another holiday digression)