There are so many national parks and reserves to see in this part of the state that you’d need months to visit them all properly. With limited time on Sunday and Monday, I’d chosen a few of the most popular ones that didn’t seem to be too much of a trek to get to. Our national parks pass has gotten quite a workout!
Torndirrup National Park
Otherwise knowns as The Natural Bridge, The Gap and The Blowholes. These sites seemed to be so much farther out of Albany than I remember as a child. It took forever to get out there!
They’ve installed new viewing platforms and paths at the bridge and the gap since the last time I was there about 15 years ago. People still die (either accidentally or deliberately) from wandering off. I seem to remember the gap viewing platform not extending as far out over the ledge as it currently does (which is cool), and there never used to be a bridge lookout so you took your life into your hands getting to a good viewpoint.
It’s all a nice easy viewing experience but worth the trip out there.
The blowholes were further down the road so we had to drive there and then walk a distance downhill to get to the right spot. Along the path were some beautiful purple banksias, which I’d never seen before. Glen’s trying to make a Pride rainbow of banksia flowers so discovering a purple one was a stroke of good luck. He’s now just missing a blue one…but they only grow on an island south of Townsville in Queensland.
The blowholes were blowing so I straddled one of the rocks, took out my hair and waited for the wind to blow. It was a rush and was both exhilarating and terrifying. Glen got a great video of my hair jetting straight up.
Porongorup National Park
The weather on Monday was a lot better than on Sunday, which was perfect for doing the hike up to Castle Rock Skywalk in Porongorup National Park. Google Maps took me the back way along unsealed roads to a part of the national park which you can’t enter by car. Fortunately, we didn’t take long to find the right entrance.
The hike up was 2.2km, which was fairly steep at the beginning but then levelled out a bit more. Glen and I left Dad and Dolly trailing behind and reached the top in about thirty minutes, huffing and puffing a lot more than we should. We both think we’ve got Long Covid, without either of us ever knowingly had Covid. Which is the only possible explanation and has nothing to do whatsoever with our suboptimal cardio fitness.
We reached the top of the hike and had a short rest, before scaling up and over some more rocks then ascending the 7m ladder to the top of the skywalk. About ten rungs from the top I had to keep telling myself I could do it as my fear of heights started to kick in. Thankfully the ladder is enclosed so, even though you can still fall, you won’t fall backwards quite so much.
The view from the top is spectacular and quite a rush being out over practically nothing. We took our photos then climbed back down and watched people come and go, negotiating what they would do, how they would attempt the climb, whether they would or not, and whether it was a good or bad thing to let a three-year-old boy climb up the ladder (it wasn’t but they did it anyway and survived).
We also checked out the other summit view point which is much easier and not as impressive once you’ve done the top walk.
Dad and Dolly reached us eventually (Glen and I thought they might have turned back and given up) and Glen helped them up to the summit so they could experience the full view from Castle Rock.
Climb complete, rest resolved, we started back down again. Glen was in front, followed by Dolly, then me, then Dad. Not too far down the track from the top, about fifty metres or so, there was a clear patch of dirt on the right of the path where there was a 1.5m long tiger snake.
Honestly, I’m not sure why I noticed it, or even why Glen didn’t notice it at all. It wasn’t moving and it was well-camouflaged against the black dirt, but still it’s a long snake and it’s shiny and you had to walk close enough to it to pass.
Anyway, I noticed it, said, “Ok!” and then shepherded Dad (who’s afraid of snakes) behind me while I kept an eye on the snake. That’s my second tiger snake for this trip, and fourth (or maybe fifth) overall. And boy, was it a beauty!
After Dad and I were out the way, I shouted up the hill to the descended dad with his kids about it and suitably warned continued on, telling more people who were coming up about it. I eventually stopped after about 500m because in all likelihood (and I hope it was the case) the snake got pissed off with all the vibrations and slithered off. I hope no one tried to hurt it.
Going back down was much easier and quicker than going up, though I rolled my ankle twice and Dolly fell twice so maybe it wasn’t as easy as going up after all.
Once back at the car we went to Ironwood Winery for a delicious lunch, then continued on to William Bay National Park on the other side of Denmark.
William Bay National Park
This national park wasn’t as close as I thought and it took over an hour to get there. Originally, I’d intended for us to go on Tuesday after leaving Albany but we had time to spare and it would save the backtracking the next day.
Anyway, we arrived at William Bay which is home to Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks. Greens Pool is really quite awesome. The ocean is really flat in this area as the rocks make a bit of a lagoon to go swimming in. The water was cold so I only paddled, though I’d like to come again and snorkel.
We clambered over the rocks and looked at the pools and the very cool black crabs with orange claws. Then went up and over to Elephant Rocks, down through the secret passage into the bay (which is apparently a nude beach? Though there weren’t any signs), then back up to the car and home.
So many national parks, such little time.
Travels with Dan 
What do you say, eh?