Quinninup

That's our campervan in the background

We decided to stop at at the tiny hamlet of Qunninup for the night on our way to Pembroke – mainly because we had phoned the caravan park there to check availability and the woman was so chaotically friendly and promised a kleptomaniac emu (Eno) at the park that we couldn’t resist. It was the funniest, emptiest park (including a collection of about three thousand garden gnomes – and I don’t think I’m exaggerating) but was SURROUNDED by kangaroos and two very curious emus. Eno didn’t steal anything of ours but in the past he has eaten car keys (left on a table) and even leaned into a car window to snatch the pearl earring out of a woman’s ear! 
Breakfast was fun, just sitting our camper van in the morning watching the hundreds of kangaroos grazing – including one lazy joey who just grazed from his mother’s pouch.

Curious roo

Joey in the pouch! Having a drink.

There were some big fellas

 

Eno - eyeing us up

The latest trend - kangaroo yoga

Kookaburra!

Lazy joey - grazing from his mum's pouch!

The ultimate reading accessory - kangaroos...

Kangaroos and garden gnomes - pretty much sums it up. 

This was just one part of the collection of the gnomes. Kind of creepy, actually...

Valley of the Giants

The romantically named Valley of the Giants is a incredible forest of Karri and Tingle trees near Walpole on the south coast. The park constructed a beautiful raised walkway that takes you 40m up into the canopy of these beautiful trees, followed by a lovely stroll around the Tingle trees that grow large enough to walk through. We learned a lot about these amazing trees. Toby's film, as ever, perhaps captures it best - you can check it out here.

The fantastic walkway through the trees

Grandma Tingle - a long-time resident of the park

 

Denmark and Ocean Beach

After our respite in Albany we continued our trip with a stop in Denmark further along the south coast and its lovely surf beach, Ocean Beach. Denmark is a sweet town and the bakery there is famous for its pies – meat pies, that is.  And make no mistake - claiming prizes for the best pies in Australia is quite something as this is a country that prides itself on its meat pies and sausage rolls.

The girls enjoyed the boogie boarding/surfing at Ocean Beach, and we also loved the caravan park there because of the masses of kangaroos grazing around the park at night. It’s very fun to go and brush your teeth in the washrooms at night and walk past a few dozen kangaroos on the way.

The award-winning pies at the Denmark Bakery. We just couldn't bring ourselves to order the 'Vinda-roo' pie...

Toby had a delicious rosemary and beef pie...

Ocean Beach at sunset

The National ANZAC Centre

The National Anzac Centre (that's Australian and New Zealand Army Corps for those non-Antipodeans) in Albany is one of the best war memorials/museums I have ever been to. It was terrific - educational and also extremely moving. 

To start, the location is stunning - it's set high on a bluff above the beautiful bay from where the fleets of ships (1st and 2nd fleets) filled with soldiers left. Then at the entry to the museum everyone is assigned a 'person' to follow through the exhibit - a real person who served in some capacity in the war. At various spots around the museum you can 'check in' with your person to see how they fared. You don't find out until the end the 'fate' of your person until the end. Toby was randomly assigned General John Monash, one of the most important ANZAC commanders in WWI, and he was such an amazing man Toby went on to read two biographies about him. 

It was so interesting to learn about WWI from the perspective of the ANZACs, and learn more about Gallipoli and various other important - although usually ultimately futile and tragic - battles from their point of view. The infinity pool at the end, with water endlessly running over the list of names of those who served, and many who died, in the war was strikingly beautiful and very emotional. Kudos, Australia, on such an amazing memorial. Lest we forget...

The infinity pool