West Australian Wildflower Trip - 8th Day, Albany to Pemberton 16th Sept 2014.

Flower wise, today was the quietest so far on the trip, but there was plenty of other things to keep us occupied.

We left Albany, heading east, to spend one night at the Pemberton Hotel, Pemberton. On the way we stopped off at Green Pools on the coast at William's Bay, and later on, walked through the tops of giant Eucalypts along the Tree Top Walk in the Valley of the Giants. The 'giants' are the Karri Trees, one of the tallest growing trees in the world, reaching up to 90 metres (295 feet) in height.

                                                            
                                                            Click on photos to enlarge.

Day 8, 16th Sept  -  Albany to Pemberton, 262 km.

The 'lollipop' wardens were a lot more animated In Albany than locally. Strutting to the middle of the road waving his signs and blowing his whistle. All this was done after his warm up session of body stretches, knee bends and squats. Neil and Marlene said the one around at the next crossing was putting on a great performance, gyrating his arms around everywhere and almost dancing.

C/W: Verticordia ?,  Melaleuca viminea  -  Mohan,  Gastrolobium bilobum  ?-  (Heart Leaf Poison)
These, and those in the next photo, were seen on a little stroll I did in the morning behind the motel.

C/W:   Borya sp.  -  Pincushions,  no idea,  another fluffy Leucopogon and fruits of  Billardiera fusiformis -  Australian Bluebell, Bluebell Creeper .

Should get to see plenty today  (as someone put it) in the  'death seat'.  I was happy to prove them wrong.

It was very green after good winter rains.

This kangaroo has just arrived home from a trip to Europe and has fogotten which side of the road it should be on.

Smile, you've been caught on 'Candid Camera'.  Martin never took his eyes off the road, well, most of the time anyway.

Green Pools in the William Bay National Park through the Peppermint Willow (Agonis flexuosa) and  Common Clematis  (Clematis pubescens).

Angus preparing for the Sermon on the Mount.

Not dessed for swimming at Greens Pools.

A great spot for a swim on a warmer day.

C/W: Pimelea ?, no idea,  Common Clematis  -  Clematis pubescens.

And, the ever present peas.

I think Norma saw a lot more than we did.

Norma enjoys the serenity of the rocks and  waves.

Is my hat straight?

Green Pools WA.

Welcome to the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk.

Taking it all in from the ranger/guide.

I don't like hights, but here we go as Kristan leads the way.

Lynn has no fear of heights.

Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk.

Don't look down Bill.

Do I look like I'm enjoying myself?

These were very tall trees and the ground was along way daown.

O oh, road block.

Good, that means we will be going lower now.

Now I can smile.

Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk.

Still away to go.

Butress roots of the Tingle Tree.

Reaching for the sky.

Now for the forest floor walk.

The 'Ancient Empire' walk.

Leucopogon verticillatus  -  Tassel flower.

This Yellow Tingle Tree (Eucalyptus guilfoylei) doesn't look happy that someone has stuck a big stick in his forehead.

Come on, give us a smile.

The 'Ancient Empire' walk.

This was also a giANT

These ARE big trees.

C/W: epiphytic orchid,  no idea,  Crowea angustifolia ?  -  (Bush Crowea),  Banksia formosa (Dryandra formosa)  -  Showy Dryandra, 

 Acacia pentadenia  -  Karri Wattle : sometimes called Catbush on account of its rather offensive smell.

 Crowea angustifolia ?  -  (Bush Crowea), 

We could have stayed here the night.

I'm sorry, but I've forgotten what Norma said.

How would you like this in your sleeping-bag?

"This is big!"

Playing peek-a-boo with Ethel and Norma.

It's interesting on both sides of the walkway.

Not something for the average back yard.

"cheese"

This would have shaken the ground when it fell.

Fires have only burnt out the dead heart-wood.

Crossing over the Frankland River at Nornalup.

Lunch stop in Pioneer Park at Walpole.

Plants seen on the 'Horsepaddock Walk' behind the lunch shed:  Boronia, Wedding Bush and Holly-leave Flame Pea.

Plants seen on the 'Horsepaddock Walk' behind the lunch shed:  Blue Squil,  Ixia (weed)  and Thomasia sp.

Grey Fantail, see along the Horsepaddock Walk.

Old Hay Baler or a Baler for Old Hay, Pioneer Park, Walpole WA.

Karri giants.

The soil profile tells you that we are still in WA.

First dairy cows I saw in WA. Must be in better rainfall country.

Time to stretch the legs.

A Eucalypt 'standard'.

Crowea was thick on the ground here.

Left:  This orchid leaf looks like the one in the tree back at the Tree Top Walk.       Right:  Pterostylis sp. –  Snail Orchid.

A possum's view going to the supermarket.

The aptley named 'Snottygobble'  (Persoonia longifolia)

Ethel is dwarfed by  Eucalyptus diversicolor  -   Karri

  Link:   Tractor Fans in Paradise.

We just missed the State Ploughing Titles, as advertised on the sign.  This was just a random photo taken of the row of trees and didn't see the sign until photos loaded onto the computer.

These are 3 of the old cottages constucted in the 1920 and are part the Pemberton Timber Mill Workers’ Cottages Precinct.

Western Rosellas and Australian Ringneck Parrots welcomed us to the Gloucester Tree at Pemberton.
And one lone Rufous Treereeper (bad photo).

Somebody was already at the top.    The Gloucester Tree in the Gloucester National Park and was chosen as a fire lookout in 1947, one of a network of lookouts built in the Karri forest between 1937 and 1952. The Gloucester Tree was named after the then Governor-General of Australia, His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, who was visiting Pemberton as the lookout was being built.   Visitors can climb up the 61m to see one of the most spectacular views of the Karri forest.

The start of the climb on The Glouester Tree.

Keep going, I can see the top.

The Goucester Tree's smaller siblings.

Blue Hovea (?) and yellow Hibbertia.

Hibbertia sp.     (H. cuneiformis  -  Cut-leaf Hibbertia ?)

Tree Hovea  ? (Hovea elliiptica)  At first I thought it was Native Wisteria  (Hardenbergia comptoniana) but now not sure. And with what I called a 'scrambling ' wattle overhead.

Acacia sp. with what look like 'barbs or hooks' to assist it to scramble through the understory of the Karri forest.
 Well that's my theory.

Lorraine and feathered friends.

Picking up the spillage.
And now it's time for us to head for the Pemberton hotel for our dinner.

End of Day 8

To go back to Day 1  click:  here.

Cameras:  Canon PowerShot SX10 IS and Sony DSC-W690..