BUT WAIT - THERE'S MORE

Yep, after a day of rest in between, we headed off up Hilltop Road which winds through wonderous red tingle and karri forest.  Wow - the view from the spectacular lookout over  the Frankland River, Nornalup Inlet and Southern Ocean excites you for the day.

Next stop is a 800 m circular board walked forest path which leads down to the Giant Tingle Tree.  This unique specimen is thought to be over 450 years old and at 24 metres in circumference at this base, is the largest living girthed eucalypt known in the world.

Continuing onto the Frankland River Circular Pool is a popular picnic spot worth sitting and enjoying the call of the birds with these surrounds.

We met up with fellow travellers from the Coalmine Caravan Park that told us to stop at Tingle Bakery along the Southern Hwy. at Nornalup before embarking on the "Valley of the Giants".  Yummy pies for lunch today, set in delightful gardens.  Sweet potatoes, spinach with pinenuts for me and lamb and rosemary pie for Wayne.  Must be popular as five more car loads of people had pulled up before we left.

The third portion of the Walpole Wilderness Discovery Centre

Whew - Valley of the Giants.  Yes we experience this exciting walk through the canopy of the magnificent tingle forest on the 40 m high Tree Top Walk.  The trees were swaying in the wind literally as we walked/swayed along the suspended walk.

Back down to "earth" we meandered through the "Ancient Empire", a grove of veteran tingle trees.
These  3 species of tingle, red, yellow and Rates tingle, are all only found in the Walpole Wilderness.  Here they have sanctuary within a restricted rainfall zone averaging more than 1200 mm each year with only minor seasonal change.

The walk shows some of the unique shapes of these giant trees with burn scars, burls (those knobbly growths on the side of the trunk) including this named one Grandma tingle.  This matriarch of the forest measures over 12 m in circumference, 34 m in height and she is estimated to be over 400 years old.

Old with wrinkles!

Hollow with burn scars

Conspicuous Cliff was our next 'port of call' to walk the paths (no not down to the beach) to look over the breath taking views of this Bay.

Wayne was fascinated how the waves broke and swirled up the beach. Like frills in the sand.

From there Peaceful Bay was our last place to look at before heading home for a rest.  This place has a lovely caravan park across the road from a seafood cafe where they have their own fishing boats and catch fresh fish for the cafe.  Yes, we had an early dinner of fresh scnapper and chips.  The beach did not look very inviting today with the wind blowing straight in off the Southern Ocean.

  Just another day in paradise for Wayne and I.