BREMER BAY

After spending a night at Pallinup River Rest Area beside this river with only one other caravaner we travelled on to here at Bremer Bay Caravan Park with the wind blowing 30 plus miles an hour.  Very windy so did not bother to put the awning out for the two nights.

Getting blown away up high overlooking the township and Wellstead Estuary

Today we woke to the wind only a slight breeze so embarked on the Point Henry Drive Trail for the day.  Packed a picnic lunch and thermos coffees and off we went.  All along the 60 klm drive are 144 interpretive panels telling one of the attractions at beaches, history of pioneering grazier, John Wellstead, who first visited the area in the 1840's.  He set up his base nearby, at Peppermint Grove, and for many decades thereafter he and his family were the main inhabitants of a very small and isolated community.  Once the Overland Telegraph Line from Albany to Adelaide began in 1875 saw the region opened up but it wasn't until the 1920's when farming families from the surrounding district would gather here for a break for a month or so after harvest, that the population of Bremer Bay began to grow and the current town site was established.

Fishery Beach is where we sat on the rocks beyond the jetty and sipped our coffee and marvelled at the beauty which surrounded us.

Two fishermen fishing the gap

Native Dog Beach where we sat and listened to the surf break whilst eating our lunch trying to imagine surfing those waves.

We did not enter the museum to see all the old vehicles etc. only had a coffee at the cafe.

These two buildings are part of the original Peppermint Grove Wellstead's Homestead which still has a descendant living here.  We did look into the later one and here are the three rooms showing all sorts of tools, saddlery and blacksmith room.

Would you believe, each item was catalogued and a folder explained each tool, item.  Very well done.