Chapter 52: The South West Corner

Monday Week 27

When Dave woke up next morning, the first thing he thought of was that fantastic meal he and Jill had enjoyed yesterday. Fortunately he would only be driving for about three hours today, so was able to sleep in. It was about 208 kilometres to Bruce Rock.

Because he didn't get away until after 9:30 am, it was after 11 am when he stopped for a late morning tea at Quairading. Only an hour later he was pulling up at Kokerbin Rock, which impressed them with its size and grandeur. Dave's brochure told him that Kokerbin meant 'high or lofty place' in the language of the local Aborigines.

Apparently, it was also known as Kokerbin Hill, and was the third largest monolith in Australia. Dave and Jill enjoyed spending a couple of hours, exploring many of the interesting rock formations, caves, plants and wildlife. Both thought that the panoramic views of the surrounding countryside from the top, was a nice reward after hiking up the 122 metre slope.

They found a fascinating well, which was more than 20 metres deep and three metres in diameter. It had been constructed by hand in the 1920s to 1930s. Rocks had been levered into the soil to line the well walls.

When Dave pulled into the area set up with toilet and outdoor table and seats to have lunch, Dave talked to a family that were just setting up camp there. Apparently they had camped the night before about two kilometres away on top of the hill. He wondered why they bothered moving such a short distance – each to their own, he realised.

Once they arrived at Bruce Rock and had checked into the caravan park it was straight to the information centre to find out about the place. They learned that it was a typical wheat belt town, but had originally been known as Nunagin. To avoid confusion with other towns in the area the name was changed to its present name. Although it has been predominantly a wheat and sheep area since the turn of the century, in recent years the area around Bruce Rock has also been used to grow barley, lupins, peas, pigs and goats.

The town got its name from a low granite outcrop which lay to the east of the town and which was named after a sandalwood cutter named John Rufus Bruce who set up his camp near a soak at the base of the rock.

When Dave and Jill got to the rock they found a sign which read:

'this marks the camp site of John Rufus Bruce after whom Bruce Rock was named. The small soak was originally a native soak possibly centuries old. The deep well is a good example of the method used in stoning wells in the early 1900s by the Public Works Department.'

Dave found that there were actually two wells at the site, but his information told him that the important historic site was the rectangular shaped well not the rounded one.

The area was explored in 1836 by John Septimus Roe but like most of the wheat belt it was not settled until after 1900 with land being released for agriculture in 1908. In the intervening years the only people in the area were pastoralists with large lease holdings who grazed sheep and the occasional sandalwood cutter such as John Rufus Bruce.

Bruce Rock was the centre of an area which, unlike most wheat belt areas, had a number of genuinely very interesting sights and places to visit. One they didn't get to see, but read about was the tiny bank at Shackleton, which apparently measured only three by four metres.

It was after 5:30 pm by the time they were back in the RV and Jill was getting dinner ready, while Dave enjoyed a beer. He loved watching her prepare his dinner, as looking at her naked body always turned him on. He knew that he could sit there and look at her for hours.

After dinner, he enjoyed once again showing his appreciation by making slow, gentle love to her.

Tuesday Week 27

It was another leisurely start to their day for Dave and Jill, having to travel only 153 kilometres to Wave Rock.

Once inside the information centre, Dave and Jill were astounded to learn that Wave Rock attracts an amazing 130,000 visitors per year. This seemed incredible to them, given it is more than 330km from Perth and was located on the outskirts of Hyden, a tiny West Australian township that had only been connected to the main electricity line since the 1990s.

Wave Rock was a granite cliff about 15 metres high and 110 metres long curved so that it looked like a tall wave just about to break. The distinctive wave shape had been caused by thousands of years of erosion, which had undercut the base and left an overhang.

Wave Rock was a very well-known landform that was much photographed by the thousands of tourists that visited each year. The curved shape of Wave Rock was emphasized by the vertical streaks of algae that run along its surface. The algae turns the stone a black colour which turns to brown during the dry season. At different times of the day, Wave Rock seems to change colour.

After climbing on the rock and taking the obligatory photos, Dave and Jill set out on the 3.6 kilometre circuit walk that was well signposted with fascinating and interesting information.

Dave then drove to Mulka's Cave, which was located about 18 kilometres north of Wave Rock. The name Mulka comes from an Aboriginal legend associated with the cave. Mulka was the son of woman who had fallen in love with a man from a tribe with whom marriage was forbidden according to their laws.

It is believed that a result of breaking these rules, she bore a son with crossed eyes. Even though he grew to be an outstandingly strong man of colossal height, his crossed eyes prevented him from aiming a spear accurately and becoming a successful hunter.

Out of frustration it was said Mulka turned to catching and eating human children and he became the terror the district. He lived in Mulka's Cave, where the imprints of his hands can still be seen, much large and higher than that of an ordinary man.

The cave contained a great deal of Aboriginal art which indigenous legend believed was created by a devil person known as Mulka the Terrible. The site was declared as taboo for local Aboriginals due to the terrifying nature of events that were said to have occurred in the cave.

By 5 pm Dave and Jill were firmly ensconced for the night back in the RV, Jill preparing dinner, while Dave was working out what they would do tomorrow.

After watching a movie, Dave was soon cuddling Jill to sleep, both tired from all the walking they had done that day and needing no more exercise, not even the horizontal kind.

Wednesday Week 27

Dave expected that the 383 kilometre drive to Esperance today would take them just over five hours plus at least two stops. The last half of which, they would have to repeat in a couple of days time, unfortunately, so he didn't plan to spend any time sightseeing on that part of the journey, as he knew he would have more time on the return journey.

It was almost 4 pm when he was checking into the caravan park and unloading his 4WD. There was just time to get down to the information centre and find out about the town and what to see.

With its population around 14,000 people, it was a fairly big place, bigger than either of them expected. They found out that its major industries were tourism, agriculture and fishing.

Esperance's history goes back to 1627, when the Dutch vessel 'Gulde Zeepaard' passed by, but didn't actually land. It was 1792 before two French ships were forced to seek shelter from a storm. In 1802 Matthew Flinders sailed by, mapping the area.

But it was left to sealers and whalers to inhabit the shore, where they lived off the abundantly available kangaroo, geese and fish.

The town's name comes from a French word which means 'hope with confidence and faith in the future' which the locals seemed to need, because several development proposals either lapsed or failed. It wasn't until almost 1960 that agriculture proved successful and then tourism, fishing and other industries also grew, which together enabled Esperance to develop to the significant place it now was.

They were told that it was also known as the Bay of Isles and was supposed to have some of the best coastal scenery in Australia. They looked forward to seeing the dazzling white beaches, perfect bays, gentle cliffs, and across the aqua water, the lovely islands of the Recherche Archipelago.

Jill once again told Dave that as he had done all the driving it was only fair that she made them dinner, insisting that he sit down and have a beer while she prepared a baked dinner, seeing that it had been a while since she had made one. He found his beer always seemed to taste better, gazing at her industrious naked body.

Dinner, too, tasted good to Dave and soon thereafter, so did Jill, as he licked and kissed and nibbled her all over, which she didn't find at all unpleasant.

Thursday Week 27

After a hearty breakfast of sausages and eggs, Dave and Jill set off to explore Esperance. First stop was at the wharf with its great views across Esperance Bay to offshore islands and around to the port facilities and town.

They were amazed by the soaring sand dunes as he drove around, apparently sculpted over time by the famous 'Esperance Doctor', the Southern Ocean wind that runs along the country's south-west shoreline. This had resulted in idyllic bays and beaches being shaped into the granite cliff faces which Dave and Jill agreed provided astonishing beauty.

Dave drove west from Esperance along Twilight Beach Road, which becomes Great Ocean Drive on a 38 kilometre loop drive that took them past a string of stunning beaches, each seemingly more lovely than the last, including West Beach, Chapman's Point, Blue Haven Beach, Salmon Beach, Fourth Beach and Twilight Beach. The attendant in the visitor information centre had told them that the drive would seem like picture-postcard perfection and both Dave and Jill agreed with the assessment.

When they got to the Rotary Lookout, on Wireless Hill, Dave and Jill took the circular loop walk that gave them sweeping views across the town and the islands of the Archipelago.

While they were at Salmon Beach, Dave and Jill checked out the six huge Westwind windmills, just over the road, and having seen the white sand blowing across the road on their drive, they realised the wind power of the 'Esperance Doctor' in this region.

The drive also took them past the famous Pink Lake, a massive salt lake that appears a lovely pink at certain times. They had been told that the dunalella salina algae caused the lake to change colour and, depending what time of day they visited and the current water and salinity levels, the pink had been known to change from brilliant blues to a fairy-tale pink.

They also managed to see a number of waterbirds here and they saw more later at the Lake Warden Wetlands.

Back in town, Dave and Jill stopped to look at Dempster Homestead, built in 1867, once the home of Esperance's most famous pioneer family. It was in Dempster Street, of course.

They were back in the RV in time for a pre-dinner drink and an opportunity to sit and read. Jill had decided to make shepherds pie from the remains of last night roast lamb, so she didn't need a lot of preparation time for dinner.

After they had eaten, Dave suggested they watch Love Actually again as it had been a while and it was definitely his favourite movie. Jill found that even though she had seen it with him before, she too, liked seeing it again, as there were so many threads running through the movie, that one needed to see it several times to realise everything that happened. And it was so entertaining.

After the movie, they snuggled up in bed. Jill loved the way that Dave cuddled into her back, his hand cupping and holding her breast, his lips gentle kissing her neck as they fell asleep.

Friday Week 27

It was only 233 kilometres to Hopetoun, where Dave planned to stop overnight, but unfortunately, apart from the last 50 kilometres, the rest was back along the road they had driven only two days earlier.

When they arrived at Ravensthorpe, Dave stopped at the Ravensthorpe Historical Society Museum, which included one of the original miners' cottages built in 1900. Dance Cottage had been set up as a home and displayed kitchen, sitting room, bedroom and children's room artefacts and clothes. The museum also contained an array of memorabilia and other interesting items that pertained to mining, agriculture and local history, as well as the town's first gaol and the guard's van from the Hopetoun-Ravensthorpe railway. Quite a disparate array of collectables.

Portions of the 1,822 kilometre rabbit-proof fence, recently a focus of an Australian film of the same name, could be seen in the area around Ravensthorpe. It had been constructed between 1901 and 1907 to keep rabbits and other pests out of farming areas. Apparently, it had been used as a guideline for three young Aboriginal girls in the 1930s, who walked the entire length of the fence to make their way from enforced captivity back to their families.

They found that the picturesque town of Hopetoun was spectacularly situated, reaching out into the pristine Southern Ocean between two sweeping bays. Hopetoun was the main eastern gateway to the Fitzgerald River National Park, with the town being just 10 kilometres from the parks Eastern entrance.

The Fitzgerald was World famous for its amazing range of year round wildflowers with over 20% of Western Australia's known plant species.

Hopetoun's most obvious attraction though, was its beaches. They had been told that here they could breathe some of the cleanest air, swim in some of the most crystal clear waters, view some of the whitest beaches and experience some of the most magical coastal scenery in the world and both Dave and Jill, who by this stage had now travelled a fair bit of Australia, could but agree.

They went for a walk along a section of the old railway line between Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun, which had closed in 1935, but now re-opened as a walk trail. The bush was radiant with flowers, and both thought that it was a stunning walk.

By the time they sat down to dinner, having showered after all their physical activity, it was almost 7 pm and a couple of drinks later, they didn't need much rocking to go to sleep.

Saturday Week 27

Having woken rather early after a good night's sleep, Dave took Jill into his arms and made love to her. A great way to wake up she told him, in fact her favourite way she emphasised.

It was almost 9:30 am by the time Dave set off on the 345 kilometre drive to Albany, getting there around 5 pm. It had been an eventful drive, because just after a car had overtaken them, quite safely, it hit a kangaroo that chose that moment to bounce across the road.

Although Jill had seen countless hundreds of dead kangaroos, it was the first time she had seen one killed. But to make matters worse, it wasn't actually dead when it had been hit, but was very badly injured and clearly distressed, so Dave had to put it out of its misery with the tyre lever. It wasn't something he enjoyed doing, but even Jill agreed it was necessary. This didn't stop her from being upset, even though she knew there was no way it could be helped.

The driver was in shock, but not hurt apart from a bruise or two, but his car was pretty badly damaged. Jill and Dave treated him for shock, but there was no mobile phone coverage out here, so clearly someone had to get to town to call for help.

Dave was considering unloading his 4WD off and driving back to Ravensthorpe, because the RV was too slow, but a car came along and stopped, then the driver agreed to report it as soon as he got the Ravensthorpe.

Once the driver was recovered, and had enjoyed a relaxing cup of herbal tea that Jill had made for him, he told them not to bother waiting any longer, as he would be alright.

There was still time for Dave to drive to Albany via the Stirling range, so he drove the 8 kilometres off the Chester Pass Road along a good sealed road to Bluff Knoll, which at 1,973 metres, was the highest peak in the range. Although the last part was a little steep, the RV got up alright and the views were well worth the extra drive, Dave thought.

Dave found a brochure that had been left in the shelter and read that the range had been named after Captain James Stirling, the first Governor of Western Australia.

The whole range was a sanctuary for flora and fauna, Dave and Jill especially admiring the variety of trees, the Redgums, Jarrah and Grass Trees in particular.

Once checked into the caravan park and showered, Jill sat down and had a drink with Dave, still a little upset with what she had seen earlier in the day. Dave offered to get their dinner, but Jill insisted that was her job, he'd driven all day, so she got up and made them as simple dinner.

It was still reasonably early, however, when both went to bed, Dave cuddling Jill, stroking her hair and gently fondling her breast until she fell asleep.

Sunday Week 27

In the morning, their first call was to the Albany Tourist Bureau, where they learned that in 1791 Captain Vancouver discovered and named the magnificent and natural harbour. He was followed by Matthew Flinders who mapped part of the coast in 1801. Apparently he took the time to climb Mount Clarence, which Dave and Jill did when they left the bureau, enjoying the panoramic views of the surrounding sea and landscape. While they were there, Dave and Jill wandered around the ANZAC Memorial that had been relocated here from Port Said.

But it was on Christmas Day 1826 when Major Edmund Lockyer with 52 convicts and escorting soldiers landed, because of a fear that the French might get there first.

Besides serving as a commercial centre for the district, Albany was also an important coaling station for mail steamers from the United Kingdom, before Fremantle was established.

Now it had become one of the major centres of tourism in Western Australia.

Dave then drove around to Quarantine Hill on Vancouver Peninsular, where the views were once again tremendous Next, it was off to Waleworld, where they did a guided tour of the museum. Finally, before leaving the Torndirrup National Park, Dave and Jill climbed up Niggerhead Rock, once again enjoying the magnificent views.

After returning to the RV and having lunch, Dave set off in the opposite direction, driving past whalehead rock and around to Emu Point. When they had both had enough exploring the area, it was off to the supermarket for more supplies.

As Dave put everything away, Jill prepared dinner, having thawed the last packet of the Dhu fish fillets. Both agreed it was one of the nicest fish they had ever tasted, once again simply cooked in butter and lemon.

Just after dinner, Peter rang, telling Jill that he hoped to be in Fremantle around 10 am next Friday. He also told her how much he had missed her, but also how much he was looking forward to resuming their ménage a trois.

When she told Dave what Peter had said, he confessed that he too was looking forward to sharing her with Peter, as much as he had relished the opportunity to have her to himself. It was something special when it was the three of them.

"I guess that raises something we have to address, either now or as soon as Peter joins us" Dave said.

"What's that, my love?" Jill said, enjoying what Dave was doing to her breasts as she sat in his arms on the lounge.

"Well, what are the sleeping arrangements going to be and I guess in some ways even more importantly, the love making arrangements. What do you want, my darling?" he asked tenderly.

"I think we should discuss it with Peter, but if it is up to me..."

"Well in many ways it is, I guess" Dave interrupted.

"Then as far as the first issue is concerned, sleeping arrangements, I think that it should be very simple. Irrespective of what we have or have not done that day or night, I sleep every night in this bed and you and Peter alternate between the bunk and here."

"That certainly sounds sensible, providing Peter is agreeable to sharing you like that" Dave responded.

"He better be. The three of us have come too far to go back to he and I just being a couple. Besides I know that he wants to share me with you anyway."

"That's good, because that is definitely what I want too" he told her strongly.

"As for love making, well I don't think that it should be anything that is laid down in a schedule. The last thing I want is for either of you to think 'my turn tonight, so I better do it even though I don't feel like it'."

"Can't imagine that happening, but I guess I understand what you are saying" Dave acknowledged.

"There should be no reason why you can't make love to me before or after dinner even though I'm sleeping with Peter that night, which in turn, doesn't mean that he has to make love to me, either" she told him.

"Yes, I can understand what you are saying" he told her.

"Some days I'm sure that neither of you will want to make love, just as we have done while there has only been the two of us. Some days I hope you both make love to me, irrespective of whom I am sleeping with that night. I hope that occasionally you'll both be inside me at the same time and when that happens I don't care who is in my anus or my mouth or my vagina. Sometimes I would like you to make love to me one after the other, hopefully without worrying about whose turn it is to go first. In other words, I hope our lovemaking remains fairly spontaneous, hopefully frequent, but unplanned" Jill told him.

By this stage, what with his cuddles and kisses and fondles, and all the talk about different ways they were going to make love, both were rather aroused, so Dave stood up, picked her up and carried her to bed where sometime later, both enjoyed extremely powerful orgasms, before falling asleep in each others arms.

Dreams for both of them were of the threesomes in the different ways Jill had outlined.

Monday Week 28

Although it would take less then three and a half hours to drive the 244 kilometres to Pemberton, Dave was keen to start early as there was so much to do today and they could now only afford to stay overnight, having to be in Fremantle by Friday.

So after a quick breakfast, they set off just before 8:30 am, but three quarters of an hour latter they were stopping in Denmark for what both agreed where the best pastries they had ever had, washed down with a cappuccino.

Their next stop was at the Valley of the Giants. Here, Dave and Jill did the Tree Top Walk along a walkway that rose up 38 metres above the forest floor. Viewing the canopy of the magnificent tingle forest enabled them to get a different perspective on the shapes, sounds and movement of the forest. It was a bit eerie, walking on the gently swinging bridge, but it gave them an unequalled view of these magnificent tree specimens.

Below, a boardwalk wound though a grove of veteran tingle trees, some over 400 years old, known as the Ancient Empire. They were some of the most enormous trees in the world and were only found in the forest surrounding the Valley of the Giants. It was a peaceful experience, with quiet spots to sit and reflect on the special nature of the tingle forest, but unfortunately there wasn't time to linger and dwell on the beauty.

Just before 12:30 Dave had them at the Karri Visitors Centre where they booked a ticket on that afternoon's tram ride. They were told to come back to get a certificate of 'bravery' if they dared to climb the Gloucester Tree.

"What's that and why bravery?" Jill asked.

"You'll see" was all Dave would say, having read about the tree that stands 61 meters tall. The Gloucester Tree is from the Karri family, which is the third tallest tree species in the world. It was pegged in 1946 so that people could climb it and use it as a watchtower for bushfires. Now it was a very popular tourist attraction in the south west but it's definitely not for the faint hearted.