DAY 222 - 27/09/2010 - Shannon National Park, WA & Cozy Corner East, WA

It rained heavily all night last night causing us to have a terrible sleep. We had gone to bed at 8pm hoping to have a good catch up sleep but that wasn't to be. By 1.30am we had given up trying and Waz and I got up for a hot milo and a movie. The rain finally subsided so back to bed.

Up later than we wanted but managed to be back on the road by 8.30am and we bee lined for the town of Walpole.

We arrive in Walpole and visit the visitor centre and the bakery for some morning tea. We unhitch the van and leave it in the visitor centre carpark and head up to the Hilltop Lookout to see the view and to visit the Giant Tingle Tree which is supposed to be the biggest tree in the world.

The views from Hilltop lookout.

Its a 1km loop walk to the Giant Tingle Tree from the carpark. The base of this giant is huge but the majority of the height of the tree was damaged during the 1951 bushfires. These fires also hollowed out the tree but it didn't destroy the root system and it continues to grow. Very bizarre but a true story. The loop walk amongst the tingle trees would have been more enjoyable but the mozzies were out in force causing us to walk quickly to get back to the protection of the car.

Back to the visitor centre to pick up the van.

The Valley of the Giants is our next destination. This attraction is located in the next town over called Nornalup.

We pay the entry fee and do the tree top walk. Pretty ordinary experience and a waste of money and time really. At least we can say we did it but probably could of done without it. The highlight of this visit is the shaking bridge. The kids were trying to shake the bridge harder purely out of boredom and some oldies at the other end felt the vibrations and held on for dear life. Sorry oldies but it was quite funny.

We continue along the South Coast Highway and then we took the William Bay Rd turn off to see Elephant Rocks. Huge smooth boulders randomly jutting out of the water. I assume is where it gets its name as the boulders are massive, grey in colour and resemble a heard of elephants.

The Elephant Rocks. The photo doesn't do it justice.

We arrive in Denmark. A pretty town with a river running through it. We stop off at the park for lunch and the girls have a play.

In Denmark.

We don't quite make it as far as Albany. Its a little over 3pm and we set up camp by the beach, behind the dunes and low lined trees at a place called Cozy Corner East.

Cozy Corner East WA

Catching up on our journals.

We walk down to the beach and the water looks rough and its pretty windy and cold so we retreat back to the van and take shelter by the trees again.