Days 294 to 300
Our first stop after Margaret River was Pemberton. 
Here we did the local tram tour through towering Karri and Marri forests. We stopped off to view the Cascades.
We also did the Karri Forest Explorer Drive.
We passed Big Brook Dam which is the water supply for Pemberton. The drive would not be complete without the requisite winery! Silkwood Winery was our choice and here we had a tasting platter complete with smoked trout from the local area. Very nice but not something I would choose to have again – bones!
Beedelup Falls was a highlight of this drive. 
It drops for over 100m over a series of steep granite rocks.
We followed the Warren River 
along the fire trail and viewed the Bicentennial Tree (one of three trees that can be climbed by the public). 
Sheena had memories of climbing the Gloucester Tree in the 70s but chickened out on the climb this time!
We did the drive to the coast to Windy Harbour. It is an old fishing village complete with no real roads and holiday cottages. We got lost!
In the nearby National Park we did a coastal scenery drive – with lots of spectacular cliffs!
We moved on from Pemberton to The Valley Of The Giants near Walpole. We did the Tree Top Walk in the Valley of the Giants just outside Nornalup. The walk trail is suspended 38 metres above the forest floor! You can really appreciate the size of these towering trees!
We moved on and visited Elephant Rocks near Denmark. 
They are huge granite boulders resting in the water that are very aptly named! The coast around this area is beautiful!
Albany was our next stop and we stayed a week. we made use of the time doing maintenance on the van – Peter was clever! Water pressure fixed, Aussie Traveller fixed!
Albany has a lot to do. We visited The Natural Bridge, 
The Gap, The Blowhole (not blowing!) all in Torndirrup National Park just outside town. This area is the remains of an ancient mountain range.
We also visited a distillery (served a quite nice whiskey liqueur) and a couple of wineries 
(with wine purchased of course!).
Albany is situated at the base of two hills, both of which offer fantastic views. 
One is the location of a major museum display which showcases the fortress that was built on the site and opened in 1893 to guard King George Sound.
Albany is home to Whale World which is on the site of Australia’s last whaling station.
Whaler
We were taken through the journey of Australian whaling and memories resurfaced of the Anti Whaling protests of the 70s!! The 3D animated whale movie was a highlight, as was the Giants of the Sea skeletal exhibit.
Did I mention the beautiful coastline that is found in this area of West Australia?
gunnsaroundaus 