04 - Margaret River Part 2 & Busselton - Road Trips (2022) 4K
Yesterday night until this morning it was raining heavily. We had to wait for the weather to improve before we left for our first destination of the day, the Margaret River Chocolate Company. Since the time is nearing noon, we'll stop here for a short visit to drink hot chocolate. Margaret River Chocolate Company has two chocolate factories, here and in the wine region of Perth's Swan Valley, and one retail outlet in downtown Perth. Next destination is Vasse Felix. Vasse Felix was the first vineyard and winery in Margaret River. Founded in 1967 by Dr. Tom Cullity who was a pioneer of wine making in this region. His name is immortalized as the name of this street. Today Vasse Felix is owned by the Holmes à Court family, who were Australia's first billionaires. Now we’re heading to Canal Rocks which is located 20 km to the north for lunch. Canal Rocks is a granite beach where crashing waves from the Indian Ocean for thousands of years have carved a narrow channel between the rocks. The narrow wooden bridge allows easy access between the two sections. Canal Rocks is always impressive no matter what the weather and breathtaking when the big storms and swells roll in. Enjoy spectacular seascape views across the Indian Ocean and up and down the remote coastline of Canal Rocks.
The next destination is Cape Naturaliste which is located 27 km at the northern tip of this cape. To get there we will pass through a small town called Dunsborough. Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse has a long maritime history. The tower only has 59 steps so it is easily accessible by anyone. Unfortunately we came at the wrong time, so we couldn't go up. But the observation platform at the base of the lighthouse tower enables universal access to sweeping ocean views and great photo opportunities. If we are lucky, we come at the right time, we can see humpback whales during the migration and breeding season.
Now we’re heading to Sugarloaf Rock which is located 6 km to the south. Sugarloaf Rock is a gigantic granite rock that emerges from the Indian Ocean extremely close to the mainland. As you approach Sugarloaf Rock you will instantly see why this towering rock is one of the most photographed coastal landforms in the region. After starting with the rain, we’re very lucky that today the weather continues to improve and we managed to visit many places. Before returning to our accommodation we will return to the Margaret River Chocolate Company for shopping and a short break. Tomorrow we will end this road trip and return to Perth. Today we will end this road trip and return to Perth. But before that we will drop by at the city of Busselton which is located 51 km to the north. Busselton is also a tourist destination city. There we will visit the foreshore and the famous jetty.
The weather suddenly got worse. W e can see thick clouds that bring rain moving from the Indian Ocean towards the mainland. Soon it looks like it's going to rain. Busselton Jetty was built in 1865 with a length of only 161 meters. Further extensions were made over the next 90 years creating a total length today of 1.8 kilometers, making it the longest jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. After more than a century of servicing as a port, this jetty was officially closed as a port in 1973. After that the people of Busselton maintained this jetty as a tourist destination. From Busselton to Perth we will pass through the city of Bunbury which is located 52 km to the north. The route between Margaret River, Busselton and Perth is a popular route for tourists. Therefore, the road infrastructure is of class A. Comfortable and safe for driving.
This road trip is the first road trip we have ever done. Overall, the impression is positive, we like it. Starting from the driving, the accommodation to the freedom of the itinerary, everything is positive. In this road trip, we practically did not experience any difficulties, maybe because of the good preparation. There are many lessons that we’ve learned so that the road trip is successful, the most important of which are make sure the vehicle is in tip-top condition, bring a mobile phone which coverage reaches the area we visit and use GPS for better navigation while driving. From here the last trip to Perth is 168 km.
2022-12-09 01:24
