Week 40- Sunday 18th- Friday 23rd December

Busselton, WA

Day 1

Star Rating:★★★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

On our first day in Busselton, Jackson and I:

• played on the foreshore beach with Logan and Lucas Rudd who had flown over from Victoria for Christmas, we also had lots of fun jumping off the swimming jetty with them.
• rushed around the massive foreshore playground, it was super fun and we got an ice-cream. 
• got a pizza from the foreshore pub which kept us running around the playground with Logan and Lucas till 8.30pm when we went back to the caravan.

We all also had fun playing on paddle boards at the beach.

At the pub.

Day 2

Star Rating:★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

On our second day at Busselton I:

• went to Smith's Beach where we all had heaps of fun wave jumping and swimming.
• headed to Canal Rocks where I starting feeling very cold, I was so cold and shivery that we headed straight home.
• did a RAT test as soon as we got back to the caravan and while it was developing I went to have a boiling hot shower, when I got back the RAT test clearly I had Covid!
• spent the rest of the day lying in bed watching my iPad with a box of tissues.

At Smiths Beach.

My new best friends-Sorry Claire!👆

Day 3

Star Rating:★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

 On our third day at Busselton I:

• laid in bed nearly all day as I was feeling super sick.
• went down to the foreshore for dinner, but I just sat on the grass because I felt tired. I also went for a little walk down on to the beach and jetty.

Still my best friends-Sorry again Claire!👆

On the beach and jetty.👇

Day 4

Star Rating:★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

On our fourth day at Busselton we: 

• went back to Kilcarnup Beach where I relaxed in the sand with my book. Dad and Jackson went out hunting for crayfish, on the way back in a big wave caught the kayak and flipped him over! Jackson and all the stuff went  overboard, luckily Jackson was okay and Dad found everything.
• spent the afternoon back at the caravan just relaxing outside because I was still feeling really tired.

Day 5

Star Rating:★★★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

On our fifth day in Busselton I:

• was feeling better so I went on the aqua course with Logan, Lucas and Jackson. It was super fun!!!!
• went on the playground with everyone, we played hide and seek tiggy and we all ate dinner at the pub that was on the foreshore, we all also got a big glass of lemonade.

Running out to go on the Aqua Course.

On my favourite obstacle on the aqua course.👆

Week 39- Sunday 11th- Sunday 18th December

Karri Valley Resort, WA 

Star Rating:★★★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At Karri Valley Resort there was a massive lake (Lake Beedelup) that had a pontoon floating close to shore. Dad, Jackson and I had heaps of fun trying to push each other off, whilst also trying to stay on. I also paddle boarded across to the other side of the lake and I went on a walk, and a ride, to Beedelup Falls, which was on the opposite side of the lake. Jackson and I also enjoyed the pump track and the playground at the campground. In the morning there were lots of kangaroos all through the campsite, but when Jackson and I rode to the pump track they all hopped away quickly. We also saw lots of cute joeys that were either in their mum's pouches or exploring (as long as they were only 2 metres from their mums!). It was a lovely place and I could have definitely stayed longer than the 3 nights we spent there.

The pontoon on the lake.👆

On the way to Beedelup Falls, Mum and I stopped to have a look at a walk-through tree. It had a ladder to climb up on one side and one to get down on the other! It was really cool.

Beedelup Falls.👆

 

Laying on the grassy banks of Lake Beedelup. 

One of the joeys that was hanging around the campsite with its mother.

Bicentennial Tree (near Pemberton)

Star Rating:★★★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

We climbed the Bicentennial Tree - to the TOP!! 

We came back after trying to climb the tree a couple of days ago. The last time we tried we only climbed to the first platform (20m high) but this time we climbed all the way to the top- which is 65m high! It was such a great view from the top.

To climb up we went on steel bars that had been hammered into the tree. There was also a bit of thin mesh on the side to keep you from falling off the edge- but there was nothing underneath!!

Mum was really worried about us but when we got down Jackson and I said ‘Are there any higher trees to climb?’ We thought it was easy. 

On the platform on the top of the tree.👇

The Bicentennial Tree.

Gracetown Caravan Park (near Margaret River)

Star Rating:★★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

Before we arrived at Gracetown we spent a night at the Blackwood River National Park where an angry magpie kept swooping me as soon as I left the safety of the awning!!

On the day we arrived at Gracetown, Jackson and I went straight to the playground where we loaded huge rocks on one side of the see-saw to see if it would hold both of us up - it did! That afternoon we checked out Gracetown beach then grabbed our boogie boards and headed off to the Margaret River Surf Beach. Even though the waves were massive we had lots of fun, but I got dumped many times. After Jackson and I had too much salt in our eyes and noses we went to swim in the Margaret River Mouth - which, even though it is right next to the ocean where we'd just been swimming, is not salty at all.

The next morning Jackson wasn't feeling great.....we soon found out he had Covid. After Mum and Dad had sorted everything out with Jackson, I went to the Gracetown Jetty with Dad where I took the kayak out and followed Dad whilst he went diving (this is usually Jackson's job!). I didn't like it as there were really big breakers crashing right where I was supposed to be with Dad. Though, before we went in, Dad got a mega crayfish- the biggest we have got on the trip so far. That afternoon I went out with Mum and we went exploring multiple beaches. At the first one we had fun jumping the big waves and at the second one we swam out to a pontoon (there was heaps of seaweed that kept brushing against our legs so I wanted to get to the pontoon really quickly). The final beach we went to was Margaret River Surf Beach, but Mum and I decided not to brave the ridiculously big waves so we swam in the calm river mouth instead.

The next day Jackson was feeling a bit better so we went to Kilcarnup Beach, which is a surfing hot spot. There were awesome waves to boogie board on and they didn't crash on us too many times. It was so much fun jumping the waves that I didn't want to get out, even when we were about to leave. That afternoon we went back to the Margaret River mouth where we met up with some friends and had another swim. After dinner Jackson, Mum and I went to watch 'Minions; The Rise of Gru' which the caravan park was playing on a big outdoor screen.

On the morning we left, Jackson, Mum and I played a round of mini-golf on the fun course in the caravan park. I won!! We still had heaps of fun at Gracetown, even though Jackson wasn't feeling great.

Playing mini golf, it was super fun.

The funniest thing our elf, Billie, did at Gracetown.👇

When I went exploring at all of the different beaches with Mum.👇

Week 38- Saturday 3rd - Saturday 10th December

Wellington Dam, WA

Star Rating:★★★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At Wellington Dam I spent most of my time whizzing around bends on the mountain bike tracks, playing soccer with Jackson and working on the embroidery kit that I got. I also went for some (freezing) swims and it was really enjoyable to sit down and watch the confident 28 Parrots (also called Ringneck Parrots) that loved to try and get food off you!!! I had a great time at Wellington Dam.

We went for a couple of swims in the dam, but it was very cold!!

The magnificent mural on the Wellington Dam wall.

I spotted a couple of Blue Fairy Wrens, they were super cute!

Some of the confident 28 Parrots (Ringneck Parrots).👇

On some of the mountain bike trails.👇

Windy Harbour, WA

Star Rating:★★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At Windy Harbour Mum and I went for a long walk along the beach. At camp there were some very large kangaroos hanging around. We also went exploring in the car and at one beach we found an old piece of whale blubber! There were also many beautiful lookouts. 

In Boyup Brook (a little town we stopped in on the way to Windy Harbour) there was heaps of pieces of art by Sandy Chambers, who is now 96. He is in the first photo.👇

Climbing to the 20 metre platform on the Bicentennial Tree. We stopped at the tree on they way to Windy Harbour, it was ordinarily a fire lookout tower before getting turned into a tourist attraction. There were only steel bars (that were hammered into the tree) spiraling up the tree, there was also a bit of mesh on the side- but nothing underneath!!!!

Looking down to the ground from the 20 metre platform on the Bicentennial Tree.

On some of the beaches at Windy Harbour.👇

Big Brook Arboretum, WA

Star Rating:★★★★

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

It was very cold at Big Brook Arboretum so we spent most of our time doing stuff in Pemberton. The main thing we did was go to another town, Manjimup, and go to the Cherry Harmony Festival-it was awesome! We also went and had a look at the Arboretum, there were some awesome trees and some kids had built tepees out of old branches.

Some of the cool trees at the Arboretum and around Pemberton!👇

🍒The Cherry Harmony Festival🍒

At the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival we:

• Had a look at all the magnificent and different stalls, I bought a couple of scrunchies and a pair of earrings!

• Watched a wood chopping competition, all the wood got chopped so fast! Whist we were watching Dad went and got us some amazingly delicious cinnamon donuts!

• Listened to the musician/singer/songwriter 'Fingers' (Mitchell Cullen) who played a didgeridoo, a guitar, drums and the maracas at the same time!! His songs were amazing!

• Stood on the side lines as the Grand Parade came roaring past-literally!!!! In the Parade there were some MEGA trucks that barely fitted down main street, some had 2 big trailers on the back!! In the parade there were also cool old cars, belly dancers, stilt walkers and lots more!

The Cherry Harmony Festival was amazing and guess what we got before we left-a box of cherries of course!

The Grand Parade at the Cherry Festival.👇

We watched the Head over Heels Circus, they did some amazing tricks!!

The Woodchopping Competition.

At the Festival there was a lady dressed up as 'Miss Cherry!! LOL!

Week 37- Mandurah- Saturday 26th November- Saturday 3rd December

Mandurah, WA

Star Rating:★★★★☆

★=Full Star☆=Half a Star

At Mandurah we:

• Went out on our friend's boat and saw some dolphins up close. These were friends we met on the last trip and we haven’t seen them for 6 years (last time they saw me I was a little 5 year old). When we got back from the boat Nikki (their youngest daughter), Jackson and I had fun doing tricks and flips on their inground trampoline. After a delicious barbecue lunch we spent some more time on the trampoline, then played a couple of rounds of hide and seek. Afterwards we left, though not before arranging to go out on their boat for a lights cruise on Friday night.

• Went over to Rottnest Island for a night, check out my Rottnest Island blog!!

• Followed the clues and had a look at 5/6 of the 'Giants'. The Giants are wooden sculptures designed and made by the European artist Thomas Dambo, they were incredible!
• Swam in the pool at the caravan park, Jackson and I had heaps of fun!

• Ate dinner down on the foreshore and had a look at the Christmas lights.

• Walked along the foreshore (on a different night) and took photos with all the Christmas light displays.

• Cruised through the canals of Mandurah, looking at Christmas lights, on the Hughes' boat. We had a great time and we even stopped and got off at the Mandurah foreshore to have a look at the Christmas Pageant!

Our time in Mandurah was awesome!!!

                                                                     Out on the boat.👇

Eating our sausages whilst watching the sun set on the Mandurah foreshore.

When we hopped off the boat to have a look at the Mandurah Christmas Pageant Nikki, Jackson and I decorated some gingerbread cookies. They were yum!

One of the bright light displays we saw from the boat!

Jackson and I got to help 'turn on' the biggest light display (a massive castle) on the Mandurah foreshore! The Mayor was there and there was even a news crew filming the whole thing!!!!! 

Some of the incredible light displays.👇

We saw 5 out of the 6 Giants, they were all spectacular and very different. We were all speechless at the amazing wood work that had gone into making them!