Easter weekend at Quaalup (Fitzgerald NP)

Posted on 14 Apr 2009 | 0 comments

Easter means a 4-day long weekend, so we decide to join Paul, Erin and Joel at Quaalup in Fitzgerald NP. Jon and I decide to drive down on Thursday night and as Jon is also selling our 2 Finn kayaks that night, we can’t leave until 7 o’clock – a bit late for such a long drive…

we rescue this beautiful frog en route as he is stuck behind a fence

At 1AM we arrive at the homestead and we pitch our tent quickly so we can sleep. The next morning Karin wakes us up and indicates we might not have picked the best spot. We move to the other side of the grounds (closer to the nature walk), have breakfast and go for a hike to the ridge via the nature walk.

our camp site at Quaalup

Jude in one of our comfy hammocks

beautiful flowers are out

another amazing flower

Jon taking some pictures with our DSLR

views from the ridgeline

Jude on top of the ridge

Jon looking out over the valley

amazing views

Jude taking photos of the many spiders

here’s one

this one has captured quite a few flies already

we see the spider in action

quite impressive how quickly it is wrapped up

road to nowhere

Vicky the tame kangaroo

some galahs

When we got back from the walk, Joel had arrived and pitched his tent so we all had lunch.

That night we cooked a nice meal and enjoyed the moonrise – very pretty! Vicky came to say hello and we fed her some of the locusts that were stuck on Paul’s car. She loved them!

beautiful moon rise

Paul feeding Vicky some crickets from the cars

Vicky loves them

Vicky checking if Erin has some as well

and checking out Jon

The next morning we had a relaxed breakfast before starting our kayak trip down the Quaalup river. We took a lunch with us and had a stop before reaching the beach as it was a bit too windy to have lunch on the beach.

breakfast time

Erin preparing breakfast

Jon and Erin on the paddle

great paddle weather

Paul

Joel

Erin

eagle in the tree

near the ocean the river really opens up

nearly there

Paul went straight to the beach to start fishing and we built a sandcastle – all very sophisticated stuff. After catching a couple of herrings Paul was told we had to go back otherwise we would be caught out in the dark.

Erin and Jude

our kayaks

Paul goes fishing – of course

the ocean

Jude

Jude and Erin build a sand castle

and destroy it

the catch of the day

On the way back the wind was still quite strong and we used my sarong as a sail. Joel hitched a ride with us and Paul and Erin used one of their rain jackets as a sail. It worked really well and we sailed half the river back!

on the way back we have the wind in our backs and decide to set up a mini sail

looking back

paddling home

Jude and Erin

That night we had dinner booked in the homestead. That was very lucky as it was raining and windy and it would have been quite miserable to cook outside. Karin and Carsten had set the table in a small room in the old homestead and even lit the fire! They then served us a fantastic 3-course dinner. It was soooo good!!! First a soup, followed by some yummie burritos and then cake as dessert.

sun set over Lara

and a beautiful rainbow

dramatic sunset

Karin in the old homestead serving our dinner

fantastic dinner

We were allowed to stay as long as we wanted and we did. Paul and Erin had brought a game of scrabble and we played a game sitting by the fire, burning the old banksia flowers.

a game of scrabble

scrabble in the old homestead

The next day we drove to West Mt Barren, last time we were at Quaalup this walk had been closed after the fires in that area. Lunch at the top with beautiful views and back down so we could drive down to Point Anne. No whales either at this time of the year, so we went for a long beach walk instead which ended with some playing in the quick sand we found near the Fitzgerald River mouth. How much fun can you have with a puddle of quick sand?!

going for a walk

on the way up

at the top we practise our 1900’s pose

Jon and Jude at the top

pretty good 1900’s pose

Jude at the coast

looking up a river mouth

quick sand!

you do sink quite deep!

Jon circa 1900 in quick sand

getting out is not as easy as you hope

Jon

blue bottle (very painful jellyfish)

best beaches anywhere

Erin, Joel and Jon circa 1900

washed up sea dragon

trap door spider – so cool! can you see his trap door?

scorpion

another breakfast

On the last day we drove back via Bremer Bay and Paul and Erin had to go straight home from there. Joel joined us for a last paddle on the Bremer river after taking his brand new car off road for the first time. It now has a few more scratches than when it left the garage…