To Dwell Upon Dwellingup
Week 17 of the Perth Project.
A British colleague I once worked with said “if the adventure is all about the journey than the destinati
on must be really shit”, however in the case of our recent adventures to Dwellingup, I couldn’t help but disagree with him. After a couple of weeks of solo trips and N.M.I.A. (Niki Missing in action), we have joined forces again to fight of the evil stresses of the city and have hit the road for some nature, hiking and relaxation.
A couple years back I use to follow the World Rally Cars when they came to Perth for Rally Australia, and one of the locations they visited was the small town of Dwellingup, located about 100km south of Perth. They use to race through some of the most amazing forests in Western Australia and I was really keen one day to return. Today is that day! So Nic and I packed up are hiking gear and headed south for the winter. Our journey cuts through the Darling Range driving through spectacular eucalyptus forests and past pristine rivers. Along the way you have the opportunity to stop at the various dams that provide Perth with its drinking water – for some reason I had this urge to scull a martini, repeat my surname in a swab English accent and then hurl myself of the wall with a bungee cord attached to me feet and an Ak37 in one hand. Times like this I think I should have been a Secret Agent!
Anyway, after I got 007 out of my system and dodging the look in Niki’s eyes ”saying this is the last time I’m ever taking you to a bloody dam”, we arrived in the small quaint timber town of Dwellingup. Dwellingup is just what you picture; small ornate cottage style houses, typical country style shops and a small town atmosphere almost bordering on a hippy come bohemian feel. The fresh air cleaned out the cobwebs and the quietness was just what we were looking for. The town has heaps of heritage and if you’re into this type of tourism, then the small town walks will give you a great insight into the history of the place. The local tourism centre can provide you the maps and all the info you need.
However what Nic and I were here for was the outdoor activities and Dwellingup is a great place to do this. From climbing, canoeing, horse riding, camping, hiking, swimming or fishing, you can find it all here. We drove down to the Lane Poole Reserve, an idyllic park made for all of the above. The park is divided down the middle by the serene Murray River and for us, the main destination for our hiking. Niki and I picked the Island Pool hiking track, a small loop about 20 minutes into the park. The hike took us along the winding banks and gave us the opportunity to watch wild ducks and other birdlife at play as well as sit by the river watching it slowly drift by. We even bumped into a few canoeists enjoying a lazy afternoon paddle.
After a short but enjoyable hike we sat down to eat some grub before heading home however not before hugging King Jarrah though – a large Jarrah tree which dwarfs everything around it. Dwellingup is a great little destination which I think alot of people often overlook on their way to Margaret River. Although I’m sure in the years to come its going to be another Denmark or Dunsborough.
By the way guys, I have a new blog coming up on Vietnam(talk about being a sucker for punishment) – more details coming soon!
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