National park visits are a must when staying in and around Jurien Bay (between rain showers as is the case for us). The Nambung National Park situated 40km south of town is home to the Pinnacles. These strange and mysterious limestone rock formations look like something from another world. While modern science still hasn’t definitively uncovered what the pinnacles are, you can read all about the theories as well as the animals that inhabit the area in the modern interpretive centre.
The Pinnacles – Nambung National Park
After taking a short walk through the pinnacles nearest to the car park, we realised the best way to see the desert is to hop back in the car and drive the circular dirt track. This way you can stop at various parts of the desert to admire pinnacles of all shapes and sizes. I even found one that had a face!!
My Pinnacle friend
For national park number two, we visited the tourist information centre here in Jurien, where an enthusiastic and helpful guide showed us a route through the Lesueur National Park. Lesueur is located 27km north east of Jurien and is home to some 900 species of flora and a couple of ‘mountains’. With black clouds surrounding us we decided to risk it and set off with a plan to drive the scenic loop, walk the 2.5km Gardner trail and head to Green Head for lunch.
After making our way down a muddy red dirt track (Cockleshell Gully Way) and with our white vehicles now no longer white, we arrived at the Drummond rest area. Hoping for a dry half hour we set out on our walk. Although there was a fair amount of puddle hopping, we managed to complete the circuit without getting wet. It was well worth the effort with stunning views and an array of flora to capture our attention.
View across Lesueur National ParkMuddy puddles
Famous for wildflowers in late winter and spring, we assumed it would be another case of ‘wrong time of the year’. However we were pleasantly surprised…… although only early July, the bush is already beginning to erupt and if you kept your eyes peeled, there were beautiful little flowers all over the place in an assortment of colours. I imagine in a few more weeks the whole place will be a sea of colour.
The flowers of Lesueur National Park
From here, as planned, we drove back towards the coast and enjoyed lunch at Dynamite Bay Takeaway – Green Head. The food was great and likely one of the biggest burgers Mr Travel Bee and our travel companion Master J have ever encountered! Dynamite Bay itself was a stunning surprise and offered yet another blast of wind in the hair.
This weekend I have spent some time appreciating my home patch. Saturday morning started with my usual 1.8km swim in the shark net. Although I come down every weekend, I am constantly blown away with how beautiful this place is and this weekend really was extra special. Yet again I found myself snapping away with my camera behaving like a tourist in my home town but I wasn’t the only one….. A Busselton City council worker clearing rubbish was doing the same, seemly blown away by what is effectively her office day in and day out. She greeted us cheerfully as she went on with her work knowing she had the best workplace ever.
Although there is an autumnal chill in the early morning the days are still warm and most importantly the water is still hovering around 22 degrees! This combined with not a breath of wind or swell, made for a magnificent swim and the absolute best start to a weekend. After a swim, walk and coffee we spent the afternoon relaxing and planning for an early Sunday morning snorkel.
Sunrise in paradise
Sunday morning came and we gathered a few friends, a collection of snorkels and wetsuits then headed down our 1.8km jetty ready to immerse ourselves in another world. The sun was out, the sea was flat and conditions were perfect. We chatted as we strolled along, watching dolphins frolicking out to our east and seabirds soaring above. We said hello to fellow walkers and people fishing, all of which sported wide smiles as they enjoyed all that the morning had to offer. It felt like no time and we had reached the end of the jetty where there is a dive platform and underwater observatory for those who want to enjoy the spectacle without getting wet.
Dive platform at the end of Busselton Jetty
When we arrived on the platform there was a scramble of equipment as we squeezed into wetsuits, zipped each other up, adjusted mask straps and hit the water. Some of us waved for the camera (whoops that is me on the left, already off and into another world – my happy place!).
Snorkels on and ready to go – Mum has gone already!
The minute my head entered the water, the worries of the week left and I entered a world where I could be completely free. First up I visited a small friend from a few weeks ago. On the first pylon right near the platform there is a collection of corals that form holes……… and in the holes, live blenny fish. I have always been intrigued by these fish, I first came across them many years ago snorkelling with my Dad. They are so easy to overlook but so interesting to watch should you see one. At first all you can see is a tiny pair of eyes looking at you but as you dive down they often come out of their hole just a little way to greet you, seemingly just as curious about us as we are of them. I introduced my family and friends to Mr Blenny before we swam off in a group towards the spectacular pylons and the underwater observatory.
The colours down there are just breath taking and on a clear day like today we were able to appreciate them in all their glory. The sun shone through the water illuminating the corals allowing the blues, greens, oranges and pinks to stand out against the crystal clear waters. We all pointed things out to each other exclaiming over fish, sponges and corals. There was the unusual sounds of excited snorkel talk, warped and loud! I dove down, down, down to the depths. With each dive I felt better and better equalising my ears, eventually allowing me to dive all the way to the seafloor (about 8m).
The coral colours – photo taken from inside the underwater observatory on my last visit
I was leading the way and suddenly came across what looked (through the shadows) to be a large bed of seagrass or weeds. As I came closer I realised the whole thing was moving and I became momentarily confused before I realised I was on top of the largest school of fish I have ever seen. It seemed to go on forever like a rippling blanket beneath me. I beckoned the others and we all dove down and watched the fish move around us with perfect flow and cohesion. I think they were herring but I can’t be sure, I need to work on my species identification!
We carried on and discovered old ladders and pieces of jetty now covered in coral and home to fish of all kinds. There were little ones, big ones, stripy ones, yellow ones, orange ones, silver ones, black ones, ones with eye patches, blow fish, old wives, angel fish and leather jackets (like I said I really need to brush up on who is who!).
Reluctantly after we did a full circuit it was time to get out as some in the party were feeling cold (we must have been in the water around 45 minutes). The brave decided to swim the 1.8km home, one decided the equipment trolley was the best way back and the rest strolled along in much the same fashion we started the day chatting and discussing things we had seen.
A last minute jetty jump as we passed the jump platform (known to every child in Busselton) and the morning was completed with coffee and chips on the lawn.
The absolute perfect way to spend a weekend in Busselton and the perfect way to clear the mind ready to tackle a new week.
The Travel Bee 