(Excerpted from my book OUR SUMMER IN AUSTRALIA, AMAZON.COM)
I hasten to mention here, as I should have done so when I began relating our cross Australia excursion, that our trip, including the train portion on the Indian Pacific, the Goldrush tours side trip to remote SW Australia, and the Outback stopover (future blog), was all put together with patience and a careful ear to our interests by Julia Lynch, of Adventure Tours and Travel, agent par excellence, in Coogee NSW near Sydney. "Good on ya Julia'.
So, leaving the whaling museum behind we now traveled to the far southwest of Australia just before the Southern Ocean meets the Indian ocean. There you will find a forest named the Valley of the Giants, containing groves of various species of tall trees the grow to heights of 250 feet or more, especially the Tingle (Eucalyptus Jacksonii).
These tree became increasingly endangered as a result of their popularity. The Tingle has a very shallow root system, and as visitors to the area increased, with improved roads and more local resorts, the trees were beginning to show the effects of countless footsteps around their base. One particularly large tree, whose hollowed out base was a favorite photo-op, finally gave in and collapsed in 1990. Something had to be done.
Dr. Syd Shea, who headed a government land management office, had seen a tree top walk while visiting Malaysia. A call was put our for proposals to build a facility along the same concept, the resulted in the brilliant Treetop Walk design. This is a construction of about 1800 feet in length and 120 feet above the forest floor. This ideal solution, allowing thousands of visitors to witness the forest without setting foot on the forest floor is as splendid as it is exhilarating. Elysee and I were fortunate to be there mid-week, off-season, on a slightly rainy day, thus having the area almost to ourselves.
The walk is not strenuous with an incline 1:14, with no steps. The pathway does sway slightly, adding an air of adventure. But even a casual observation of the construction reassures you that there is no danger. The design seems like a reverse of the suspension bridge with the stress downward on the arch. The perspective of casually walking along looking down into the forest is so unusual and at the same time relaxing, that the idea is being studied for other forests, as in Perth. It is a long way to travel, but if you are anywhere near SW Australia, Manjimup, you must do The Tree Top Walk.
Photos: Elysee and I standing inside a large Jacksonii. The hallowing out occurs naturally.
Two photos of the walkway.
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