CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA: SW AUSTRALIA & THE TREE TOP WALK

(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.

CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA-DAY SIX- THE WHALING STATION

(Excerpted from my book Our Summer in Australia and New Zealand, Amazon.com)

A highlight of our time in Albany was a visit to the whaling station, which now goes by the unfortunate name of Whale World. The station was the last such large commercial operation to close under pressure from the worldwide bans and restrictive treaties on many form of whaling enacted in the 1970s. The Albany station closed in 1978 and is much like it was then, thereby being a good representative of what the industry was like.

For this modern operation, early in the morning a spotter plane would go to sea to determine if there were any pods, searching within 200 miles of the station. Once whales are located the whaling boats would be dispatched to the exact location. In some cases they would be out and back in the same day, a long one at that, but mostly it would take several days. Killed whales would be pumped with air to keep them afloat, and when sufficient numbers were harvested they would be towed to the whaling station, winched onto the land, flenced (a Norwegian word for stripping the whale), boiled, separated into product and prepared for shipping. Hard work, but mild in comparison to 19th century experience. Then, one spent two years at sea, the product stored below and available for looting by pirates and during war being seized for prize. The Albany station lasted so long because it was so efficient. Day laborers would only be called to work by a factory whistle when the returning boats had product to be rendered. If you are way down under this way it is a worthwhile stopping place.

The city of Albany adapted well to the declining whaling industry. Being surrounded by abundant forest resources authorities are preparing facilities for processing vast quantities of wood chips to feed paper mills in the Far East.. Further on along the coast Albany is installing ultra modern wind farms, which when completed, will supply 75% of the electricity for the city of 25,000. Another example that Australia is aptly named "The Lucky Country."

The picture shows the last whaling ship, quite well preserved and keeping with the Whale World image Elysee in 3d glasses used for viewing a film.

CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA- DAY SIX-ALBANY

THE IMPOSING ANZAC MEMORIAL, ALBANY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

(Excerpted from my book Our Summer in Australia and New Zealand, Amazon.com)

The seaport town of Albany, located in the southwest portion of Western Australia,near where the great Southern Ocean meets the Indian Ocean, is about as far as one can get "to be far away" without falling off of the edge of the world. By the way, Australians pronounce the name AL as in the mans name and Beny. The city is notable as a former whaling port of some importance, the main point of departure for the WWI ANZAC Armada, a terminal for Australia's timber exports from its abundant forests which provided railroad ties (sleepers in Australia) for English railroads being built throughout the British Empire in its glory days.

At the time of its founding in 1826 there were no settlements anywhere in what is today Western Australia, which amounts to almost half of the continent. Governor Darling sent a military detachment and fifty convicts to establish a lawful presence to contest the use of the area by escaped convicts from Tasmania, and drive out Yankee sealers who were living a renegade lifestyle with captured aborigine women. After five years he withdrew the forces concluding that the area was to inhospitable to attract permanent settlers. Also, Albany was was about to be eclipsed by a more ambitious project on the west coast, Perth, founded two years later. Some struggled on and today the city has about 25,000 residents, a natural port that is thriving, along with a robust tourist trade during the summer months, drawing Western Australians from further north to its cooler climate.

It was at Albany that the ANZAC fleet assembled, sailing off to meet their ill fated destiny on November 2, 1914. It was here that a chaplain from the ANZAC Corps held the first sunrise memorial service commemorating the fateful day of the landing at Gallipoli, April 25, 1915. A solemn dawn service is now held throughout Australia and New Zealand every year on the anniversary of that landing. While the United States has its Veterans Day and Memorial Day to commemorate its service men and women, they have become more holidays, than national days of remembering. Not so in either Australia and New Zealnd, where April 25 each year is taken very seriously and with a greater degree of national participation and respect.(More to follow on the whaling and forest industry.)

CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA- ESPERANCE TELEGRAPH FARM-PART TWO

( Excerpted from my book Our Summer in Australia & New Zealand. Amazon.com)

John Starr, the owner of Telegraph Farm is a man of great imagination and energy. He uses a portion of his farm less suitable for crops or grazing to raise flowers for export, especially to the Japanese market. He plants perennials, providing thereby a renewable product. The Japanese inspect every delivery and if even one insect is found, the entire shipment is denied delivery. In the fading light of the day we gazed over acres of beautiful commercial flower beds. John cut flowers for all the women on board, each leaving with a bouquet containing the Queen Protea, the star of the plantings.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Gwen finished preparing a meal using Telegraph Farm products, to be served boarding house style; venison, buffalo, ostrich, bowls of farm fresh vegetables, home baked muffins, and a selection of fine local wines, this being another of Australia's many wine producing regions.

Our stay at telegraph was informative, ending with a large Australian farm meal, and of course a wonderful alternative to the nine foot seas. Hang in the Gwen and John...Good on ya mate!

(Picture of farm raised elk and the queen protea)

CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA-Esperance & Telegraph Farm

(Excerpted from my book Our Summer in Australia and New Zealand Amazon.com)

Hi Elysee, I'm Joe Camel Hey, Anything for us Ostrich's?

After leaving Kalgoorlie we headed south towards Esperance a town in the Great Australian Bight of the southern ocean and about as far from everything as one can get. We were scheduled to visit the Recherche Islands which was the site of great whale and seal hunting grounds from the 19th century. The name for islands were taken from two French ships that explored the area in the early part of the 19th century, raising concerns in London about French colonization and causing the British to spur settlement in the region. Thankfully, due to nine foot seas, our excursion to the islands was cancelled. Instead we visited Telegraph Farm, much to our good fortune. That is a place we easily could have passed by and I consider myself fortunate indeed that we left the pods of seals to another time.

The farm's owners John and Gwen Starr are pioneers in methods of farm diversification as an alternative to raising sheep. Sheep farms in Australia are consolidating, where a minimum of 4,000 sheep are necessary for. The Starr's 1300 acres were becoming insufficient. Instead of giving up farming they went the alternative way.

Animal husbandry is the main feature of Telegraph Farm's strategy. John raises, breeds and cross breeds animals adaptable to Australia, while producing animals that are leaner and more compatible with today's increasing understanding of nutrition and health.

For example, John has both Indian and African Buffalo and their cross strains, the same for African Wapiti, Canadian Elk. and ostrich. These animals are not only leaner they have less impact on the land. For example replacing Herefords with buffalo. During a recent drought the less particular buffalo didn't require feed, being content to graze on the course three foot high grass weeds. Not only that, but being draught animals the buffalo's method of walking is gentle and does not dig up the turf the way cattle do.

John keeps camels mainly for the enjoyment of children as Telegraph Farm is also a center of learning for children for miles around. We had no idea the animals were mostly hand fed and when the door to the van was opened, and Elysee had a bucket of feed in her hand, she was astonished and pleased to come face-to-face with Joe Camel (More on Telegraph Farm in my next posting)

CRISSCROSSING AUSTRALIA-KALGOORLIE

The Kalgoorlie Pit. The largest trucks in the world go down there and never return until worn out.

(Extracted from Our Summer in Australia and New Zealand Amazon.com)

Having left the Indian Pacific cross country train at Kalgoorlie, before its final overnight run to Perth, we began day four of our journey back and forth across Australia, with a closer look at the town that epitomizes Australia's former Wild West.

The story begins with an 1892 gold strike in Coolgardie, about 25 miles from present day Kalgoorlie, to which thousands of gold crazed prospectors rushed. Thus when rumors circulated in 1893 that another "find" had been discovered somewhere to the east, about 50 out-of-luck "diggers" left Coolgardie to discover the location of this new mountain of gold. Among them were three hapless, unlucky Irish prospectors named Flanagan, Shea and Patrick Hannon. Hannon's horse became lame and these three lingered behind for the night allowing Hannon time to change the horseshoe. The story is that the lame horse pawed the ground and unearthed a gold nugget.That moment marked the beginning of the richest gold discovery in all Australia, and perhaps the world. Hannon, Shea and Flanagan were soon picking nuggets right off the ground. In a few days Patrick had about 100 ounces, and on June 17, 1893 filed a claim for himself and his two companions, instantly setting off another stampede.

By the end of the year 3000 "diggers" had moved into the area, one of the driest in the world. Many died due to the harsh conditions, water had to be brought 350 miles from Perth, a months journey. Whiskey was free, it was water you paid for.

Since Patrick Hannon picked that 100 ounces of gold off the desert floor over 49,000,000 ounces have been extracted from what is known worldwide as the Golden Mile, the most valuable piece of real estate on the planet. Moreover, it is estimated only half the gold has been extracted. In fact nobody knows. The estimate of future deposits always seems to replace that which has already been extracted.

ACROSS AUSTRALIA BY TRAIN: DAY FOUR

Re-boading the Indian Pacific to begin the run across the barren plain if the Nullarbor.

The conductor had given us a stern warning not to wander too far while in Cook, for once the refueling was complete the train would be leaving for it journey across the Nullarbor, and you don't want to be stranded in the middle of the outback. The Nullarbor (Latin in a way null being none arbor trees...i.e. treeless) is akin to California's Death Valley, but much larger in size. The Indian Pacific travels through this 160,000 square mile arid and treeless plain on the longest straight stretch of rail line in the world; not the slightest deviation for 286 miles. For train rides this is the longest day; a journey where the next meal becomes the highly anticipated event. Bring a good book. I dallied most of the day doing just that, reading the Fatal Shore, about Australia's convict experience; and talking with fellow passengers, mostly Australian, who were, fortunately, the type to make this trip an interesting experience as well.

At about 8pm, we arrived in Kalgoorlie, the site of a historic and immense gold field, and a mile stretch of the world's most expensive real estate. We left the train here, about 500 mils short of its pacific coast destination Perth. If you stay on the train overnight you arrive mid-day on the forth day. Instead we stayed the night in Kalgoorlie, joining a five day bus tour to the far south of Australia along the south sea road, and the Bight of

Australia, then turn north along the Indian Ocean and enter Perth by the "back door", via the Margaret

river wine country. Next I will tell the story about Kalgoorlie, Irish Luck, a US President, and the world richest mine.