Seagull Chick Nursery, Busselton Jetty WA

Perched on a rotting railing next to the refurbished jetty, nesting seagulls, in holes in the timber, some with eggs, the hopefuls with no eggs, but still nesting, and to my delight, two chicks, one brave and up on top to view the world and the other snuggled down out of the wind.

Travelling in our rented Hyundai I30 from Thrifty car rentals we were on our way from Margaret River to catch our flight from Perth back to reality in Melbourne to travel home in Wagga, Busselton took our attention, we missed stopping there when we visited the West about ten years ago.

The water always attracts us and we found the Busselton Jetty with its quaint boat houses and miniature train.  We wanted to walk the Jetty and experience the history and stories that were shown in murals and placques all along the 1.8km jetty as it stretches into Geographe Bay

Swimming with the Stingrays, Hamlin Bay, WA

I couldn't believe that I could be a metre away from a wild stingray.  As I paddled in the shallows, it seemed to come towards me on each wave breaking on the shore.  I was wet to the waist, but it was a beautiful sunny spring day and I was intent on filming the medieval creature as he swam close by almost taunting the crowd who were wading in the shallows with him.

Hamlin Bay is known for the Stingrays which come into the boat ramp, to feed off the fish bones and offal that the fishermen throw away as they clean the fish.

Travelling from Margaret River to Augusta, visiting Hamlin Bay was on our list. The Bay is situated in the Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park and the bush is majestic Karri Eucalypts and Peppermint Willow. The Bay has an old boat jetty, which makes for great spots for the kids to fish around and swim in the shallow protected water

Margaret River Discover Tour and Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs

Our tour started with a trip back out to Prevelly Beach and a morning coffee at White Elephant Cafe. Just to kick things off!!

With a wealth of knowledge of both white settlement and aboriginal ancestry, Sean our Margaret River Adventure Discovery tour guide took us to a beautiful spot on the river where the local aborigine tribe would meet and camp. It was easy to see why this spot was chosen, it was pretty, tranquil and in the heat of summer, lovely and cool.

Sean, had brought with him, some local home baked bread, which smelled delicious and was nice and crusty and he gave us a taste of three different types of honey from the local trees. One which stood out for me, was the honey from Agonis Flexuosa, the peppermint willow and you could actually taste the mint in the honey.

Canoeing Margaret River http://wanderingwoollies.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/canoeing-margaret-river.html

Fraser Gallop Winery http://wanderingwoollies.blogspot.com.au/2016/08/exclusive-lunch-fraser-gallop-winery.html

Lunch at Fraser Gallop at Wilyabrup is at the heart of the Margaret River Wine Region 

After Lunch we travel in Sean's Landrover and head into the scrub and four wheel drivie towards the Wilyabrup seacliffs overlooking the Indian Ocean. The track at times disappears into vast areas of deep sand and we are priviledged to see birds and grass trees as well as reptiles and kangaroos.

Overlooking the Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs to the Indian Ocean. We are not lucky enough to spot whales today. 

Wilyabrup Sea Cliffs

A shingle back lizard

Climbing the Giant Coathanger, Sydney Harbour Bridge

Circular Quay and Sydney CBD in background

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Photo courtesy Sydney harbour Bridge Climb

It was a late winters’ afternoon, as we stepped out into the daylight, onto the criss-crossing girders of the arch of the bridge, the rays of the sun were radiating like a fan, through the white clouds, spreading its rays over the Gladesville Bridge and Parramatta in the distance. The waters of the harbour were silver and the gentle shafts of sunlight painted a moving masterpiece on this magnificent harbour and the suburbs lining its shores.

The scene before us was spectacular. Looking into the late afternoon sun, the suburbs were in shadow and the bright silver water of the harbour snaked its way in all directions like the tenticles of giant octopus.

We had had lunch at the Walsh Bay Pier Café and watched the ferries, and small craft sailing beneath this beautiful “Giant Coathanger” that Sydneysiders lovingly call the Sydney Harbour Bridge. From a distance we could the climbers in single file on the bridge, looking like a line of ants heading to their nest. 

Photo courtesy Sydney harbour Bridge Climb

The Bridge Climb as a tourist attraction has been operating for 17 years and it had been on our bucket list for quite some time.  Together with four of our friends, we made a booking for mid-afternoon and we weren't disappointed. 

We spent an hour getting our kit on, jumpsuit, radio and head phones so we could hear our directions and commentary from Chloe our leader. We also were given a rain jacket, a warm jacket, and needed to leave behind in lockers, cameras, phones, watches, rings, earrings and anything that we could drop down onto the traffic below. For safety, our attachment lead around our waists was to be hooked up to a steel rope that trails our route on our journey.

The most difficult part of the climb, is the ladders which take us from underneath up to the beginning of the arch. As we step out onto the east side of the arch, the view of the harbour and city is spectacular. The Opera House with its sets of sails looking out of the Harbour is below us and we watch as the ferries berth at Circular Quay.  Chloe our tour guide, points out Kirribilli House, the Sydney home of the Governor General. The Sea Princess cruise ship sails below us out through the Heads, on her journey north. What an experience as a "Tall Ship" sails into the harbour and passes underneath us,  all the while helicopters are flying above us.

Cahill Expressway

Sunlight gradually dipped into twilight as we climbed in single file up the east side of the arch. With the multi storey buildings of the city and north shore, turning on their lights, and the vehicle lights of the traffic below us, creating a fairy tale scene. Climbing steadily, the higher we climb, the noise of the traffic and city fade into the background, leaving us in a peaceful, surreal space. We stop regularly to have our photo taken and enjoy the experience. Chloe is giving us regular commentary, about the history of the building of the bridge.

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is the largest and heaviest single span steel bridge in the world, designed by John Bradfield. It is being maintained regularly and today we need to cross through the middle of the arch to the western side to avoid the crews and their machines and tools. As we cross we get a better view of the middle of the arch and it looks like a meccano masterpiece of interlocking girders of heavy steel in geometric patterns, linking the east with the west side of the arch and holding the top of the arch in place above the roadway and rail line below us. 

We can see Luna Park, with its "giant mouth" opening and its ferris wheel rising up to meet us. Now with its lights on welcoming its guests to spend the evening in sideshow alley, riding the show rides and having a fantastic time.

It is now dark, and we are alone on top of the world. Looking out to the horizon through Sydney Heads into the last vestiges of twilight, I can hear and see the riggers hammering the rivets until they are white hot, their muscular bodies, heavy with sweat, dropping each burning rivet into a bucket of sand below, his mate picking it up and placing it between two girders of steel and then hammering into position. Without guard rails or harnesses, hearing muffs, or any protective glasses, their overalls being torn to shreds in a matter of weeks, from the shards of metal, they stand on the girders, in the fresh air, come rain or shine, as they build the masterpiece below them. Only 16 men perished over the eight years during the construction of the bridge, with an amazing eight from the bridge itself. What an incredible achievement for these men, with only the basics of machinery and tools. The bridge was complete in 1932.

NSW Government photo

Photo by Henri Mallard

Photo by Henri Mallard

Photos showing the working conditions of the bridge builders

Three and a half hours after we entered the induction room, we were back taking off our gear, an incredible experience, if you can take four hours out of  your travel time in Sydney the Sydney Harbour Bridge climb is well worth the spend of  AU$318, a.