A short slip south

[JohnM]

Last week it had been about six weeks since I had been bush. Even though there had been plenty on in (mostly) Covid-free PERfection, aside from a manic one-week lockdown interruption, I was starting to feel antsy for a good outing. With the current Indian Summer heatwave here, the weather looked extremely good on the S coast of WA for a getaway.

Even in summer, the S coast can be very windy and fringed with thick cloud. But the weather pattern last week promised light winds and little cloud. A function Wednesday night and another Friday night meant about 30 hours to do something.

A glance at the Roads & Tracks and bingo! I recalled a mate telling me some years ago that Black Point was a great spot on the S coast. As can be seen from the map, the section of coast between Augusta and Walpole is, perhaps surprisingly, very isolated with seasonal 4WD access only.

I’ve spent many years travelling throughout the south-west for work and pleasure but have mostly bypassed the deeper reaches towards the coast. Time to change that.



So, I tossed some camping gear into the fourby and hit the road last Thursday morning. A comfy drive, allowing plenty of time for stops on the way or taking some alternative routing.



First stop: Sue’s Bridge, a crossing over the Blackwood River and a popular canoeing spot.

The Blackwood River has a catchment extending from around Kojonup in the SW of the Wheatbelt, through mixed farming, livestock, dairy, horticulture land use and forest further SW, entering the ocean at Augusta (Blackwood River - Wikipedia). This is a winter-rainfall area, so the river level was seasonally low. It has occasionally gone over the bridge deck.

 

[JohnM]

The Sue’s Bridge campground is in a nice patch of jarrah/marri forest. Jarrah (Eucalyptus diversicolor) is a high-quality hardwood timber endemic to SW Australia that was once heavily harvested for multiple uses (Eucalyptus marginata - Wikipedia).

Marri (aka ‘redgum’) (Corymbia calophylla) is common in SW Australia. Like all Corymbia spp. it was previously placed in Eucalyptus. In deep contrast to jarrah, it has little structural or furniture use.



Jarrah (L) and marri (R).



Jarrah; marri.



Seed pods – jarrah (L), marri (R).

 

[JohnM]

Moving further S off the laterite ridges and onto the coastal sandplain and heading to Black Point by a less direct route.



Beaufortia sparsa, a genus endemic to SW Australia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufortia_(plant; https://www.gardeningwithangus.com.au/beaufortia-sparsa-swamp-bottlebrush/) was prolific, but a little past its peak bloom.



I don’t know the name of this species of Banksia, but it was prolific.

 

[JohnM]

Moving along, but my attempt to reach Black Point from the W was thwarted by deep sand that looked a bit risky for causing too much delay without a heads-up on the track condition. I retreated the way I came and cut across to Black Point Rd.



An interesting historical information sign at the kink in my track on the last map.



Then at the gated entry to D’Entrecasteaux NP on Black Point Rd and the last soft sand stretch into Black Point.



It was then a slow and steady grind through the sand to the campground.

 

[JohnM]

It was worth it!



The basalt columns were a little too far around the bay for a leisurely walk given my tight timeline. And the beach access steps were closed for reconstruction. Something for longer visit.



Around to the E side of the point. The brown in the water is seaweed. Apparently, the swell had been strong the day or so before.



Time to set up camp in the very sheltered campground and then partake of a sundowner.



Next morning, my plan was to head E to loop around Lake Jasper before making a beeline home. However, that was abandoned after about 2 km when I encountered exceptionally soft, deep sand and a sandhill with no run-up. The vehicle did bog and was about to bottom out, so I quickly cut it. Five minutes with the shovel and I backed out, turned around and made my way back out via Black Point Rd and then lit out for home.



A great little revitalising excursion!