Lockdown in Perth – Part II
The night before we left, we still weren’t sure if we should really go. Rumour had it that Western Australia was going to establish a regional travel ban, and we didn’t know if we’d get in trouble. After double-checking the facts the next morning, we decided that we didn’t break any rules, so we packed up the car with all the camping gear and left for Belvidere Campground.
I couldn’t wait to get to Belvidere Campground because Liam had told me previously that this campground is wedged in between a lake and the ocean. I mean, come on, it really can’t get any better than this. We turned off state route 1 south and were almost instantly out in the sticks. For quite a while, we drove along a dirt road with the vast estuary on our left. So much birdlife was unfolding next to us, we had to stop several times to take it all in.
Our plan was to turn back in case the campsite was too crowded. All the passion for camping aside, we had been very careful over the last week and avoided contact with anyone, and we really didn’t fancy catching the virus while camping out in the sticks. However, we couldn’t have been luckier as the campsite was pretty much deserted. Aside from us, we could only see two other parties camping in the various spots in the little forest. We pulled into one of them, far away from the others, and set up camp.
The only disadvantage about camping this close to the estuary was that we were almost eaten alive by the flies. I certainly didn’t have the right strength of mosquito spray with me for I was literally bitten to shits (excuse my French). That was one reason why we didn’t linger around too long in the fading daylight and left for the beach. The other was the sunset. As Liam was putting out the fishing rod, I sat on the beach, enjoying a little beer with the sky turning orange then pink and then purple, before the darkness set in. We got back to the campsite to prepare the butterfly beef we had brought along on the barbeque. It always tastes better when you eat outside!
The next day, we got to enjoy the local wildlife in proximity – one reason why this campground doesn’t allow any dogs. A kookaburra mum and youngster decided that a branch right next to our tent was the right spot for some flying exercises. We were fascinated with the two of them all throughout our breakfast and whilst breaking down camp.
We decided to take the most scenic route of all back towards Perth and drove almost 20 km along the beach to Binningup. After a dip into the ocean at beautiful Myalup beach and a delicious steak & mushroom pie at Miami Bake House in Myalup, we slowly drove back to Perth.
