After our first stunning trip to the lush south west of Western Australia, I couldn’t wait to get back down there again. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, we gathered our camping stuff and headed to Sue’s Bridge, this time with a couple of kayaks in the bag.
Sue’s Bridge, located 2.5 hours’ drive from Perth at the Blackwood River is very similar to Wright’s Bridge where we had been before: The camping spots are not too close to each other in the forest, usually each one has a few trees between them so campers don’t live in each other’s pockets. The site features bush loos just like Wright’s Bridge, but in contrast to the latter, it provides a handy and tidy cooking shelter complete with sink and two barbecues. There are many possums around, we spotted one of these cute little marsupials with their bushy tails and big eyes having a run around the trees one night. Therefore it’s best to pack the food away safely when not in use. The Blackwood River is quite broad, and whilst powerboats are not allowed, it’s the perfect setting for some kayaking.
This time we had opted for the cheapest camping version, no fancy rental trailers or fridges, just our four-man-tent and an esky loaded with ice. We actually noticed that having more equipment didn’t provide any real improvement in comparison to going basic at all. The tent is spacious enough to stand up in, it stays dry even in the heavy rain and our blow up mattress is utterly comfortable. It was also nice to stay in one spot for three nights, rather than having to pack and unpack on a frequent basis, which we have done before usually.
We’d arrived late so only got to admire the beautiful surroundings when we woke up the next day to beautiful sunshine. After a relaxed breakfast of eggs, bacon and beans prepared on the gas cooker and a cup of coffee, we took our kayaks down to the river.
There is supposedly a canoe drop in point on the other side of the bridge that gave the campsite its name, but even after driving around for quite a while, we couldn’t find it. Hence, we took the canoes down some stairs that were built into the ground with the support of logs, which led to a place named “future canoe drop in point” on the campsite map. Another good launching point for kayaks is the day use area a bit further downstream.
To begin with, we went upstream a little, underneath the bridge and further along, enjoying the quietness and the rustling of the trees left and right of the river, until we got to some rapids. We took the kayaks out and carried them over the rapids, before going back downstream via the rapids, which was great fun. They were only small but since I’ve not done much kayaking, it was just the right amount of thrill for me to start with.
We made our way further downstream, past the day use area, which features picnic benches and is a beautiful spot for a dip. The river isn’t very deep here and the water was very refreshing. We continued a while further downstream, passing through areas where the river widened into a large, peaceful basin where the water was almost still. When we returned to the day use area, we left the kayaks on the shores of the river and headed over to the campsite to start the fire. Free firewood is provided on the campsite, and this was the last weekend we were able to have campfires this summer. Usually, a complete fire ban is in effect over the summer months in Western Australia, to protect the area from bush fires.
The next day, the sky was overcast, so we changed our plans to go kayaking in favour of exploring the area by car. We dropped into a couple of other nearby campsites, namely Warner Glen and Alexandra Bridge. Warner Glen is very similar to Sue’s Bridge but larger, it even features a group campsite and might even be a bit more scenic, as it’s located on the corner where a little stream called Chapman Pool flows into the wider Blackwood River. Alexandra Bridge is at 10 AUD per night and party (5.52 GBP / 6.12 EUR) a dollar cheaper than Warner Glen, Sue’s Bridge and Wright’s Bridge and features flushing toilet, showers and a boat ramp to launch powerboats. However, camping spots are a bit closer together and we felt in general that it was busier than the other three. The powerboat launch area is within on of the two day use areas, so we’ll probably head there at some point.
The town of Augusta was our next destination, only a 30-40 minute drive away from Sue’s Bridge. Augusta is a very cosy little township located at the ocean, where the Blackwood River emerges into Flinders Bay. We had a picnic underneath a tree right next to the river while a bit of drizzle set in, and then walked along the nearby dog exercise beach at the sea.
The historic settlement of Flinders Bay features beautiful houses overlooking pristine, turquoise ocean waters. We could see some snorkelers in spite of the relatively low temperatures for this time of year. Augusta is also the nearest town to Cape Leeuwin and the namesake lighthouse, on the furthest southwest corner of the Australian continent. We didn’t head there this time around as it was getting late and we’ve been there already.
On the way back to the campsite, we stopped at Hamelin Bay Winery. This little gem features a terrace overlooking the vineyards and a little lake. In contrast to many other wineries, we were able to bring the dog onto the terrace. After a free wine tasting (four wines included, others a payable at 6 AUD (3.30 GBP / 3.60 EUR per glass), we enjoyed a glass on the terrace with a view and left with several bottles, in my case, of Semillon Sauvignon Blanc and in Liam’s, of Shiraz.
We had only just made it back to the campsite and started the fire when it began to rain, first on and off, which prompted us to put out the awning attached to the car, so we could sit underneath to enjoy our dinner. Overnight, the rain got stronger and stronger, but thankfully, even though the weather was unsteady, we got a little more kayaking under the belt. Down by the river, we met a couple of guys with a two-man kayak who were just about to go downstream to Augusta. Another thing to add to the travel bucket list!
