Avon Valley & Collie River (April 2022)

Dec 18, 20228 min read

An arty and somewhat historical trip, peppered with great scenery and weird characters

Work is sucking the life out of me. Difficult to find the energy to pack, but packing that's what we do. We don't really have a plan. We heard a lot of great things about the town of Collie, its mural trail and the largest wall painting in the Southern Hemisphere. So that’s here we are heading. And why not. Thanks, Paul, for insisting.

Our first stop is New Norcia, a weird place. It is the only monastic town in Australia, built around a Benedictine abbey, founded in 1848. With good intentions, a mission was created to house and educate aboriginal children. The Native School & Orphanage was abandoned in 1974 after revelations of horrific mental and physical abuse. Despite, or maybe because of its colourful history, it is still a place, where monks live, eat and pray, a place of spiritual guidance and retreat.

A lot of the grand old buildings are still standing and open to the public, except for the monastery. An interesting mixture of colonial-ecclesiastic architecture with Spanish undertones. It fits as little as the original idea of the mission. We briefly consider camping close by at Moore River. But there is something odd about this place. Perhaps haunted. And as we are not after absolution, we press on.

Max, our truck, takes us to Toodyay (pronounced 2-Jay) in the Avon Valley. The narrow gorge is a tight fit for water and town. But both merge beautifully. Like lovers, they lay there in a tight embrace. Weirs are preserving some of the precious wet. But the river is mostly dry and dusty. .

We set up our first camp a little upstream, on a picturesque weir but otherwise stagnant water. I am breaking away with Olli and the drone. A photo session along the gravelly beach. The river exposed the bones of the valley. With a little imagination, it is possible to conjure up the sound of the water making its way through the gorge.

Back at camp, we notice bubbles heading down stream. They move ever so sluggish towards and past us. Do you think the water nymphs may have heard us? The river seems to be wakening up. The surface begins to vibrate, and the water swelling slowly. We follow the spectacle with a curious fascination. A stick in the river, confirms that something amazing is happening here. And timidly, but steadily the wet climbs the shores. It’s an overnight performance. Gentle and quiet. Just for us. In the morning, the river flows and the beds of dry gravel have disappeared.

With the rising sun, a gentle drizzle sets in. Remains, of the rain upstream, that put live back into the valley. We quickly pack up and sneak into the city. Breakfast is calling. Rain gently washes the old houses. Then gargles down the curb and the road. It rains cats and dogs until we find Toodyay's bakery. Olli is now well soaked. We cuddle under an awning, hot coffee in our paws and watch the city come to life. And listen to the drops drumming their melody on the sidewalk. Click-klack.

A suspension bridge stretches over the now lively water. Children are on their way to school. Colourful rain and windbreakers, rubber boots and funny satchels. They are looking at Olli curiously. A few brave people ask for permission to pet. Our dog never says no to that! Nice place.

The Avon Valley is truly magnificent. We follow the river to York. Such a nice and lively town! She invites you to stroll along the old buildings, enjoy views and breathe the most succulent flavours. York is synonymous with gardens and roses. And they wonderfully match the colonial architecture and the snack bars, cafés and restaurants.

People here don’t take themselves too seriously. Where else does one announce accommodation for “respectable couples” only? I like that. The vintage car museum fits right in as well. Probably one of the best privately run ones in the country. Mr Woof must have looked cute enough to be allowed in. “You can’t have him sit out on the street!” It helps looking adorable. So here we are sniffing at ancient rubber, carbide lamps, and polished bonnets. It is tempting to chew on buffed old leather. Having a hard time not to mark everything. What a great place!

When in York, one has to visit the Sock Factory. This place turns sheep fleece into anything wool. Some of the socks are still produced one-site. And they are soo nice. Imagine pressing your face into a fluffy bunny. The highest quality ones are made from a Merino-Possum blend. Very light yet warm and beautiful to wear. Breaking the bank, Pauls gets one for his birthday. Actually for at least the next five of them. Possum hair is sourced from New Zealand. Imagine a naked possum. Because that’s a pretty sad sight and Kiwis, being an industrious lot, they wait for the possum to die and then pull the hair off. I could imagine that assisted dying could be a thing here too. Ouch! Maybe a good idea to focus just on the Merino!!!

Our second camp is at Kulyaling, on the upper reaches of the Avon. It is as cold as it is quiet and picturesque. McWilliams Fortifieds keeps the chill at bay.

Considering the quiet aspect, Glen Mervyn Dam, south of Collie has to improve greatly. It is a nice place. The “campsites” are located on the edge of the beach which expands and shrinks with the rains. Currently, it’s a free camp ground. Which attracts curious people. Thank you, noisy ones, for teaching us not to take stillness and serenity for granted. There is a lot of hoohaa, lewd music and hooning on the beach. Cars screech by just to maroon in the softer sections. More cajoling trying to free the wreck. Breathe, Sven, breathe! Luckily next day, everyone has to go back to work. Freedom for us and a space to just be, go for a paddle, collect rubbish and delighting in cleaning the car.

Exploring Collie and nearby Wellington National Park is awesome. Good vibes. The mix of nature, hiking trails, 4WD tracks, unspoilt waterways and art is seriously invigorating. The dam wall is a mural master piece. Guido Van Helten created another breath taking painting. This time on over 8000 sqm, one of the largest canvasses in the world. His research for a suitable motive had him dig deep into Collie’s archives. The result is a collage of typical local past time activities and characters. Its parts are based on old photographs. Amazingly some of the kids depicted are still alive and respected seniors.

Sadly, like with most National Parks, Mr Woof has to watch from the car as Paul and I are taking in the art work and later on hop through the refreshing Preston River. Yes, I can hear him wining. He gets his work out later at Collie, where we continue on this magnificent mural trail. Street art at its best! And his pic of the best morsels from the gutter. Attached some of the most thrilling murals.

Donnybrook is our first encounter with a self serve van park. One books online and then receives an email with the site number and the access code to showers and loo. It gets challenging should one wish to extend the stay. Without calling the council one would need to swap sites. Inconvenient!

The van park is in the centre of town. Everything within walking distance. Cafes, the bakery, and an epic kids playground - on steroids. I have never seen something like this. Its the size of a football field! Taking up the old train yards. Right beside the railway’s heritage centre. Wow! Love this place. Hence we extend our stay.

Ever heard of Gnomeville and Frog’s Hollow? Craving a fix of the Extraordinary, the weird and wonderfull? Then you’ve got to visit! Just outside Donnybrook. Not sure what to expect. And that’s always the best. In the middle of a deep, dark forest, where deer and foxes welcome the night, that’s where you find them. Hiding under roots, in trees, populating the undergrowth. Hundreds, thousands of them. An armada of gnomes. Quietly growing. With their simple (scary) cheerfulness. Invading every space. Taking over the world! Few questionable characters as well. Definitely not to be enjoyed without parental guidance. Every visitor adds his own cherub. Properly signed and dated, for future reference. There are memorials created by families and clubs. Toy dinosaurs claw away some of the gaudiness but can really keep up with restricting overpopulation. Totally fascinated by the self perpetuation of that place.

Frog’s Hollow, a few kilometres down the road, is the sad attempt of creating a counter revolution: frogs, toads and fairies. There is a kiosk opposite, that offers additional figurines and of course even more gnomes for adoption. A clever case of recycling?!? Not all dwarfs seem to be in perfect condition!...

It is a long drive from Donnybrook to Ledge Point. The coast between Bunbury and two Rocks is a 400km long, built-up area. Even more gruesome than Gnomesville. Instead of dwarfs between branches, there are wads of tired people in tired houses, that all somehow look the same. I really wonder what the appeal of that region is. Very few see the ocean near by, which is supposedly the charm of the region. Instead, one endlessly joins traffic jams to go to work or the shops, to school or kindergarten, sports centres and finally the cemetery. Nevertheless, the greater Perth area is one of the most expensive real estate regions in Australia. Terrible. I'm afraid the last few years in the outback have ruined us for this kind of life.

Two Rocks is on the northern end of this moloch. Still laid back. But the new train line will put an end to this for sure. At the moment it still reminds me of little Greek towns, perched on narrow ledges, cobbled alley ways, pedestrians, no cars. Great as a quick stop over. Awesome fish’n chips!

Seabird, up the road, is a non-event. Another town somewhere in-between.

We do though enjoy the calm and quiet of Ledge Point. A lot. It’s the next settlement up the coast. Thanks to the team at Ledge Point Caravan Park, for making us feel welcome and easy to stay! The three of us take a good long walk through the town. Letting the fresh air and the surrounds invigorate us! Feeling again like we can face the world!

On the way home we quickly stop at Lancelin. It is nice and the cafe at the G’Day Park oh so good! Besides killer bacon & egg rolls, Lancelin’s specialit seems to be 4WD tours into the sand dunes surrounding the coastal town. And surfing. And boy, do they flog these themes!

Back in Port Denison, there is a big shout out to Tyrepower, for fitting our rigg in for a wheel check / alignment on short notice. Our suspicions are confirmed. We need a new set of black rubber for the trailer. And CV covers for Max so he does not feel left out. Thanks for being so prompt and thorough! This could have led to some costly break downs.

Prepared for new travels, this brings our WA adventures to an end. For now. The next episode sees us on the way back to Queensland. Straight through Australia’s wild heart. You don’t want to miss this! Make sure to sign up to our blog. No spam. Guaranteed.

See you in the big yonder!

Yours Traveling Old Farts

Track Notes

Distances

From Dongara / Port Dennison

to New Norcia

to Toodyay

to York, via Northam

toCollie

to Donnybrook

to Ledge Point

to Port Denison -

From accommodation to accommodation

Port Denison

To River Roadside Camp (Dumbarton Reserve) 360km, Lat -31.5720 / Lng 116.5158
To Kulyaling Park, Roadside Camp 140km, Lat -32.4603 / Lng 117.0481
To Glenn Mervyn Dam 140km, Lat -33.4968 / Lng 116.0980
To Donnybrook Transit Park 140km, Lat -33.5711 / Lng 115.8201
To Ledge Point Caravan Park 320km, -31.1039 / 115.3785
To Port Denison 240km, Lat -29.2781 / Lng 114.9180

When to travel

Perth Hills and its valleys are worth a visit year round. Yes, it gets hot and dry in summer, but there is so much to see outdoors as well as indoors that it really does not matter, what the weather does.

Things we can't live without anymore

Merino underwear - Someone came up with something really great. Merino is warm in winter and surprisingly cool in summer. Like a thermos jug wich always seems to know when its content has to stay hot or cold. Pretty clever. Even better: merino rejects body odours. In other words, you can wear your gear for at least a week without smiling off. Now that’s handy for camping!
Garden Gnomes - One should always have one in reserve. You never know when it comes in handy.