Saturday 1st November 2025

Saturday 1^st November

SHE SAID:

The rain has mostly stopped this morning; I don’t think Geoff got too wet packing up outside. I have it easier doing the inside!

We moved about an hour up the road to the Discovery Parks Margaret River, which is actually quite close to Cowaramup, not Margaret River. We were set up before midday in a large, well-spaced drive-thru’ site. This campground is a very nice looking, with views of the rolling green hills.

Our latest "Digs"

Relocated old school & church from Cowaramup
Cabins

The locals

HE SAID:

We were not in any way going to rush this morning. With just a short hop to our next stop I had left all the packing until I lazily got out of bed around 9. The pack-up went as expected, as did our drive, and we were at the rather pleasant van park well before lunch. An afternoon of washing clothes etc, drying van things, and ogling computers followed.

Friday 31st October 2025

Friday 31^st October

SHE SAID:

The weather is predicted to be wet today, & we did wake to splats on the roof. We had a couple of things to do in Vasse & Busselton about 50mins away. Then we went for a drive to Boyanup, for a look around, coming back down the Vasse Highway to the burn there.

It was drizzling rain & no orchids were found, so we tried one more spot, then bailed. We were back to Bertie about 2.30pm & hibernated from the weather for the rest of the day.

Forest Mantis x Karri Spider?

Clubbed Spiders & a pale form one

 
Surprise find - Reaching Spiders still flowering,
further east they come out in July
Karri Spiders

HE SAID:

A few admin things, a look around Boyanup, some rather poor orchid stops (with the usual tasty lunch Varena packed), then back to Sue's Bridge for a fire-less afternoon and evening due to the crap weather.

Thursday 30th October 2025

Thursday 30^th October

SHE SAID:

Our final full orchiding day here at Sue’s Bridge was west to Augusta. We have been here many times before, but I had sussed out new areas to look in. The first 2 proved to be duds, very little seen.

We did have success though, plus a semi-exciting find a lutea Leaping Spider, but sadly it was past its best.

I bought a Lions Christmas cake & pud at the outlet shop in the village; we got them there last year, they are excellent. We were back around 3pm, having found 18 different orchids for the day. I was happy.

Fly-overs above

Leaping Spiders everywhere

Funnel-tipped Spiders for the
first time this year

 Spot the non-native orchid

Merritt's White Spiders & possible hybrid?

HE SAID:

Our orchiding was a quite mild, rather than exciting today. Varena was very pleased with the Lutea spider, but disappointed at the same as its condition was poor. I got the fire going late in the afternoon, just because.

Wednesday 29th October 2025

Wednesday 29^th October

SHE SAID:

We headed west for a morning’s orchid wandering. The Sue’s Road burn was a dead loss, but Scott River did show off its orchids for us. We found a couple of different spots to look, finding orchids in both.

My find for the day were pale blue-to-pink coloured Blue Lady Suns. I was very happy with them, despite the rain.

Geoff was keen for the fire again, though it wasn’t as nice an evening as yesterday. I lasted less than an hour as it started to sprinkle with light rain!

Suns in the rain!

Damp Donkeys

HE SAID:

The rain is a bit annoying but we are managing fine. Having the chance for a fire each evening is nice, so I'm grabbing opportunity each time.

Tuesday 28th October 2025

Tuesday 28^th October

SHE SAID:

It was a warm, sunny day & there were orchids to be found & photographed. As it turned out not as many as I’d hoped for; the burn I wanted to look in didn’t exist! But it was a nice drive through the Warren National Park.

We had a fire in the late afternoon, no fire bans here! It was still in the high 20c’s when Geoff lit the fire, but no wind, & the signs at the front of the campgrounds said fires allowed! 

There were Black Cockatoos in the trees above us, munching on gum nuts, flinging them down around us & squabbling away. Luckily neither of us got sconed by one of the half-eaten nuts!

Old Vasse Highway

Canopy & weather erosion

Orchids found today

Fire time

HE SAID:

We had another good fire this arvo. The smokey clothes are worth it to have a couple of hours sitting beside a fire, chatting away over a beer or two.

Monday 27th October 2025

Monday 27^th October

SHE SAID:

On the road to Sue’s Bridge Campground today; it is less than 100km from Busselton, so a short drive. We managed an orchid stop along the way, finding a new for the season orchid for my tally, the Diamond Spider; well, several actually.

We had booked Site 18, which we have stayed in before; an easy to access spot at the end of the campground. In the mid-afternoon we cracked open the Glenarty Road Bubbles that we hadn’t yet drunk. It was supposed to be for our wedding anniversary, back on the 4th September.

It was very nice bubbles, matured & turned in the Southern Ocean, so had sea growth on the outside of the bottle!

Back again at Sue's Bridge

Clubbed Spiders

Glenarty Road Bubbles

HE SAID:

After we had set up, checked things out, relaxed a bit, I got the fire going. Well, the fire ring would not have been provided at the camp site if they didn’t want you to use it! We got it roaring away, then Varena brought out nibbles and our anniversary bubbles. All was good! All was consumed! Happy Anniversary, Varena!

Sunday 26th October 2025

Sunday 26^th October

SHE SAID:

We had an exciting Sunday! Washing, shopping & sorting the van out for our departure tomorrow.

In the late afternoon we headed to Kath & Jon’s unit at the Smith’s Beach Resort for drinks & dinner. We supplied the main meal & they got in nibbles, & obviously, wines!!! LOL!

It was a good finale to their 10 days in WA.

Walpole Spiders from Thursday's big trip

Karri Spiders

Cherry Spiders 

HE SAID:

A few chores this morning then out for supplies in Busselton. I managed to sqeeze in a pie at the Farmers Market for lunch. We had a couple of quiet hours at the van before catching up with Kathy and Jon at their place for Varena's spaghetti Bolognese. Yummy as always!

Saturday 25th October 2025

Saturday 25^th October

SHE SAID:

We had 2 appointments for house-sits today. The furthest one, at Quinns Rocks, was at midday, & the 2nd one was near Mandurah at 3pm. Both have cats, but the first one is for 2 months, our preferred time frame.

It was about 2 hours 45 mins to get to Quinns Rocks from Busselton; we stopped at Mullaloo Beach for a cuppa. The 2 cats were shy. We saw a quick glimpse of one before it darted away. Jimmy, the owner, is a super mad cat lover & is very keen to have the cats well looked after. We got on well with both Jimmy & Jennifer.

Sit no.2 was for 3 cats, with a lovely owner too, but Bertie the caravan really is too big for the driveway, so we decided to go with the first sit. It was after 6pm when we got back to the van.

Yesterday's clearing skies over Canal Rocks
Castle Beach views

HE SAID:
There was no hurry to leave this morning despite the long drive ahead. We had until noon to do the three hour trip and stopped for a cuppa at the beach before going to to the Quinns Rocks house. Jimmy and Jennie seemed nice, and the house should suit us for the 8 or so weeks. Varena will be very happy to have cats again. The second place we looked at was equal in all aspects except for van parking, so that was the deciding factor.

Varena made a lovely steak dinner upon our return to the van.

Friday 24th October 2025

Friday 24^th October

SHE SAID:

The rain returned to Busselton; it was a cool, gloomy day.

We had lunch out at the Meelup Homestead with Kath & Jon; the food was lovely. But most of the seating there is on a large open deck which has a roof & some temporary walls, but still, you are out in the cold. I had requested an inside table, but none were available. Luckily, we were prepared for the cold, but still needed blankets; I think it was around 15c! We were able to move inside for dessert & hot drinks, which helped us thaw out!

The rain did clear after lunch, but the air temperature was still on the chilly side!

Meelup Homestead
& animals

HE SAID:

Varena and I headed over to Smith's Beach Resort to have a stickybeak at Kath's flat before we headed out for lunch. It was a nice place, in a minimalist way. We knew that lunch would be good, and we had a good time, except for the cold. The lack of wind-breaks around the tables meant that we got quite chilled.

Thursday 23rd October 2025

Thursday 23^rd October

SHE SAID:

It was a quiet day at the van after a busy few days. Geoff wanted a haircut, so I gave him one. I got on with the photo sorting & caught up with the Blog, nothing exciting.

We headed out around 4.30pm for an arranged meeting with Kath & Jon at The Shelter, on the Busselton foreshore. We then wandered on to the Rocky Ridge brewery, which was followed by dinner at the Vasse Tavern.

The ever-photogenic Busselton foreshore 
& beer options at the Rocky Ridge Brewery

Kath, Jon & Geoff

HE SAID:

We had a quiet morning before heading to the Shelter. Dinner was at a pub a short walk away, but we had to go to Rocky Ridge Brewery first, just because. It worked for me!

Wednesday 22nd October 2025

Wednesday 22^nd October

SHE SAID:

We had a mammoth 14-hour orchid day, the longest for both of us EVER!

There was a burn I wanted to check out on the south coast, & we needed an early start. It was a good day, though nothing new was found. We got back around 7pm, & now I’m feeling quite knackered!

HE SAID:

Today was a record feat of human endurance! I was up at 5am, and we were on the road at 5:15. There was a fair bit of off-road 4WD action to keep me amused, and Varena saw lots of orchids, though nothing new. We were very tired by the time we got back to the van in Busselton, had a light dinner, and a fairly early night.

Tuesday 21st October 2025

Tuesday 21^st October

SHE SAID:

I headed to Windy Harbour Road with Dorte & Jess today. 

They were keen to see what orchids are out in the burn there. It was a good day, but I didn’t see anything new from last week. Both Dorte & Jess seemed happy with everything we found.

Geoff had kindly got the marinaded pork on to cook for dinner, as I didn’t get in till 6.10pm.

Some non-orchids finds for the day

HE SAID:

I was reasonably productive today at the van. Not a lot of excitement, but a few jobs got done. The idea was to give Varena, Dorte, and Jess a girls day out, and they seemed to have had a good time.

Monday 20th October 2025

Monday 20^th October

SHE SAID:

Another move for us today, this time closer to the beach on Caves Road, to the KUI caravan park called Four Seasons. We got a good deal here being members, stay for 7 nights & pay for 5.

We had a few things to do in town after lunch & managed to get caught in some downpours of rain. We have certainly had more rain this year, & it is lasting.

We have seen plenty of snakes this season

HE SAID:

There was no rush as we were only moving a few kms today. We took our time and left Yelverton before noon, arriving at the van park about 20 minutes later. I bet Dorte and Gary were glad to have their place to themselves after a week or more of visitors for Dorte's 60th.

Sunday 19th October 2025

Sunday 19^th October

SHE SAID:

With everyone else departing before brunch it was only the four of us that got the “works”. Bacon, sausages, fried egg, mushroom, onions, corn & campfire beans. It was delicious & filling.

Dorte & Gary had things to do so we left them to it & had a few hours in the van, catching up on “stuff”. At 3pm we headed about 2km up the road to Forest Rise, a chalet accommodation place that Geoff’s sister Kath & her partner John are staying in for 4 nights. A nice place surrounded by bush, & Geoff even showed Kath some orchids right outside their door!

We stayed for a cuppa & a chat & will catch up with the later in the week for lunch. They are checking out some of the areas wineries & breweries.

We got back in time for me to chat with Mum on Teams, then have drinks & nibbles with Dorte & Gary.

Dorte's Birthday dinner & fires

Crazy fire people

HE SAID:

The big breakfast was very good. Dorte even produced some "Cheese Buddies" which are a Brazilian chewy tapioca and cheese cake-like thing. They were ok, and different.

Kathy and Jon's Forest Rise chalet looked very nice. And, the driveway from Yelverton Road took just as long to drive as the trip from the house to the turn. It was quite long, giving guests plenty of privacy.

Saturday 18th October 2025

Saturday 18^th October

SHE SAID:

It is the dawn of the Dorte Dinosaur age today, she turned 60….(she started this with calling me a dinosaur when I was 60!)

We did presents on the deck in the morning, then a drive to Canal Rocks to watch the stormy seas, a short visit to Carbunup NR as an orchid treat for Dorte. Then, around 4pm, it was time for Strawberry Margaritas & nibbles platters.

The smaller fire was lit an hour or so before dark, with a permit granted (as the total fire ban has kicked in for the warmer months). Dinner followed around 7pm; a fish & crayfish mornay, fresh asparagus & garlic bread. A beautiful Passionfruit & Creme Brulee ice cream birthday cake rounded out the meal. 

We ended the evening with a 2nd larger fire & played with the laser pointers that we gave Dorte.

Canal Rocks

HE SAID:

Happy 60th birthday Dorte!

My day was quite relaxed. Varena and I had a short wander around nearby Carbunup for a leg stretch, and I bailed out on Canal Rocks; I've been there several times and it meant the others could all go in one car. The birthday event got going in the afternoon and carried on well into the evening, but at 57 I was the youngest one present. People started flaking as the evening wore on, and we all gave up after the big fire had burnt down to a safe level.

It was a good evening.

Friday 17th October 2025

Friday 17^th October

SHE SAID:

It was a relaxed day at the house We joined the others on & off during the day, for drinks, helping out where required with prep for tomorrow's "event", & a property wander too.

The weather returned to squally rain, but mild. Dinner was for 8, with split marinaded chickens, salad & coleslaw, followed by berry slice & custard, then Port & after dinner mints.

Yelverton property walk

HE SAID:

With other guests around we mixed being at the van and at the house. Varena, Dorte, and Jess had an orchid wander around the block, finding enough to be rather pleased. We had a good, chatty evening, but not a late one.