Heads in the Trees

After a good nights sleep we dragged ourselves out of our very warm and comfy beds. Once again our breakfast menu consisted of PB & J and fruit. It will be nice to arrive back at Halls Gap and have a home cooked meal. Camping with no cooking supplies (does a set of plastic utensils, a mug and a plastic dish count?) and only a small cooler bag limits the eating options. We have had most breakfasts in the camp kitchens as they usually have a toaster and a kettle available. We have packed a few picnic lunches and dinners have mainly been eaten out. A little hard on the pocket book but high on convenience.

Oh to be a child again where one has the complete lack of fear. This morning we stopped at the Gloucester Tree in Gloucester National Park, 10 km south of Pemberton and as soon as Aiden saw it, he wanted to climb to the top. The Gloucester tree is a karri tree that soars 61 m in the air, has a flimsy looking staircase around it and a fire tower built at the top. The steps are rebar pounded into the trunk and for protection, you have a mesh, something like chicken wire running up along behind you. The Gloucester Tree was one of eight lookout trees built between 1937 and 1952 in the karri forest. The construction of fire lookout towers in the tallest trees of Western Australia's karri forest was the practical response to one of the most serious threats to forest communities in the South-West – fire.

Aiden was desperate to climb the thing but Mum over ruled and pointed out that the sign suggested that it is not suitable for children to climb. Dad made a deal that once he went up and down that he would take Aiden up a ways.

Sean headed up and surprisingly the rungs are fairly stable and didn't appear to give much. Although one misplaced foot and you are going to be in a whole heap of trouble. I am not terrified of heights but at the same time, I am not overly comfortable with climbing 61 m up with nothing but a thin metal rod under foot. I forewent the climb and stayed with Aiden at the bottom. We found it interesting to watch a number of people debate the idea of climbing it and others all gung ho only going up a short ways before returning.

Since I only climbed a few metres up, this is pure speculation but I would think that climbing up and around a tree truck would be very nerve racking. I am sure I could of done it if I had to but that would of been reckless stupidity, mental and physical torture and a horrible nerve racking experience – not fun in my books. Coming down would be even more terrifying and I wonder how many people have a long rest at the top trying to build the courage to climb down. I don't believe there is any chance of a helicopter ride.

It took Sean about half an hour or so to climb up and back down the tree. I asked if he took pictures of the fabulous view and his answer was yes but the view was somewhat disappointing.
Once Sean was back on solid ground, Aiden and I headed up the tree a few meters. As soon as we had reached an unsafe jump-off distance and pictures were taken, we headed back down. Of course, when we were waiting for Sean, a number of fathers followed their child up the tree a ways and Aiden held Sean to his promise of doing the same. Aiden easily scampered up 10 m with no worries while I looked on and cringed. Sean figures Aiden could of made it to the top but I am glad that his father sensibility kicked in and did not allow it.
A little ways further down the road at the southern end of Gloucester National Park, a quick trek had us over looking The Cascades, where the Lefroy Brook tumbles over a series of rocky shelves. Our picnic lunch was at another waterfall, Fernhook falls, near Walpole. A geocache was once again responsible for us taking this detour and spending some time exploring the area.
We next stopped at Walpole-Nornalup National Park to explore Western Australia’s world famous forest of gigantic tingle trees and take a bird’s eye view of the towering forest from the Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk. As the name suggests, the walk is through the tree tops on a light weight bridge that climbs up 40 m through the forest canopy. After walking the tree top twice, we explored the “Ancient Empire Walk” – a grove of impressive veteran tingle trees, some over 400 years old. These are the giants that gave the forest its name – they’re some of the most enormous trees in the world and are only found in the forest surrounding the Valley of the Giants.

On our way our out of the parking area, Sean snagged a geocache and we headed to Denmark to set up camp and grab a bit to eat at Chooks.