Log One Hundred and Three – Moderation in All Things Except When its Big.

4 August 2024

We crossed the Nullarbor Plain which is pretty big. After the Nullarbor we visited the Super Pit which is a big hole with big toys. That was followed by a big rock. Since then we have experienced torrential rain, hail, gale force winds, thunder and lightening. It really was a big storm. We are only exploring a small part of Western Australia which is so big it would encompass Texas four times over or all of Western Europe. So we are completely encapsulated by all things big.

In keeping with this theme we have recently visited the Jarrah and Karri forests. These are big trees and thankfully someone was thoughtful enough to preserve some of the remaining forests before they were all cut down. Many of these trees were used to build railways in India.

Now these might not be the biggest trees in the world and they do not compare to giant sequoias. They are however standout examples around here, especially after the Nullarbor.

One tree in particular was only saved by a forestry official who hopped into his buggy, rode out into the forest and blazed a government mark on the tree the night before it was to be cut down. And so we can all still see King Jarrah.

The towns that once relied on the forestry trade now rely on mountain bikers, hikers, canoeists, zip line enthusiasts, and tourists. The felling of these native old growth forests has come to end in time for future generations to be able to arch their necks back into impossible positions in order to see their full height.

Towering over the landscape they made perfect observation platforms for bush fires. However, rather than build a structurally sound staircase, a spiral of steel pegs was driven into the trunks. No safety cage, plenty of fresh air between the pegs and no non-slip surfaces. This was obviously built before work health and safety became a thing. Until recently climbing these trees was a challenge favoured by tourists. They are no longer used to spot bushfires.

A word of advice: New Zealand has the Kauri tree which is huge. Whilst it is pronounced the same as the Western Australian Karri do not ever suggest to a New Zealander they are the same tree. To do so would be verging on fighting words, just saying.

We are now in Albany and today we visited the ANZAC museum. It was from this harbour that Australia and New Zealand sent convoys of ships with a total of 41,000 of their finest young men to WWI. We were fortunate to see the name of our great uncle on the honour roll. He left Australia from this point in November 1914 and died at Gallipoli in May 1915.

The eastward journey is rapidly approaching but we still have some time left in the west.