Yanchep National Park

Well not every day does yours truly parts with a hard earned ten dollar bill, but I thought it was time we had a gander at this National Park. So with the wallet moths flaping about all around us I handed over my moolah, and we drove inside YANCHEP NATIONAL PARK to see what all the fuss was about. First stop was the tradiational photo at the Park sign, and as you can see my little princess was not on our day out. Beacuse she was off with the fairies... true it was a fairy Birthday Party, so that left me with the riff raff boys club.... God help me!)





The next stop was to have a gander at Cabaret Cave which unfortury was closed, so we just had a little walkabout outside you can see the cave just behind Oscar's shoulder. It turns out that the cave was first used as a tourist cave, then it was turned into an underground function centre in the 1930's. It was used extensively as a venue for dances, Debutante Balls and Parties, so that's why it was closed. But it still looked pretty inpressive from the outside, even if it did look a little run down.















Next stop was to Crystal Cave but again it was closed for repair bugger, but this cave is a 'MUST SEE' so we might have to come back another day.... crikey another $10 oh well might have to cut back on something. Maybe feed the kids a few bakebean meals.... well it is hard times now!









Then it was time for a bushwalk and we had a few to consider, first we had 'The Goasthouse walk trail', which sounds great but at 14kms mmmmm. maybe a little hard on their little legs. But there was another on for 55kms Strewth!, that would be like walking back friggin' home! AS IF!. So after having a chat with the kiddies we deciced to go on the 'Waterlands walk' which was a nice 2kms, which at times still seemed a bloody long walk... but we survived. Oh buy the way the little neviles brought there scooters, so it's not like there walking anyway little buggers!



But after a little over a kilometer the Osk was already having a rest, and guess who was carrying a scooter.... yep Oscar (not like i'm carrying the bloody thing, good exercise for him anyway)






Here's Jacko and Harrison having a rest a bit further down the track, as the heat was starting to get to them (hear that Jodi... HEAT ha,ha)









Here's Jacko












Jacko on one of the path bridges on the track, it was in pretty good condition for a track hay.








Then after the hard bushwalk (well i'm not a whiper snipper anymore) we had a gander around the grounds, and found the YANCHEP INN which was pretty cool. Then we had a walkabout around the gardens, which was a nice walk.





As we were wondering around through the Banksias and Paperbarks we came apon this place, where they have a boardwalk where you can have a stickybeak at the Koalas.... cool.









Here's a koala that was having a real beaut time until we came along, then it was 'up the tree' and all we could gander at was his hairy butt!









Then to finish off the day we had an icecream each after finishing off our picnic tucker, ah lifes hard hay and the kiddies had a ripper time so they say.

Bells rapids

Normally our bushwalks don't get onto this blog but since we have been trying to save some moolah, we haven't been getting about as much. So a nice little bushwalk along an old bush track, is just what the doctor ordered. So we headed to a place called Bells Rapids which is about a nine minute drive away, after parking the commodore in the picnic area we grabbed a small picnic and some bottle water and off we went along the track next to the river. This place is located in Brigadoon and is unofficially known as the entrance to the Avon Valley, through which the Avon River (which becomes the Swan River) flows. Heres two of the kiddies climbing up some boulders, luckily for them the misses isn't here or they would be in more trouble then a box of worms on a fishing trip!











Bells Rapids sits on the edge of the Darling Scarp, and is a prime viewing area to see competitors in the annual Avon Descent White Water Race. Heres the little princess with the Bells rapids bridge in the background, as you can see the river is down quiet a bit and needs a lot more water for a beaut race this year. And here is the mob on the bridge as they cross to the other side, so we can start down the bush track for our bushwalk.

But before we hit the track we came across an old rope swing which the kiddies couldn't help but give it a go, heres Sarah swinging about having a ripper time.

Crikey Oscar! talk about giving us a smile!

Heres Sarah again as she walks along the Avon River bush trail, ooohhh isn't it beautiful.... i'm talking about the countryside of cause!

walking along the track.

Rest stop as the kiddies needed a long drink and a feed, as we had came a massive four kilometers so a rest was needed. Then we turned

around and started back along the trial again, next time we will try to make it to the National Park which is only about another couple of kilometers away (i think).

And finally were back at the old bridge again, and now it is only a short walk to the picnic area. So another ripper bushwalk under our belts, we might have to find a harder one next time.... poor sods.

Mundaring National Park

Well this Australia Day I decided to take the fellas for a bushwalk, and we picked one of the Mundaring walk trails up in the mountains. This bushwalk was the Paten's Brook campsite trail which if ya took the whole trip was gonna be just over eight kilometres, but it was hot and we only had two water bottles so we only walked to the campsite which still took us almost three kilometres. And of cause another three kilometres back so it was still a big walk for the little fella Oscar, but fairdinkum he did it in his stride. He drank a fair bit of water but never stopped, which was lucky as we would of probably left him there! But this Post is gonna be a little bit different as this one is a 'Interactive Post' with some video of the walk! So you too can come on a bushwalk with your's truly and the nevilles, there short videos so you wont get to bored with us.... like this one










As you can see the trail was a fairdinkum bush track, no Poncey girly walk way for us tough fellas.






As we walked we passed a fair few old trees that have seen a better day and have fallen to bits, here are Jacko, Harry and Oscar at the end. Fairdinkum they have more fun climbing these trees then the swings in our local Park, but at least they out in the bush roughing' it getting dirty instead of sitting in frount of the telly watching the cricket..... and with the aircon going on high..... with a nice beer in the hand..... strewth what the hell am I doing out here! Nah just joking I know it's better for the nevilles to be out active instead of sitting around indoors..... but still the aircon sounds nice!


Talking about old trees getting near there used-by date, heres one that if it gets to the end of the year it's doing great. Now some of the track is along the world famous (okay maybe in Perth) Bibbulmun Track, then as it runs of to the right we pick up the Paten's Brook Trail. Which run's few this ripper aussie scrub until we came to the place that we were after, the Paten's Brook Campsite which as you can see is your everyday bread n' butter campsite which comes with it's very own outback dunny. But fairdinkum it's a little beauty of a site, and I can see us one day coming back with the old tent.










Just hanging out on a stump!









But all good things have to come to an end, and as you can see all the nevilles will be sleeping good tonight. Crikey they were stuffed we had just walked a little bit short of six kilometres, over hills and down threw gulley's to have a gander at a friggin' shitty little campsite. Fairdinkum it was hard work but you never know we might just be seeing the beginning of the NEW Leyland Brothers!