Walpole

Packing up again.  We headed off to Walpole, another little town near to the coast, where we visited the info centre, bought hot chips (it was freezing cold and raining) and filled up the car with fuel and the van with water.

It is a lovely area, with lots of trees and rolling hills, cows and sheep, and we enjoyed driving through the countryside.

We stopped for a walk at the Giant Tingle Tingle tree, another type of tree that grows very big around here.  Wasn't very impressed with the 'ancient forest 500million year old' signs, but the trees themselves were very cool.  They tend to get  hollowed out bases, through fire and fungi and insects, and these then widen out to support the weight above, so they can become quite wide around the bottom.  That's why they named one 'The Hollow Butt' tree.  Dom loved that one.

Next stop was the tree top walk.  A metal ramp through the trees, 40 metres above the forest floor, was more my style, and Cooper, Nadine and Oskar could come too.

We went around twice, and I was less scared by the swaying the second time!  Grant spoke to a man doing maintenance on the structure, and he said it was first constructed with the big posts, then two bolts attaching each bridge to the post.  They added a few more bolts when they took over the maintenance....

 

We have stopped for the night at Parry's beach, but it is very windy and rainy.  The solar showers are cold because it hasn't been sunny for a few days...We are very squished in the rain because most things have to stay inside.  Our house at home is going to feel huge when we get back.  Who needs an extension.

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Vicki