Falling branches, flying surfboards and fires…………

This is quite a large blog entry, so grab a cuppa or a beer and please read on………….

One could be forgiven for thinking the Hopkins are not welcome in South West WA! Let’s just say our family unit has been tested over the last few weeks. As I write this we are currently residing in a little cabin at Gracetown Caravan Park on the South West coast……………still

 Jodee and I are feeling a little down on our luck with a touch of melancholy thrown in. The realisation that our years’ adventure is coming to an end, normality is looming and precious time is being wasted while our camper is being repaired. Wingers! I hear you all cry, but give me a minute to regale you with our tales of woe and more……...

 Thirty eight sutures later……

After leaving the Margaret River region we headed south east to explore the magnificent old growth Karri forest of the Pemberton area. This is where it all started to go very wrong! We arrived in Pemberton after a beautiful drive through some spectacular scenery and after a visit to the tourist information centre were all very excited about exploring the region, particularly the prospect of climbing three 65metre old growth trees in the area.

After a swim in Pemberton’s natural dammed river pool we camped, of what was to be a few nights in the Warren National Park. A beautiful park nestled in the old growth Karri trees. There was a general feeling of excitement in the Hopkins posse. After this long on the road, we all knew we were going to experience some adventure and fun. Early the next morning things began to go terribly wrong……..

Before breakfast it was decided to go for a family dip in the river but dad had to set the solar panels up first and would follow shortly. I was in the process of plugging in the solar when a mountain bike rider with an extremely white and anxious looking guy, breathlessly pleaded, “Please can you help me, my girlfriend has had an accident” Not the words you want to hear first thing in the morning. I then jumped in my ute with the breathless man and raced about 2-3 k’s away where we found his girlfriend unconscious with lots of abrasions, sprawled across the track. She was starting to convulse and clearly had a serious head injury. To summarise we bundled the poor girl into the Ute and raced to Pemberton Regional hospital where some very surprised nurses had their quiet morning changed dramatically. I then proceeded back to camp to find a confused family and told the story of my traumatic start to the day……..little did we know it was only the beginning.

As a family we retrieved the guy’s car and crashed mountain bike, with the boys having a hundred questions on the way. We then settled back at camp and set about our normal routine of the kids doing journals, washing up breakfast dishes etc. Jodee was over in the camp kitchen washing up and the kids and I were sat around our little camp table doing journals. The kettle was on for morning coffee when………CRACK! We all heard it and then for want of a better description, about a second latter BOOM…….. an explosion as a large branch came crashing in on top of us.

 I am struggling a bit to write this now, but what followed was not an experience we care to live through again. Natural instincts take over, Jack, Flynn and I obviously jumped up and found ourselves outside the camper where my head was spinning trying to locate my kids…..Jack, Flynn…. Where’s Tils? Then I saw her buried beneath bits of branch and debris. Jodes had run over from the camp kitchen. Poor mum had witnessed the whole event from outside the camper and just ran to the scene. Jodes and I found Til’s unconscious but coming around, we both saw a huge gash running from her forehead over into her hairline and the white of her skull which was starting to pour with blood. Sorry to be so graphic but there it is. Time stood still as two very frightened little boys ran around aimlessly and cried uncontrollably while mum and dad tried to deal with a screaming child who had suffered major head trauma trying to make sense of it all…….HORRIBLE

This was the start of a very long and scary day. After getting Tilly to Pemberton hospital, the second time for me that morning. We were both heavily involved with trying to help stabilise Til’s with two extremely nervous regional nurses who were having a testing morning. The ambulance was contacted which had just taken the girl from the mountain bike accident to Manjimup Hospital. This is a larger hospital about 40 minutes away (pretty bloody close by WA distances). It seemed to take forever but eventually the ambulance arrived.

One moment I will never forget and It took all my will power not to break down was whilst trying to keep Tilly awake, looking into her innocent , lost little eyes  she began to hum the Sound of Music Classic …..”Doe, a deer, a female deer”…..a classic which Tilly loves.

Jodee wanted me to go in the ambulance but I knew there was a high possibility she would be taken to Perth and the camper had to be dealt with. Tilly did end up getting flown with Jodes from Manjimup hospital to the Children’s hospital in Perth. Whilst in the aeroplane where she had stabilised, the Royal Flying doctors had to divert to pick up a poor farmer who had attacked himself with an angle grinder. After three ambulance transfers and a two hour flight Jodes and Tilly finally got to Perth.

My gorgeous little boys were so helpful and comforting during a stressful time, we returned to the scene of devastation and packed up the camper. This was hard as things looked quite bad. Our smashed home of the last 10 months, mixed with the things of everyday and Tilly’s blood. After clearing up we made the twenty five minute drive to Pemberton again (my third trip, there & back that morning), I made a phone call to the very kind Linda & Jim Cook who offered us their home again. The boys and I then set off on the four hour drive to Mandurah. We finally arrived there at about 10.00pm that night after a long drive. This and all the craziness of the day was eased slightly by a single malt or two offered by Jim that night.    

Tilly was in hospital for 3 days and was operated on by plastic surgeons who sutured her head wound. She ended up with 26 sutures all up. The procedure went extremely well and much to her disappointment she will end up with a very little, “Tilly Potter” scar in time. Jodes and I would like to say a massive thank you to the Royal Flying Doctors, and all the nurses and doctors at Royal Children’s, Manjimup and Pemberton hospitals. We owe a huge debt of thanks to them and all the lovely well wishes we got from friends on the road (especially a special visit from Niko & Anita & Shaun & Susie), family and friends from back home in Victoria and England.

With Tilly’s time in hospital, two more visits to outpatients, plus the hassles of insurance assessors etc., we were stuck in Mandurah for two weeks. Thanks again to the Cooks and all the Oakey family for your company and help. Our camper insurance covered us for up to seven nights accommodation while we await our camper repairs and thus we decided to head back down to the Pemberton Region to explore further and stay in a cabin but alas Mother Nature had other ideas. A large fire is still burning out of control in the whole area with a 300km front. Smoke is even affecting Perth, over 4 hrs drive away. Thus we made the decision to head back down to the Margaret River Region for a bit more surfing and exploring.

Well this is where it was Pauli’s turn for some sutures…….. We met up with the traveling Germans (Niko & Anita) and Shaun & Susie. While back in the Territory Shaun (who’s a keen barefoot water skier) and I made a deal, where if the opportunity presented itself- I would teach him to surf and he will one day show me the art of barefoot water skiing. So whilst in Gracetown at a great break named “Huzza’s”, a perfect swell was rolling in. Niko (experienced surfer), Tilly, Shaun and I went out for a wave. There was a strong off shore wind blowing and whilst sat in the line-up talking to Tilly, Shauny was trying to sit on my 7, 6’ mini mal. The board shot out from under him like a bar of soap, got picked up by the wind and flew into the unsuspecting Pauli’s head. The force was such I was knocked unconscious and received a junky gash to my head which was full of fibre glass and turned out to be a full tissue wound, down to the eye socket…..awesome! I ended up at Margaret River Hospital and then ambulanced up to Bunbury. Well, at one stage it was looking like another plastic surgery procedure until I was finally treated under heavy local anaesthetic. The final result being two internal and ten external sutures. Not a bad effort between Tilly and I.

Well there you have it…….South West WA is trying to tell the Hopkins something. So please forgive our slightly down mood but we have been tested. We have just found out our camper will be a week longer than expected (not happy Jan!).Thus further delays and expense before we can resume what little time’s left to enjoy the South coast of WA before dashing home. We only have 6 weeks left….nooooooo! Anyway we will try to stay safe and enjoy the last of this adventurous year. Please read on to see what we have seen between the craziness above……..

Perth & Mandurah-Take two & Australia Day……..

We were told after spending NYE at Fremantle that Perth’s BIG firework display was saved for Australia Day.  So the Hopkins, less one who needed some quiet time whilst recovering from falling tree branches stayed back in Mandurah with Linda & Jim.

What can I say, Perth really does put it on for Australia Day. A huge area, located just South of the CBD along the Swan River provides entertainment all day, with loads of family fun, freestyle motor cross, great music and air displays of some description happening all afternoon until it all concludes with a spectacular fire work display……..

Train to Perth

Australia Day-Perth Style

Niko & Anita...friends from the road

Jacko & Shauny

Meeting Shaun & Susie...more friends from the road

Mandurah is about an hour south of Perth. The town is built along the coast and an estuary which has two entrances. One being natural and the other a man-made- the “Dawesville Cut”. This ensures the estuary does not silt up which was a problem prior to the Dawesville Cut. There are lots of manmade canals with opulent houses backing onto flash jetties and marinas, a modern “Venice” like look……..well almost. One of Jack & Flynn’s favourite places was Mandurah’s old bridge or to be more precise leaping off the bridge. Although this potentially incurred a $100.00 fine, which the boys didn’t seem to care about……….No officer those boys are nothing to do with me?

I also managed to blag my way into a game of “Association Croquet” or “AS” croquet as I was told. It appears I have been playing a “bastardised” version of “AS Croquet” at home with mates. I enjoyed some yap with the girls & my playing partner Alan of Halls Head Croquet Club and didn’t embarrass myself too much.

 We found the Thrombalites just south of Mandurah which are cousins of the Stromatalites of Shark Bay which were detailed in a past blog. We had some great fun cycling around the area, tried our luck at fishing, visited loads of local beaches and spent a great evening in Rockingham. We experienced a crazy electrical storm, saw a yacht break its mooring and had fun on the Rockingham jetty.

Margaret River Region- Cape to Cape Exploring……….

After a total of about four & a bit weeks in the Margaret River Region over two visits, I feel we know the area reasonably well. This was an area I was particularly excited about and was hoping to score some quality waves. Even though it is summer time, this area is seldom flat. Between the two capes of Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin there is a stunning 135 km coastal walk which has over sixty five surf breaks including the intimidating Margaret River main break at Prevelly.

I scored some great waves particularly South & North Point, Gracetown. Tilly also got stuck into Huzzas, a perfect beginner’s wave inside South Point.

South Point- Gracetown

Go Tills 

The region is heavily influenced by surfing and Viticulture. The first vines of the area were planted in 1972 by the Cullen Vineyard. The whole area is quite affluent and is full or wineries and artisan food producers, making of lots of yummy produce from chocolate to olive oil. It is however a touch on the pricey side to camp in caravan parks which are the only ones near the beach. That said we did find two great National Park bush camps. We also stumbled on an area of bush which we managed to camp in for free off Injidup road for most of our first stay in the area.

We caught up with the Kewleys, friends visiting from the UK by complete coincidence of timing. We enjoyed a couple great evenings with them and had some fun teaching Simon and Ellie to surf.

Breaky at Kweley's holiday pad

Free bush camp...hard to find

Simon Kewleys first surf .....ever

 The kids surprised Jodes and I when they completed two quite longs walks in hot conditions (12k’s plus) from both Capes. If more time was available the entire 135 km coast walk would be well worth the effort.

Rock formations-Cape Naturaliste

Walking trail-Hamelin Bay area

Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

Sugarloaf Rock

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse

Hamelin Bay area

There are two roads which run North-South in the region. One inland and the other near the coast. The latter is Caves Rd, aptly named after the 5 caves discovered in the area. Again none are free and as a large family it’s expensive, however we made the exception for Jewel Cave. This is the largest in the area, some 40 metres deep in places with some incredible formations of stalactites & straws that have taken thousands of years to create.

Spot the Karri tree root

This South West area of WA is popular and for good reason……I would be happy living here. Not just for surfing reasons but…..in my humble opinion it’s the best stretch of surf coast in Australia. A big call I know but it is a compact coast, rarely flat and with beaches of many aspects, somewhere is always working. It is also not too remote by WA standards.

Cane pool NP

WA's Marron

Finally a couple pictures from Cowaramup or cow town as it’s known. A pretty little hamlet on the Bussell Hwy full of model cows…….

Pemberton, a brief look before disaster struck….

Not a great deal to regale and entertain you with here as we only had about 24 hrs before it all went wrong. Unfortunately there is an extremely large bush fire still burning as we speak. A beautiful area which we’ll have to come back and see another time.  At least we got to climb the highest tree at 65metres the Bicentennial Tree in the Warren NP is a touch unnerving but fun…….don’t ask Jodes about it though.

Bicentenial Tree...65 metres!

There it is, the end of this lengthy blog. I hope you enjoyed it. Six weeks remaining for the Hopkins from now until our scheduled return home. We will try to stay safe and enjoy the bliss of this idealic existence. Cheers Hoppo- hopkinsgowalkabout 2015