Around Oz Part 28 - Cape Leeuwin to Walpole-Nornalup and Giant Trees: Western Shrike-tit, Rock Parrot, Red-eared Firetail

Following our visit to Margaret River (see following post) we continued southwards along the scenic Caves Road to Cape Leeuwin, the south-western most point of the Australian mainland, where the Great Southern Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. It was here that, in 1801, Matthew Flinders began charting the continent of Australia.

Of more immediate interest was a party of 8 Rock Parrots on the lawns of the Cape Leeuwin lighthouse. A visit to the nearby historic waterwheel was also interesting.

We turned eastwards for the first time in our around-Oz journey, driving through extensive areas of jarrah-marri forest, with plenty of shrubs in flower.

Jarrah-Marri forest near Pemberton

Our destination was the Walpole Nornalup National Park; we camped in the nicely bushy setting of the Coalmine Beach Caravan Park. The views of Nornalup Inlet from the caravan park and a nearby circuit track-road were stunning.

In thick vegetation near the camping ground, plenty of Red-winged Fairy-wrens were about.  More Baudin’s Cockatoo and Western White-naped Honeyeater were seen. I had a brief roadside view of a Quokka; we had seen earlier a road-killed Quokka.

I was surprised to find good numbers of Red-eared Firetails feeding roadside in the early morning - I saw at least 20 - and at the carpark for the Tree Top Walk. This was an impressive canopy walk through the tree tops, 40m above the ground. Red-winged Fairy-wrens were also common at the carpark; they had learned to pick insects from vehicle bumper bars.

Red-eared Firetail

Red-eared Firetail

Tree Top Walk, Walpole Nornalup National Park

Circular Pool

Conspicuous Bay

Giant Tingle Tree

Southern Short-nosed Bandicoot and Tawny Frogmouth were about the camp at night.

Tawny Frogmouth