Day 51

What an horrendous night we had - we didn't realise that the road outside the caravan park is the main route through to Bunbury from north and the ports.  The trucks were going past at regular intervals and the noise was incredible, I think we finally got to sleep at about 2 am.  When we spoke to some of the other campers they all agreed and one said that even his van shook.  

Anyway we got up this morning and went out exploring.  First of all we went to the information centre here in Bunbury and got some leaflets.  Our first stop was the Dolphin Discovery Centre - which is only about 500 metres from the caravan park.  Unfortunately because of a severe storm that came through Bunbury on Tuesday the boardwalk has been washed away and the Dolphins are not coming too close at the moment.  The centre is well worth a visit, we saw them feed an octupus, they catch the octupus and keep it for about a month before releasing it out to the wild.   We watched a video and a computer generated film both of which were very interesting.  

Then we went off to Gnomesville - what a place this is.  We expected it to be a little community that had gnomes in their gardens - but no - it is at the edge of a forest where people have been putting gnomes for many years.  It was absolutely incredible - and I wouldn't like to try and count how many gnomes are there, there would have to be a couple of thousand.  It certainly puts a smile on your face.  There was even a model of a Sterling Caravan that the Western Australian Jayco Caravan Club had put there.

Then we came home and after having lunch we went to a Featured Wood Gallery and Museum.  One of the museum exhibits is dedicated to John Ablett's forebears - who were skilled workers and farmers who migrated from England in 1840.    This is in Australind and was well worth seeing.  John Ablett is related to the football Abletts from Geelong.  The resemblence to Gary Ablett snr was incredible.  He even let Graham hold a 1846 Army Colt Walker pistol, and it weighed about 8 kilo.  John is really passionate about his museum and as we were the only people there he spent quite a lot of time explaining everything to us.    His display of woodwork is also very good both he and his wife are woodworkers.  

 

Ablett Family

Custers Last Stand

Piece of John's Work