Wednesday, 25th May - Pemberton to Perth

Alas, we had to leave Pemberton. We could have spent more time there. We checked out of the Old Picture Theatre (actually, Reception was closed so we just left our keys in the room).

We had time to fill in before our trip on the Tramway so we drove out to Big Brook Dam. We managed to tune into the tourist radio channel and wish we'd done it sooner because it was really interesting. We heard about the history of timber logging in the area in the 1920s, and also saw some information on signposts around the dam. The dam is on the Warren River and is a water reservoir for Pemberton, but it's also a popular swimming spot - a very peaceful lake with no-one around when we went there. The dam was built in 1986 and also supplies a trout hatchery.

By 1930 2000 hectare of karri forest had been clear felled to produce logs for the Pemberton Mill but a spark from a steam locomotive started a fire which burned the remaining forest. This caused the remaining karri to drop their seeds on the ashbed from the fire, the seeds germinated and now 80 years later there's a new karri forest.

We drove through an arboretum of native and exotic trees and then headed back to Pemberton to the Tramway Depot. The railway was used to transport logs using steam locomotive, but now it's just a privately owned tourist attraction with a diesel engine powering the purpose built tram. It departed the depot at 10.45 am with 16 passengers. The driver has to manually turn the traffic lights on and off when we cross the main street of Pemberton. We go past the Pemberton Timber Mill, which is still in operation. On our left are some of the original timber workers cottages which are still inhabited, and one which has been converted to a chook house. Then the tram meanders through the karri forrest, crossing six bridges on the way. We stop at the cascades and finally at the Warren River Bridge before starting back. We get back to Pemberton at 12 noon.

There's supposed to be a cafe attached to a wood craft shop but we find the cafe closed down some years ago. The shop has some beautiful woodwork but it's way too expensive for us. Sue buys a leather fly swat.

We drive back to Manjimup and have lunch at a nice cafe, then keep driving back to Perth, mostly in the rain. Sue has done all the driving on this trip, Pete sits in the front passenger seat so he can stretch his legs, and Deborah sits in the back.

Sue lives in Doubleview in Perth near Scarborough Beach which is north of Perth. Pete watches the Rugby League State of Origin match and NSW lose to Queensland by 28 to 24 points.