Off to Busselton itself and the visitors centre, once again I am struck with how clean, tidy and green the place looks, the lady in the centre has a laugh with us and points us in the direction of putting a new camera to the test tomorrow........ We then stop for coffee with a choice of two places that look equally nice, we choose one and although we had to pay up front the place could have been anywhere in Europe, it was modern, clean, efficient staff, beautiful views and good coffee, they did let themselves down with serving carrot cake with two dessert spoons but it was nice to get it on a plate and not in a paper bag..........
We then go onto Busselton Jetty which is the longest jetty in the Southern Hemisphere, ooooooo I hear you say, well get ready for an even bigger oooooooo because at the end of it they have built an underwater observatory, using the old timbers that were damaged in a fire and the new supports of the jetty as the basis of a reef. We are just surprised that the actual jetty is open and in a good condition....... We buy our entrance tickets to the jetty and observatory which entitles us to a free ride on the jetty train, oh if only the girl that was so happy to tell us that knew how much I detest those trains, but we graciously decline the train ride explaining we would prefer to walk the 1.8kms.
But then the granddad in me saw something that I just had to buy and then you can't buy for one so I ended up with certain things that shall I say would make me look rather stupid walking into an underwater observatory with, so we managed to persuade the staff to hold them until our return.
We walk the jetty and wonder why only some of it has railings on both sides, we later find out, this is the new part after the first 170 yards was destroyed in a storm, thankfully the sun is shining, the sea is calm and there is no wind, we feel safe, well one of us does......
To go down onto the sea bed in the observatory you have to do it as part of a guided tour, normally I place guides just above jetty trains, but on this occasion we had Warren who was brilliant, not only did he love his job, he was knowledgeable about all things fishy/sea and did not come across as being full of himself and self important, we basically monopolised his time and had a great 55 mins in the observatory, seeing different fish, lots of different shoals of fish, sea slugs, octopi, coral, sponges, anenomies growing all over the man made reef and jetty supports.
We walk back, pick up our purchases and then walk into town via the van, so as again not to be embarrassed........ Again as we walk around I am amazed at this town trying to keep up with the 21st century, normally, in fact every where we have been the Hotel (pubs) have all been dives, they are dark and dingy with a clientele that you would normally find in a betting shop and who think going out for a meal is McDonalds....... However here they have kept the old traditional exterior building but have turned the inside into a modern bistro type premises, I just cannot get over it, if I was ever to move to Western Australia, it would be to Busselton. That said, the chances of me moving to WA are about the same as me moving to the South Pole........
During lunch we read the information centre brochures and I have a quick change of plan due to certain birds and possums being in a certain campsite down the road from us which is classified as a possum sanctuary. We call in to confirm their status and walk around it to check it out, as we do so someone finds a possum asleep in the branches at which point I think to myself, I bet she wishes she had brought her new camera...... We book in for tomorrow night and return to our camp to go for a walk through the peppermint trees where again the little lady finds an occupied possum nest but with potential Tiger snake territory under and around it, we venture no nearer but get a good telephoto picture of the fur on the back of a sleeping possum........
Now not being happy with my possum pics from last night we go out hunting again for them tonight, as we are walking around we come across a guy that has obviously been in a dark and dingy hotel all afternoon, he approaches us with his half empty bottle in hand and slurs at us, something about possums........ I simply replied, yes and then looked through the lens of my camera up into the trees hoping he would take the hint and bugger off, thing is, people in that state don't do the norm and he started slurring at us more and more, so much so that his wife/partner/girlfriend came rushing out to help, 1. With the translation, 2. With getting him home, 3. Saving us all from the Embarassment.
She tells us about a nest box with a possum in at which we gladly thank her and immediately make our way to it. It's just coming up to sunset when I grab a chair and sit down to stake it out after checking the box is occupied. 10 minutes go by, it's getting darker, I'm getting bored but there is no movement. 20 minutes go by, it's darker still, I'm fidgeting but there is still no movement. 30 minutes go by when someone tests her camera and says that's not right, I get up go over and advise to change her settings when using the flash, at which point I turn around to see a possum come out of the nest box we have been watching and scamper up a tree, Doh.........
We see a couple, one of which has a baby in its pouch but no good photos, so I come in to write this post and have a drink, during which time we hear the odd bump outside on the roof.
Out we go and there are two of them posing in the tree and on a roof, before you know it, it's 22.15hrs and most of the camp site are asleep, I've still got half a glass left and someone next to me says for possibly the last time today, "I do prefer this camera to my last one" I reply, "You mean the one I bought you, Goodnight"
Shark Watch
Jetty Train
Just around the corner
I need a quack, my tail is bleeding....
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