After a wonderful time in Margaret River, we ventured inland to Collie, eager to discover its renowned blue lakes, natural pools, and vibrant town artwork. We parked in a free campsite alongside the Clarke family, whom we befriended in Margaret River. Their two children clicked instantly with Ollie and Lily, making for great companionship.

Our adventure began with a visit to the blue lakes. Although Black Diamond Lake didn’t live up to its blue reputation, it was still a lovely spot. However, the second lake was truly breathtaking, with its vivid blue waters offering a picturesque backdrop. We took out the paddleboard for the first time and enjoyed the serene waters. I also got the drone out to capture the surrounds and had my first encounter with an eagle thinking it was some lunch! Coincidently this happened at the same time that Oliver was learning how to use it!

With temperatures soaring to 38 degrees, we retreated to the campsite by the river to cool off. The afternoon was spent lounging in the river’s refreshing waters, and once our friends returned from their day out, the kids took turns on the paddleboard. Meanwhile, Robyn and I prepared dinner, sharing a relaxed evening of conversation with Steve and Emily.

The following morning, we set out for Wellington Dam, renowned for its expansive mural artwork across the whole dam wall. The art was pretty impressive given the scale. Next, we ventured to Honeymoon Pool, considered the best in the area, and it certainly lived up to expectations. Crystal-clear waters revealed fish swimming below, and a dedicated platform for jumping into the refreshing water. After a few hours, we headed to the town to explore its artist trail, checking out at murals on some of the town’s walls. Our day ended back at the campsite, enjoying the river once more. Despite being a free campsite it was easily one of the best in our first month of travel.

The following morning we set off for Mandurah with a pit stop in Bunbury to check out the daily dolphin feeding where the main resident “Cracker” came right on cue at 8:00 to swim around everyone legs and waited to get her 2 fish. Before long, we detoured to marvel at the ancient Thrombolites which are rock-like structures lying just off the beach under the water’s surface, the Thrombolites are extremely rare…and alive. Arriving at our first caravan park with a pool and waterslide thrilled the kids and kept them occupied for the rest of the day.

The following day we embarked on the Giants Trail, a captivating series of six wooden sculptures crafted by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. We managed to visit the four giants closest to us before returning to town. While the kids browsed souvenirs, Robyn and I were both drawn to an Aboriginal art work by a celebrated local artist. We needed a day to ponder but made the purchase the next day. Together, we rounded off the evening with a beach sunset, indulging in some incredibly delicious fish and chips.

Initially, our last night in Mandurah was planned before heading to Perth. However, given the exceptionally beautiful weather and influx of caravaners, we couldn’t secure a new spot in Perth, so we happily extended our stay. The kids were overjoyed at more time with Zali and Stan Clarke.

On our second last day in Mandurah, we sought out the fifth giant, a bit out of town near the Thrombolites. This visit proved worthwhile, as the largest giant awaited us at the end of a 1.5km walk through a path lined with golden orb spiders and a peppermint grove. Later, we enjoyed takeaway lime sour beers from a nearby brewery.

Our final day with the Clarkes began early with a taste of what Oliver had claimed were “the best pies in Australia”—and they just might have been! Nothing better than a meat pie at 10am in the morning. We then travelled to the Lane Poole Reserve, relishing more swimming and paddleboarding adventures. A stop at a local cidery introduced us to the most colossal kangaroo we’d seen yet, accompanied by a delightful tasting paddle. A swim back at the caravan park preceded an evening at a local playground, where Steve and Emily treated us to homemade tacos while the kids played. We topped off the wonderful day with ice cream.

The next morning, we said our goodbyes to the Clarkes for this leg of our trip, as we planned to head north quicker than they were. However, this definitely wasn’t a farewell forever. We hope to meet again in Victoria when they pass through or will look to visit them in Adelaide after they return home later this year.