After leaving the cozy confines of our tiny house for the final time, we set off to explore a few remaining beaches in Albany that we hadn’t yet visited. Our first stop was Emu Point, followed by the scenic Middleton Beach. There, we paused for a coffee—milkshakes for the kids—while they enjoyed themselves on the playground. Our time in Albany was memorable.

We then continued our journey, traveling through Denmark and onward toward Walpole, where the highlight of the day awaited us: the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk. At Oliver’s special request, we embarked on this 600-meter adventure, suspended 40 meters high in the canopy of the ancient tingle forest. It was fascinating to learn about some of Australia’s tallest trees and to experience them up close. Oliver loved it so much that we did it twice!

The following day, we settled into a farm stay in Margaret River, nestled on a working sheep farm. This was an ideal spot where the kids could feed the sheep, emus, and cuddle some guinea pigs to their hearts’ content. After setting up our van, we ventured out to explore one of the area’s many famous caves. We chose Jewel Cave, the largest and best-preserved, and it did not disappoint. The impressive stalactites, stalagmites, cave straws, and other fascinating rock formations left us in awe. Afterwards, we headed to Augusta, the southernmost point in Western Australia, concluding the day with a special dinner to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary. It was less romantic than usual with the kids in tow, but delightful nonetheless.

The next morning led us to Hamelin Beach, where we had the unique opportunity to interact closely with stingrays that swam close enough to brush against our legs! From there, we indulged in local delights, starting at the chocolate factory for unlimited samples, followed by a visit to taste jams and olive oil, and then onto a pleasant brewery with a playground for the kids and beer paddles and cider for Robyn and me. We wrapped up the afternoon at the mouth of the Margaret River, hopeful for our first catch, but it continued to elude us. Dinner that night was at a Burmese fusion restaurant, easily the best meal of our trip.

The following day, we marvelled at some incredible natural attractions, beginning with the Injidup Natural Spa. Here, the constant crashing of waves against the rocks created waterfall splashes into a protected pool, simulating the feel of water jets. Next, we visited Canal Rocks, stunning formations sculpted over thousands of years. A quick stop at a fantastic winery, Swings and Roundabouts, provided a lovely lunch before we visited Bunker Bay, one of the area’s best beaches. We spent some hours enjoying the waves, and this time, I managed to snag a 35cm flathead. However, without a way to keep it, we happily gave it to a local fisherman who helped us identify it.

One of the unexpected highlights in the area was staying in a campsite where there were a few other families with kids. They all got on really well and enjoyed playing cricket, laser tag, making contraptions out of skateboards with rope and tubs. When it got dark, they had even more fun pretending there was a Big Foot with red eyes and chasing after it.

Our last day in Margaret River started at the local farmers market where we stocked up on fresh corn, apples, cheese, and handmade pasta, and we couldn’t resist trying the freshly baked bread. We then made our way to Busselton, home to the longest jetty in the southern hemisphere and the second-longest in the world. We spent the early afternoon in the fully enclosed swimming area at the beach where the kids and Robyn jumped off the jetty trying to make the biggest splash! After that relaxing dip, we then boarded our train along the jetty which would take us to the natural aquarium at the end of the jetty. It was very interesting learning about how it was made and seeing the sealife that call it home.

On our second day in Busselton, we explored another beach where Oliver was determined to outdo me, successfully reeling in his own flathead, although it was too small to keep this time (after giving away the first catch, we have since purchased a bucket!). We concluded our time in the Margaret River area with swimming at Meelup Beach, highly recommended by the locals, and it truly lived up to its reputation.

Next on our itinerary is a change of scenery as we venture inland, ready for a new pace beyond the endless string of beaches!