Pemberton

Thursday 9^th February, 2017.

We’re all leaving Albany today, Jo to go home, us to move on to Pemberton for the night. Jo is up super early and is on the road by 6am, as planned and she sends us a message later in the day when she has arrived home, safe and sound.

Our plan is to be on the road by 9am, have a quick stop in Walpole and arrive in Pemberton around midday, eat the sandwiches we made then go for a ride on the Pemberton Tram that leaves at 2pm. Then after that, visit the Gloucester Tree to see what all the fuss is about. Of course, nothing goes to plan. There’s so much stop and start roadwork all the way to the Pemberton turn-off, we don’t get to Walpole till nearly midday, so we decide to adjust our plans, take our time and get to Pemberton when we get there…….. which is 2.05pm, just in time to see the Tram depart. Oh well.

We check in to our hotel for the night, Best Western Pemberton Hotel, and then go for a drive around town and up to the Gloucester Tree, a giant karri tree in the Gloucester National Park. It’s 72m high and the lookout at the top was originally used as a place to spot fires. Apparently only 20% of visitors climb all the way to the top. I would have been one of them if I’d had shoes with more solid soles. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! We get back into town to see the railway boom gates closing. A train is coming!! No! Not a train……….. the Pemberton Tram is returning!! Looks like that’s about as exciting as it gets around here.

Dinner on-site at the Pemberton Hotel. Very colourful sunset tonight.