Anzac Weekend in Karridale – Apr 2022
Thursday 21st – Monday 25th April
Attending in no particular order
Penny and Spence – Landcruiser
Dave and Cindy – Prado
Ivo and Lucy – Landcruiser
Shane – Triton
Gary, Claire, Gabriel and Azriel – Landcruiser
Sean and Deb – Triton
Justine and Craig – BT50
Keith – Ranger
Steve and Sue – Landcruiser
The Anzac Day long weekend gave us another opportunity to get down to Karridale. Spence had stayed down south after Easter, so people started arriving from Thursday onwards. Friday was a fairly lazy day. Gary, Claire, and the boys took a trip up to Canal Rocks. Others arrived throughout the day, but with traffic issues causing some delays. Those who had been to the block before settled in their normal camping spots, and the others found flat ground around the house.
Evening saw us sat around the fire (of course complying with fire restrictions it was “in a fire pit and only between 6pm and 11pm”). There were a lot of people hovering and looking at their watches between 5:30 and 6, and significant discussion on how much wood we could get to burn and still have it out by 11!
The group was complete when Dave and Cindy, Steve and Sue, and Keith arrived on Saturday. Some of us headed off to an area of Scott River National Park on the banks of the Blackwood for lunch. There was some alarm initially when it became clear that the “Maintenance Vehicles Only – No cars” sign was serious and meant we could not drive all the way down the track to the river but would have to WALK. It was not far however, and we strolled down the track with our pack lunch, only to find that our planned lunch spot had been taken over by a bunch of boaties come in from the river and having way too much fun water skiing and dragging kids around on inflatables.
We still had enough room for lunch though and some of us managed a swim in the Blackwood – although there was some very sore cut knees and feet from the sharp barnacles on the floating platform.
Sean, Deb, Craig, and Justine couldn’t come to the Blackwood with their dogs, so they took them down to Augusta dog beach for a run.
A few of us went for a walk down the block, and Cindy took a perfect picture of the “heart tree”. Then we had a look at the area where we had narrowly escaped the Boranup fire. The firies had done a great job in stopping the fire going far across the East side of Caves Rd.
Saturday evening, we sat around the fire again, listening to the motorbike frogs and counting satellites in the awesome star filled sky. The amazing pictures from Keith demonstrate the difference between most of us with our phone cameras and someone who knows how to use their real camera.
Early Sunday morning most of us stayed warm in bed while a hardy group set off at 6am down Bob’s track for some very successful fishing.
Later we all headed out to the Blackwood River National Park for a long drive down Deny Rd and then back on Blackwood Rd. The first part was easy going. We turned off Blackwood down a long track to the river for lunch, only to find again that a group had set up camp there. There was still plenty of room for us though. Crossing Sue’s Rd, the fishermen, who had been up early, headed for home, and the rest of us carried on. Unfortunately, they missed the best of the track as it became more interesting further on.
We dropped down a track to the river and found a lovely spot, which had a swing hanging on the tree, great river access and a short track back up just made for a bit of hill climbing.
Gary went first – and had to be winched when his diff lockers failed. Sean followed and then Keith made it look easy! This is a spot that will be well worth returning to on the next trip.
Back at the block, Dave made bread on the fire, and we had another evening sitting chatting.
Monday morning it started to rain, but fortunately held off until most people were packed up and on their way home.
It was a lovely weekend, and I am sure many of us took time to be thankful for the wonderful country we live in and to say a silent thank you to the Anzacs who gave so much.
Story by Penny.
Sunday morning’s Fishing Report
As most super keen Salmon hunting fisho’s know, the Salmon is running down south, Hamelin Bay and Boranup Beach has been hammered by fisherman, excluding us. With only squid and prawns for bait, Herring and Whiting were our target species.
An early morning fish was the plan. Myself, Shane, Burgo and Sue made a 6am dash to the Boranup Beach. The drive down Bob’s track has signs of being well used, but to our suprise, the deep off set ruts had been filled in, making our way to the beach even easier.
Finding our spot on the beach, admiring the calmness off the water, it was time to get our lines wet.
Overall, between us all, we managed 15 nice size Herrings. A few were lost and a small Salmon thrown back.
I’m guessing the local Stingray knows when it’s fish filleting time. He was right on queue.
As I was filleting the fish, we threw the old fish frames into the water, and “Raymond the Ray” just hovered them up.
Our fishing neighbour had managed a nice big hook up, pulling in a descent size salmon onto the beach. Well Done!
With everything done and packed, It was time to head back to the house, meet up with our fellow campers,
Story By Dave.
Check out our YouTube vid from this great trip.
