Perth to the Southwest - Day 3 (Part 1)

Albany to Margaret River

Oliver loves cars and trucks. This truck parked at Comfort Inn Albany cheered up Oliver's mood in the morning. He also requested to take a picture with the tree after taking some shots of him and the truck.
Another long day ahead of us, we bought freshly baked breads from a bread shop and made our way to Albany Wind Farm. Our GPS system took us to the less-strodden route - Stidwell Briddle Trail, when there were other less adventurous and proper roads to Wind Farm. The very first challenge for Yvonne on this very day.

Our kids were excited, and certainly more adventurous than their parents. Oliver was determind to be the first and ahead of the group. Usually, Oliver would run back to us. Now with his pal Jiajun, both mustered courage and decided that far was simply not far enough. They had Boon Heng, Charles and Yvonne chasing after. Lucky for me, Heidi was not yet attracted to such adventures and would stay close to me most of the time.

Albany Wind Farm

It was a magnificent sight at the Albany Wind Farm. Resting on 65 metre towers, each turbine has three blades. They are simply captivating.

The farm consists of 12 giant wind turbines, each at a height of 100 metres from the base to the tip of the blades. The farm consists of 12 giant wind turbines, each at a height of 100 metres from the base to the tip of the blades. These turbines generate around 75 per cent of clean, green electricity for Albany.

Valley of the Giants

If the Wind Farm was my favourite place from the Perth trip, then this treetop walk would be my second favourite. This treetop walk in the Valley of the Giant is situated in the town of Walpole, and is the place that our neighbour Jean spoke of when they last came to Perth.

It is an eco-friendly, 40 metre-high walk through the canopy of a Karri forest.

The Giant Tingle Trees and the suspension pathway takes us gradually into their giant forest canopy. At about 40 metres, the view is breathtaking. It's not often we get to stand, head height, among these ancient giants.

The treetop walk is actually a series of lightweight steel trusses built on steel pylons to form a circut 420 metre long leading over a deep red tinge gully. As the gully descends, you ascend. It's a gradual climb into the treetops.

Except for me occasionally rocking the walkway just to incite some "fear" from the group, otherwise the walkway is pretty sturdy and all of the kids seemed oblivious to the height. Oliver also much forgot about us and ran way ahead.

Pity that the one in Singapore, the HSBC treetop walk, is so inaccessible, and the one in Kent Ridge is so short in distance.

As we gradually descend and reach the forest floor, another delight awaits us. The Ancient Empire Walk takes us on a gradual stroll through the feet of the ancient tingles, even through one. Here the 4 kids were all posing in the hollow of the base of the trunk.