Journey's, Fremantle - Broomehill - Bremer Bay

Long distance driving, the trip to Bremer Bay is a 7 to 8 hour drive. Too long for this little black duck. My neighbour suggested a stop over in Broomehill, it is kinda, half way ish. I had never heard of it.

But here I am. 

Dropped PuddyTat off to WillowRose Cattery, her big blue eyes, even bigger when she realised where she was! There were lots of other cats with beautiful blue eyes... Birman's... Gorgeous.  Freedom for me, for a week! Animal less...

Fremantle, 'point of origin' re the trip... already a warm day, the view from the apartment, pre walking out the door @ 9am

We, in the west have had heaps of rain. Out here, there are few signs of that rain, but it must have just been soaked up by this hungry, gravelly, quartz'y earth.

'The Great Southern', into which I am headed, is.... great, vast... open, large blue sky's. Undulating landscapes, tortured eucalypts, wheat, a few sheep, a couple of cattle. I have only witnessed the souls departing kangaroos that have met with a fateful collision. Oh, and a couple of skinny snakes that have also met with the same fate.

The Stirling Ranges, home of the spirit 'Noatch'

I love driving in the country. Driving to Broomehill, I am getting glimpses of Bluff Knoll.... far, far off in the distance. It felt a bit like that movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, everyone drawn to 'the mountain'. I feel expectant that 'something' is going to happen.... I get these premonitions.

Once I was driving with a beautiful lass of about 12 years of age. I had pulled up at the lights and saw a flash.. a vision, it was a guy standing by the side of the road with a bright green jacket (I call them 'don't run me over' jackets, the kind the police and road workers wear). In a blink the blurry vision was gone. I said to Anna that I had just had a premonition. She asked what a premonition was. By the time we had driven up and over the hill, and I had finished explaining my version of what a premonition was... in front of us was a police road block, 'the booze bus'. There were heaps of policemen in those green jackets.... Anna just looked at me and exclaimed.... 'Freaky'!!!! It was a bit.

The Broomehill Cemetery

I was drawn into this cemetery. Reading the headstones, it was evident this was a place that supported those that loved each other.

The day had warmed up somewhat, and the ambient temperature was topping out at 37C. The fly's were rejoicing our first real day of summer.

Note the shadow of the journeyman... felt like a metaphor for my life... 'me and my shadow'!

Broomehill, The Henry Jones Building, which is where I was staying and dining

The old Volvo, you can see my accommodation behind, in 'The Tower'

'The Tower' in the evening light. The back of the building, love the juliette balcony.

Guard Dog... I was very grateful for him, not one thing got past his notice, and, he barked every time. Note his kennel is a wine barrel. Not a lot of protection for a doggie on hot days!

My bed, in 'The Tower', very comfortable, but 37 degrees, no airconditioning, a noisy fan, all windows had to be shut as the fly's and mosquitoes overwhelming and no fly wires on the windows. Beautifully appointed though.

The juliet balcony, I enjoyed a quiet glass of wine out there after dinner. So quiet in Broomehill at night... frogs... the odd car or train... and a chorus of mosquito's. Yep, it was a quick and quiet glass of wine out there!

Wines produced by the owners, Wadjeknup River Estate. The grapes grown locally in gravelly, quartz'y soil and the wine produced by Alkoomi. I did detect a hint of Brettanomyces in the reds.

Breakfast, cooked and served by Jim @ The Henry Jones Winery. Jim cooked excellent poached eggs... nearly as good as mine... dare I say. My latte was constructed with frothed hot milk and espresso poured on top..

The Imperial Hotel dinner menu. I enjoyed the veal parmigiana, salad with grated cheddar cheese on top. A bottle of average red wine (as I did only want a glass of red, but it came out of the cask), there was a $4 corkage! $22 + $4.

The Kojonup - Broomehill Rd, coming into Broomehill.

The Stirling Ranges so beautiful. Bluff Knoll, the second highest peak in Western Australia.

Broomehill was a lonely experience for me. The feeling that 'something' was about to happen... hung over me like a cloud. Travelling alone is always exciting, but not having a companion to 'watch your back'. It raises questions of safety.

The reason I chose Henry Jones to stay, was because I had somewhere safe to stay, an ensuite bathroom, so I didn't have to walk outside at night to visit the loo. And, somewhere safe to enjoy my evening meal.

But, what happened was that, when I arrived, the temperature was 37 degrees C. The fly's all swarm and scramble for the cool of any shadow. I was escorted to my accommodation at about 3pm. The room was very warm. We had to close the windows and put the rattling fan on. There was no air conditioner and no fly wires on the windows. It probably was about 32 degrees inside my room and no fresh air. I did try to have a little rest... but the heat drove me out.

Dinner was to be served at 6.30pm. When I arrived, it was suggested that because I was the only one booked in for dinner, perhaps I might like to take myself off to the pub! Which I did. It was cool at least and the meal filled the spot. But.... even though I positioned myself out of the way and in a corner... one of the lads having a beer after work in the bar, decided to enter into a conversation with me. As it was, everyone was looking at me (as I was the stranger in town). So not sure whether or not to be a bitch and tell him to go away... I was polite. He sat down for a chat... all very innocent. But it freaked me out.

I was having visions of Ivan Milat and the Backpacker Murders....

I had to walk back to my room in the dark... and then I felt vulnerable all night. I was super pleased to have the trusty guard dog announcing the presence of 'any' little thing. Not much sleep was had. And, I was happy to leave as early as possible.

Long hours on the empty roads driving to Bremer Bay, giving me time for much contemplation.... issues of trust, front of mind.

Borden - Bremer Bay Rd