Day 34 – 16th February 2018 – Lucky Bay to Munglinup

The pack up went well and we left Lucky Bay and drove to see the Stonehenge Replica at Esperance. We had seen this on one of the 4WD shows that we watched and decided to go visit it. I wasn’t expecting much to be honest, as I thought it was a bit weird to try and build a replica of something like Stonehenge in Australia and so I expected it to be a bit lame. But we thought we would stop in and see it nonetheless. So very glad that we did. I really loved it!

We were the first people there so had it to ourselves briefly when we arrived. The replica is of how it would have looked around 1950BC and you can walk all through it. It had the most amazing and magical feel about it and gave me goosebumps instantly. There were Willy Wagtail birds calling to each other and the sound was bouncing off the granite rocks. The sound was incredible, it was like an amphitheatre. It would have been amazing to hear someone sing in there.  I should have asked Col for his rendition of ‘Way out west’ haha.   I just wanted to sit in the middle of it and stay there. I would love to go back for the Summer Solstice sunrise or Winter Solstice sunset where the sun lights up the altar that sits in front of the tallest of the Trillithon Stones. The granite is Esperance Pink Granite and was quarried adjacent to the property where Stonehenge is now located. There were 137 stones in total, with the largest ones weighing up to 50 tonnes each!

Apparently the people who built it were not the people with the original idea or dream. A man had planned to build the replica Stonehenge in Margaret River and get the granite carted there from Esperance. Unfortunately he ran out of money before the dream was realised, and the quarry was desperate to get paid after working for 12 months without payment. Luckily the Beale’s had a property adjacent the quarry and the owner liked to build things. So he decided to complete the Stonehenge replica on his property which was completed about 6 years ago.

When my daughter Erin, Son-in-law Jake and Grandson Hamish went to the UK recently, they visited the real Stonehenge and took some awesome photos. One of a family handstand and one of Erin Jumping. We thought we would reinact these for you. Col was a good sport and did a stellar job!! He doesn’t have the same hair flowing in the photo like Erin, but it isn’t his fault!

I did spot this bit of artwork there which I quite liked too.

We stopped in Esperance to do a few errands and then headed off to Munglinup. The drive went smoothly and we have arrived safely. We chose Munglinup Beach Caravan Park because it had over 4 stars on Wiki Camps which usually means it is pretty good and a safe bet. Our first impressions are not that great though, and we are wondering how on earth it got those stars. The Camp host is really lovely, so that is a good thing, and the camp kitchen area is well stocked and looks like a bit of a social hub, also a good thing. But there are drop toilets and the bathroom block smells awful. Drop toilets don’t usually bother me in a bush camp, but when you are paying $30 a night it doesn’t seem quite right. We got a powered site, but they ask you not to use air-con, water heaters, heaters, hair dryers, hair irons etc, which is kind of why you pay $30 for a powered site. Also no mobile coverage here and 2km from the beach. They do have washing machines but no dryers.  Anyway, not having a whinge, just voicing that this is the first camp that I don’t think is value for money.

A storm has hit and will last all day tomorrow too, so we won’t be up to much and will just have a chill out day. The storm hit just before I went for a shower… gulp. Reminded me of Norseman!!! but this was in a shower block so thought I would go (I did really need one!) and I am pleased to say there wasn’t anything too eventful happen, hahaha. Although I was dodging flying bark and gum nuts walking back through the rain to the van. But my clothes stayed on so that was a good thing.

We did go for a drive to check out the beach and there is a really great camp spot right on the beach if you do come this way. I think it is $15 per night per vehicle and there are toilets down there too. The beach has a really interesting reef to go snorkling and fishing and there is also a river close by too. Pity the weather is not going to be favourable tomorrow. If you do come down this way – don’t go driving on the beach as the sand is REALLY soft and there is a minimum call out fee of $2,000 for assistance to get your vehicle out.

Sorry this one is so long – lots to say today!!!