Thursday, 30 May 2013

We woke up to another rainy morning. Despite the heavy showers our ute was still caked with mud from the previous day. But, it will have to stay that way for now.

Today, we had a short voyage from Narrogin to Margaret River. Skipping breakfast in Narrogin, we detoured into Collie for lunch.

Collie (population 7,084)

Collie is not far from Perth, only about 215 kilometers, but it is rural and located near or in the only coalfield in Western Australia. Therefore, it is no wonder that it is a coal producing town.

The town is named after the Collie River, which is named after Dr Alexander Collie. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out who Dr Collie was or his significance.

The vibe in the town is a bit depressing. It is no wonder that Collie was once referred to as a “dirty mining town.” Although, it strives to be a top Australian tidy town, I felt it has some more work to do. The saddest part of this town was the number of unhealthy people. I wonder if it has to do with the coal industry? Or maybe something in the water…

Margaret River (population 13,000)

Everything really changed as we neared the coast. Driving south from Bunburry to Margaret River felt just like driving somewhere back home in Virginia with its tree-lined divided highways that passed along horse farms and orchards. Very pretty.

Arriving in Margaret River, we found a nice cabin along the river http://www.riverviewtouristpark.com/. We settled in and drank some wine while happily watching the rain fall down. Once it slowed we got outdoors and figured out where we would run in the morning. Can't wait!

Drove 305 kilometers.

Ran 0.

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