Day 163 Busselton, (Augusta), WA

It was another bleak day but we weren't going to be deterred.  Rain or not we were heading to the southern most point in Australia, Cape Leeuwin at Augusta.  Cape Leeuwin was discovered by Matthew Flinders in 1801 and is the place where the Southern and Indian Oceans meet.  The next landfall to the south is Antartica and to the west lies Africa.  Pretty impressive statistics.

We had intentions of going to Augusta, Yallingup and Dunsborough when we started our journey this morning but as the morning wore on we knew that it was impossible to see everything we wanted to see in just one day so we will head back to Yallingup and Dunsborough tomorrow.  We drove down Highway 10 to Augusta and our return was along Caves Road.  It made a lovely loop.

Augusta was a surprise really.  Although it is one of the older towns in Australia it has taken on a modern feel with its newly built marina that services the Abalone industry in this area.  There is a brand new Abalone processing plant sitting adjacent to the new marina.  Abalone is a delicacy and very expensive but we found a seafood shop tucked away in the back streets of Augusta that promised fresh fish and Abalone.  We purchased a good selection of the fresh local fish fillets, Abalone and Scallops.  I can't wait to find a recipe that will showcase these ingredients.

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is a short drive from the Marina and we were disappointed to find that it is heavily scaffolded for repairs.  The gentleman at the ticket office where we purchased our ticket to the lighthouse told us that tours to the lighthouse will recommence in around two weeks.  ***sigh*** Too late for us I'm afraid.  We have a second chance at a Lighthouse tour though when we visit Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse at Dunsborough tomorrow.  

We had passed a sign pointing to the Water Wheel on our way to the Lighthouse so we drove the short distance to have a look.  It was in remarkably good condition for something that is so very old. It was built in 1895, along with the lighthouse, to supply fresh spring water to the lighthouse keepers.  The views towards the ocean from the water wheel are spectacular.

After getting our fill of Augusta it was time to once again head north towards Yallingup and the "caves" area.  There are heaps of caves to chose from along Caves Road but we settled on Lakes Cave.  It was hard to decided between Lakes Cave and Jewel Cave.  We arrived at Lakes Cave around midday, having read that there was a cafe there where we could have lunch but sadly it was closed (Bloody Covid!).  We were in a bit of a dilemma because the next tour wasn't until 1.30 and then again at 2.40 and we were very hungry.  The lady behind the counter suggested to us that we drive to Prevelly - about 12 km from the cave - where there was a restaurant called the White Elephant.  We could then eat lunch and make it back for the 2.40 tour.  What a great recommendation it turned out to be.

Prevelly is a sleepy coastal village and the White Elephant restaurant sits right beside the oceans edge.  When we arrived at the restaurant the first thing that we noticed were the surfers.  They were obviously not worried about the cold or white pointers!  Once we walked inside the cosy restaurant and chose our table we both got a good vibe about the place.  The menu was not extensive but the food was delicious.  Philip chose the fish and chips with coffee and I went for the fish wrap with a black tea. 

Once we had finished our meal it was back to Lakes Cave for our guided tour.  The drive took us through towering Karri Karri forests that have been badly damaged by the fires last year. We had heard about the fires but had no idea just how destructive they were.  

Let me tell you a little about Lakes Cave.  It is in fact a giant sinkhole and to reach the cave you have to descend 350 steps.  That's the easy part.  The 350 steps back to the top is quite a feat!  But we knew all this before we decided on this particular cave so even though it was difficult, we managed it well.  On our descent our guide pointed out the delicate Monkey Orchid that I had been looking forward to seeing ever since we arrived in the south west.  

 Inside the cave a tranquil lake mirrors the delicate crystal formations that grow from the cave roof but what we marvelled at was the unique "Suspended Table" formation that weights several tonnes and seems to defy gravity as it hovers above the lake water.  Our guide today was Digby (what a great name) and he was a terrific guide with a very clear voice.  He quite obviously loved his job and his joy was infectious.  The cave is beautifully lit and as we walked along the boardwalk Digby changed the lighting according to what he wanted us to see.  Right at the very end he gave us a wonderful coloured light display that showed us a "dragon" breathing fire onto the "Suspended Table".  It was difficult to photograph but I hope you get the gist.

Lakes Cave was without a doubt the best cave we have ever had the pleasure of visiting.  Yes, it's not for the faint hearted to negotiate all those steps but it is worth every bit of pain that I might feel tomorrow!