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Jenny's Lake
Farmstay
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In 1911, the vessel Mandalay left Delgoa Bay in Africa, bound for Albany, Western Australia. Whilst off the south coast of WA, a strong gale swept her ashore. The captain managed to steer the vessel clear of Chatham Island, but then was confronted by Long Point. When he realised he couldn't safely round the point, the captain decided to beach the Mandalay in the cove. This cove is now called Mandalay Beach. Beyond the car park and overlooking the beach is a monument telling the story of the Mandalay and what happened when her crew managed to struggle ashore. Even though they had just undergone a shipwreck, their adventures had only just begun! Mandalay Beach is a lovely place for a picnic and for rock climbing. There is a large expanse of sand, which is great for children, although we do not permit our grandchildren to swim there as the water can be quite rough. Every so often, when the tides are right, the Mandalay shows above the water line. In October 2001, she was clear of the water for a couple of weeks. The road to the beach has recently been widened to accommodate two, as well as four, wheel drive vehicles. You will need to stop at the Ranger's hut to pay a small charge to drive down to Mandalay Beach, however if you have an annual National Forest entry pass there is no charge. For those of you are lovers of wildflowers, The Road to Mandalay (sorry, couldn't resist that one!) is carpeted with an enormous variety of wildflowers from September to the end of the year. It is a glorious experience to drive through the millions of blooms. To get to Mandalay, drive west along South West Highway (towards Manjimup from Walpole) and turn left on to the gravel road at Crystal Springs. Contact details
Jenny and Gerry Edghill |