Shannon Campground – Northcliffe – Pemberton – Big Brook Dam

Mother’s Day – Shannon Campground – Northcliffe – Pemberton – Big Brook Dam

Kangaroos at Shannon Campground

I went for a walk around the Shannon Campground before setting off this morning.  I was only going to see the Snake Gully Boardwalk Lookout and the big trees but failed to take into account that it is a loop drive on the Great Forest Trees Drive – another 25 kilometres – after yesterday’s effort!!  It is quite beautiful but I want to get to Northcliffe to do the Southern Forest Sculpture Walk.

This is magnificent and well worth the entry fee of $11 – each sculpture tells a different story and the artists themselves are the story tellers on the guided audio tour, giving insight into their inspiration and process for creation of their pieces.  Some are hidden in the forest and others are found as you round the next bend on the forest walk.  It is quite visually stunning and a great concept. My personal favourite, if I had to pick just one, was the Cascading Shelter – a shelter structure made to look like leaves and birds wings collecting rainwater to cascade into a sculptured pond (which is a birdbath as well). They were all so different and creative. There are some great little wait-a-while spots to sit and reflect as well.

I left Northcliffe to head to Pemberton and the Gloucester Tree – having decided that my back needed a good walk I parked the bus at The Pemberton High School and walked in to the tree – a bit over a kilometre, but as it was through a magnificent Karri Forest it didn’t seem very far at all.  The Gloucester Tree lookout is 61 metres high, with very little safety for the climbers and there is a warning sign at the base of the tree. I did not attempt to climb the tree as the rungs were too far apart – just content to photograph it and then head back to the bus for lunch.

I head back into town for fuel and a laundromat as the weather won’t allow drying of clothes very well.  I head out to Big Brook Dam after the washing is dry. This dam was built in 1986 for Pemberton’s water supply and aquaculture – the recreational usage is most obvious today as there are quite a few visitors.  There is a four kilometre walking trail around the dam but I have to shorten it as I’m headed to the Arboretum for the night to camp.  On arrival at the campsite, my path is stopped by a huge tree which has fallen across the driveway.  Two German tourists (Jacob & Jenni) arrive as I’m deciding what to do so we camp at the entrance to the campsite on the roadway.

Shannon Campground

Northcliffe Karri

Northcliffe Mural

Sculpture Layers

Sculpture Cascading Shelter

Sculpture Cascading Shelter Pond

Sculpture Leaf Seat

Pemberton Visitor Information Mural

Gloucester Tree Sign

Gloucester Tree Climb

Gloucester Tree Rungs

Great Southern Plantation

Big Brook Karri

Big Brook Dam Reflections

Big Brook Dam

Pemberton Country