Recently, myself and the kids decided to take a day trip to Wedge (approx. 180km north of Perth). Sadly, the weather wasn't the best. However, we didn't let it ruin the fun. On the contrary, we took spare clothes and made a real mess of ourselves!! Our first stop - Guilderton, located at the mouth of the Moore river.
It was windy and cold but the kids were all smiles :) We stopped at the roadhouse for some hot chips and my son bought himself a drink and they gave him one for free (they were out of date... but he was happy and I really don't think a slightly out of date soft drink is going to kill anyone). The view from the roadhouse over the Moore river is lovely, but if you have the time I recommend driving to the mouth itself and parking up for a swim (on a nicer day!). On weekends there is a canoe hire point on the river which is fun. We finished our chips and were on our way again.
Next stop was at Nilgen Nature Reserve. This is a lovely spot for a picnic or morning tea, with two sheltered picnic benches and a delightful wildflower trail. There are many signs along the trail stating the names of the flora. It is wheelchair accessible which is a bonus for those who require it. The view of the beach from the lookout is nice but the walk itself is the main attraction here. The kids enjoyed learning the different names and running amok along the way! After a quick snack and stretch of the legs we headed to the small town of Wedge.
I was nervous about getting into Wedge itself as I've been told it's 4-wheel drive accessible only. However, we managed (even in the the rain) to get half way into the town itself and park up (in my trusty Hyundai Elantra ;) ). The kids were loving the seemingly 4-wheel driving in a 2-wheel drive car!! We dipped down the turns and curves, bumps and climbs... it was great! The road is certainly no smooth run but manageable - have a little faith, but be smart! After parking up we walked to the beach and along to get as close to the Island as we could.
The tide was coming in.... the creatures found along the shoreline were fun. The kids were amazed and the was the water formed channels in the sand, and at the strength of the current within these channels. We found many different seas sponges, sea urchins, crabs and small fish. The kids (and myself) got extremely wet so a change of clothes was definitely in order once we got back to the car! However, before heading back, the kids went nuts on the HUGE sand dunes :) They didn't want to leave! But, we decided that just driving to Wedge was not the end of our adventure. We got back to the car, changed, and kept on going...
Next stop was Cervantes. We saw a map back at Nilgen Nature Reserve with a description of Lake Thetis which sounded ineresting and so decided to visit. The lake itself is the home of Stromatolites. We walked along the platform (which is purpose built to reduce the impact on the natural environment) whilst listening to the wails of my middle child (who was clearly tired by now). I warned him about not wearing shoes as the walking platform did not look suitable for bare feet but apparently he knew better! Mum's are never right are they? ;) If you do decide to stop here, there are picnic table within the bush land and information signs explaining a bit about the Stromatolites here - but no toilets!
We finished up here and then headed back home after a long but fun day. The kids were pooped, but as we were about to pass Guilderton again they regained some energy and decided a swim was a great idea. So I stopped to let them have a dip, only to here objection once they stepped into the cold wind (don't blame them!). So we bought some crisps and lollies from the store and then I let them play on the playground at the mouth of the Moore river. It's a small playground but they didn't mind. We stayed here for about half an hour until I had had enough of sitting in the wind and then we drove home to tell Dad all about the adventure (and clean the car!). ;)
