After visiting the Valley of the Giants we continued on our Western Australia tour to the small town of Pemberton where we took a tram ride into The Karri Forest.
The Pemberton Tramway is a tourist railway. It used to be a logging railway. The trains carted the Karri logs to the mills, which provided half a million sleepers for the Trans Australian Railway.
Pemberton was founded in 1911 and became a busy timber mill town. We left the town and travelled through farmland before entering the forest. It was a very dull day and threatened rain.
Timber is still collected today, they log new forests that have been especially planted. Old forests are still logged but very carefully.
It was an unusual tram ride going through picturesque forest rather than a city. We crossed rivers and...
....then we were in the Karri forest. Karri trees are Eucalyptus diversicolor and they are very straight and tall. They have silvery white trunk that reaches up to 90m into the sky. The Tingle trees had the biggest buttress roots but the Karri trees are the tallest of the Eucalypts. They are not far behind the Californian Redwood and Sequoia Trees.
The rail track was lined with colourful flowering trees. Soon we were back at the station and we boarded the bus for a short trip to the Gloucester National Park where the biggest Karri trees are located.
The Gloucester Tree is 72 metres high and is the world's tallest fire lookout tree. Pegs are nailed into the tree and tourists can climb it. Not many succeed. In the far right photo there is a cabin built 61 metres up used as the fire lookout. The tree and park are named after, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester who visited the lookout tree when it was first built in the early 1900's.
It started raining so we just had time to see a few pretty coloured parrots and...
...some more different wildflowers before climbing aboard the bus for the next exciting place.
Those Karri trees are astoundingly tall. I'm glad to don't have to climb the fire lookout tree on a daily basis. I love seeing your gorgeous Australian parrots living and flying freely. Here, of course they are contained in cages. The colours of these two are superb.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about these trams. How are they powered?
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what terrific pictures. The whole tram ride looks like it was a wonderful relaxing adventure.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Have a good week. ...Marsha
Your Karrri Forest is really beautiful. I loved seeing your photos of the parrots. I had a pet parrot when I was a girl.
ReplyDeleteI would like to take that tram ride, this was great. love the parrots and the shot of the railroad bridge.
ReplyDeleteYou are having a great time on this trip yet another beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteYou do visit some wonderful places and bring some welcome colour to grey days. To answer your question, St Ives is in Cornwall and we have been on holiday there most years since we had our first baby. I just love it and it feels more like home than a holiday. When I am in St Ives I am at my happiest. xxxx
ReplyDeleteJust been catching up with your posts. What amazing trees. It must be exhilarating to walk those tree-top trails. The rail bridge over the river looks a bit scary though!
ReplyDeleteThose trees are amazing high. To climb one on the pegs must be very tough indeed. The parrots look so beautiful coloured, the whole tour looks very nice. To have a train ride and a walk in nature is wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place! I love your shot of the tram line disappearing round the corner - and what a great ride that would have been travelling through those forest areas.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting Diane
ReplyDeleteWas that Bill attempting to be Tarzan climbing that tree?
Cheers
Colin
Colin, No Bill was in the bus sheltering from the rain. This was an anonymous tourist.
ReplyDeletewow...great shots, indeed!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm overwelming...
Great, just great!
Diane, what a neat tram ride. I am happy they are careful doing their logging. The scenery and the cool parrots are just wonderful. I love the colorful parrots. Have a grea day!
ReplyDeleteWonderful trip... reminds me so much of the Roaring Camp train through the redwoods. You have the added delight of the brightly colored birds.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving? oops... no, don't suppose you have Thanksgiving, but anyway lots of good wishes for you and your lovely family.
Red trams and parrots ! that's certainly a colorful excursion !
ReplyDeleteAustralia seems to be a real wonderland of flora and fauna...always something new and interesting to see.
ReplyDeleteI think I have seen a tv documentary from this forest ... there was a guy still hand cutting sleepers.
ReplyDeleteThat flower is an Australian Native clemantis I think ... I see it in flower when driving along but don't think I've ever asked the driver stop so I could photograph it.
Is that your husband up the tree? I love the colourful birds.
ReplyDeleteIt is good that they are planting trees in Oz, I was told you didn't have much timber in the past.
I learn about nature everytime I visit your blog, Diane. I've never heard of Karri trees until today. Of course your parrots and beautiful wildflower shots stole my heart. What a lovely trip you took us on. Thanks for sharing. Greetings. Jo
ReplyDeleteIt must have been pleasant to ride the tram through a forest, Diane. TheKarri trees are new to me and look so big and strong. The parrots you saw were so pretty!
ReplyDelete