Month: November 2024

Baandee Lake

Free camping at Baandee Lake

Baandee Lake is a beautiful salt lake in the Central Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It is 25km east of Kellerberrin on Ski Lake road. This is a popular place for water skiing when there is enough water in the lake. It is also a pleasant free camping area. There are flushing toilets, cold water shower and non-drinking water for washing hands available. In cooler months you can enjoy camp fires in the fire rings provided. We stayed at Baandee Lake in early November. The weather was favourable – not too hot during the day time yet and cooling at night. There was still water in the lake although not enough for water ski activities. With plenty of space for camping along the shore of the lake to choose from, we found a nice spot with gorgeous view which we enjoyed during our 1 night stay there. We were the only ones, although a few cars visited during the day.

Fantastic views and scenery at Baandee Lake

The best thing for us camping at Baandee Lake were the awesome views of the ever changing sky.

Stormy clouds and rainbow over Baandee Lake

So, we witnessed the intensely strong red sunset.

Red sunset over Baandee Lake
Vehicle camping near Baandee Lake

Many satelites (and maybe a comet?) across the sky full of stars but also some clouds.

Aurora passed by leaving a bit of a colour in the sky too. 🙂

Pretty cool sunrise

Sunrise over Baandee Lake

Some dramatic clouds in the morning just after the sunrise.

Dramatic looking clouds over Baandee Lake

and beautiful reflections of the clouds in the lake.

Clouds reflected in Baandee Lake

Baandee Lake is in South Doodlakine, Wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It is about 3 hour drive east from Perth.

Bluff Knoll

Bluff Knoll, Stirling Range NP

Bluff Knoll is the highest peak of the Stirling Ranges, which are in Australia’s South West. The range stretches from east to west for more than 65 kilometres and is characterised by rugged peaks, awesome views and abundant and rare flora. At 1095 meters, Bluff Knoll is not only the highest peak of the Stirling Range. It is the highest peak in the southern half of Western Australia and is the most popular hiking mountain.

Climbing Bluff Knoll

Many years ago, there was no sealed road to the base of the mountain. It is about 6km (from memory) from the main road (Chester Pass Road). The road is steep and not suitable for caravans.

The trail to the summit is very well maintained. It starts as an easy paved trail through eucalypt woodland. It then gets rougher and exposed. The climb is quite steep for most of the time with the steps along the way. Due to this, it is very strenuous and is especially hard on the knees and you need to be reasonably fit. Many people climb Bluff Knoll every day but not everyone makes it to the summit. There are markers along the way, indicating the distance left.

Roughly, 1/3 of the way, there is a nice small waterfall where you can sit on the rocks, recuperating. Roughly half way, you can see some rare flora like the mountain bells, which only grow at higher elevations (We’ve written a whole post on the flowers at Stirling Range NP, including Bluff Knoll). The views also become very picturesque here. The whole trail is 3,1km one way and it takes a couple of hours or so to climb.

Summit

Climbing Bluff Knoll is an experience by itself and very rewarding. But reaching the summit and seeing the views like that is like an icing on the cake (that is, of course, if you love sweets, then the analogy would make sense :)).

The summit offers amazing 360 degree views of the surrounding area.

We spend nearly an hour on top of Bluff Knoll, enjoying the views, as well as having our lunch there. Many people were there too.

Now that the hard bit of climbing up was done, the summit reached and thoroughly enjoyed, (together with the lunch) it was time to go down. Going down was easier and faster but still it was hard work. We were also tired by then and had to stop a few times. But the views of the mountain ranges were gorgeous, and it kept us going.

Where is it?

Bluff Knoll is in Stirling Range NP, roughly 4,5 hours drive south east from Perth. It is easily accessible via sealed roads.