We first learned about Balingup from Phil, Paul's long time friend. We were thinking about taking a trip down South to the Margaret River region when he suggested heading to Balingup as his family has always loved it there. Balingup is approximately 230 kilometres from Perth making it the perfect short road trip for a couple of days. Furthermore, it is famous for its wineries, galleries and is surrounded by rolling hills and winding rivers.
We started the journey shortly after breakfast around 9am but still could not resist the lure of buying McDonald's at the first rest stop. Chicken nuggets and french fries were the quintessential road trip staple, especially so for the passenger in the front seat who was entrusted with the imperative responsibility of entertaining the driver keeping him awake throughout the ride. Although it was a short ride in the dictionary of road trips, but we had been surviving on only a few hours of sleep each night, no thanks to our toddler. My role was as significant as the driver.
After a quick lunch at Bunbury, we were about 90 kilometres from Balingup. As we drove further down south, we could see huge part of the forests previously destroyed by the fires that broke out late last year. The ground was barren and dried, and there was no sign of life as the air stood still surrounding the burnt woodlands.
In order to reach Balingup Heights Hilltop Forest Cottages, we needed to change to a lower gear and make our way slowly up a winding road. The owners were out but left us instructions on how to get to our cottage via the meandering roads through the forest. The car made its way past towering native Jarrah and Marri trees to arrive at our cosy cottage. There were only 6 cottages on this 46-acre natural bushland property so we were really lucky to be able to secure a stay here. Our cottage was located on the hill top with spectacular view of the valley right at the door step.
By the time we settled in, it was already late afternoon. As the sun descended slowly behind the hills, its golden rays illuminated the cottage, basking it in a warm orange glow. Elyse loved breathing in the fresh clean air on the top of the hill, stomping on the red soil of the ground and immersing herself in the lush greenery enveloping us. She ran down the slope, gesticulated wildly with her arms and then tumbled down on the ground to touch the soil on the ground. We walked side by side across the forest to the next lookout and there was silence around us except for the crunching sound of dried leaves on our feet.
We stood before the breathtaking vista below where a light mist cloaked the fruit orchard and the magical town of Balingup below. It was serene and quiet except the gentle clopping sound of a horse hooves as it gradually came into sight from up the hill. We made our way down to a little convenience store at the foot of the hill to get some supplies for dinner. We stacked our basket with hearty sausages, fresh produce and seasonal vegetables ready for a little cookout for the family. Dining under the evening light, the temperature dropped drastically as we retreated back into the cabin for a restful night ahead.
Early next morning as Paul slept in, Elyse was in great spirits as we could hear wild kangaroos hopping and grazing against the dense vegetation outside. We were up early for a farm feeding adventure! We skipped down the path to the main shed opposite the stone farm house where Uncle Brian was all ready with red buckets of food for feeding. Carrots and other vegetable mix together with food scraps were all prepared in advance for the animals feeding. Dressed in her quintessential Country Road's pink jumper, floral tights and gum boots, Elyse helped by carrying the blue pail to the cheeky llama and sheep. Stretching the pail high up above her head, Elyse shoved it into the face of the Ilama in a bid to entice it to feed off her container.
Next up, it was the horses turn to be fed. With small and precise steps, Elyse held on tight to the black bucket of carrots, trailing behind Brian. The horses were excited naturally and if Brian hadn't intervened, this little one would have walked right into the enclosure of these feral horses! The enormous teeth of the horses were in stark contrast to Elyse's small hand as she held on tight to the carrots when the horses gnawed on them before retracting her hands in shock. Kudos to her as she lowered the bucket containing the equine feed and supported it as the horse dropped its head into the bucket to feast on the meal.
The best part of the morning would be cradling and patting the guinea pigs while watching them nibbling on the carrots. Elyse was very gentle and delicate with them before dropping them to the ground like hot cakes. Luckily for us, these little furry creatures were not hurt and continued to scurry around us! Elyse were introduced to the concept of a chicken coop, a rooster, hens and freshly laid eggs. This was also the first time for me to learn that chicken peck at shell mix to get the calcium they need to lay eggs with strong shells! A tiny little chick was hatched that morning and Aunt Deb nestled it in her hands as we gently caressed it.
Later that morning, we took a trip to the historic Bridgetown located on the banks of the Blackwood River. Bridgetown is the only heritage listed town in the South West of Western Australia and upon arriving here, we seemed to have travelled back in time as almost all the buildings surrounding us were more than a century old. We had a bite at The Mulberry Tree Cafe before exploring all the vintage stores along the main street.
As it was getting rather hot in the afternoon, we gravitated naturally towards The Cidery. The region around Bridgetown has a rich tradition of apple growing, especially the Pink Lady apples, thus, it made sense to visit Australia's handcrafted ciders producer, The Cidery. From the entrance of The Cidery to the tasting area and the indoor dining room, there was the extensive use of Jarrah wood, an unique Australian hardwood known for its strength and durability. We had a scrumptious lunch of Caesar Salad and Fish and chips under the shade of the towering river gums before washing them down in sparkling ciders and beer.
On our way back, the car drove by the green rolling hills and iconic jarrah forests before meandering up the hill back to our hilltop retreat. We spent the evening exploring the "secret garden", an unspoilt area of play and make-believe for kids, found off the beaten path of the forest. As Paul prepared dinner for the night, I cuddled up with Elyse on the outdoor couch and read her favourite story books under cool autumn evening light.
Elyse had her dream come true when Daddy woke up next morning to do the whole farm feeding routine with her again so she could share all her excitement with him! After checking out, we made our way back to Perth passing the town of Donnybrook, the centre of Apple production in Western Australia. Paul said he used to come here as a kid where he would ride on a special train and pick apples with his Dad. He had a lot of fond memories of this place. Maybe one day, Elyse can experience that with her Daddy too.
Since we were at Donnybrook, there was no way we were going to miss out on going to the Apple Fun Park with Elyse. She had a whale of a time in this large playground as I sipped my chai latte in a corner before making our way back to Perth.
We arrived Perth just right after lunch hour and guessed what we had for lunch? Dim Sum from Golden Palace of course!!!
