2021 had been a tough year for me. I started of feeling run down and over 2020 like everyone else. By the end of January I noticed that I was more then just run down, that I was actually sick. With all the red tape due to COVID restrictions I was left undiagnosed after spending the night in ED with a high temperature as I was classified as a high risk patient. Two weeks and many doctors visits later I was back in hospital being rushed in to ER. Turns out I had cancer in my bowel the size of a fist that had grown to create a plug. My large intestine had ruptured and I was in for life changing surgery. I had my large bowel removed and small bowel attached leaving me with a 30cm scar vertically down the middle of my abdomen. Lucky for me all cancer was able to be removed but that still didn’t make the healing process any easier. After spending many weeks recovering and many months trying to get my energy back and probably some undiagnosed PTSD I needed to get away and refresh for the next year.
We packed up the 4×4 on Boxing day 2021 and headed off on a road trip through ought the south west, no bookings, no real plans, just where ever the road took us. The weather was scorching hot in Perth, tipping 43 degrees Celsius which is the perfect excuse to head south. Our first camp on our trip was the Belvidere Campgrounds . Ok its not really that far south, but we did leave late in the afternoon and didnt want to spend all day in the car. Road trips are great, but its not worth it if your going to drive past all sites you can see.
Belvidere Campgrounds, in the heart of the Leschenault Peninsula. The campgrounds run on a first in first served no booking basis. Each spot came with a picnic table and camp fire, but as it was a complete fire ban it became the holder for our lamp. There is no running water but it comes with a complementary long drop, or bush dunny, how ever you prefer to call it.
Belvidere is in Australind, a short drive from Bunbury. With the beach to the west and the peninsula to the east there are a few things to do, but to get this out of the way, here is the worst part – Bugs! Mozzies and sand fly’s where constant. Signage also read that the mosquitoes also carried the Ross River virus in the area but in reality that could happen anywhere. Bushman spray was well needed and we used our lamp set up away from us to deter them.
I ate a home made pasta salad while Matt, my partner, cooked fried rice on our camp stove. A short walk to the water we discovered that crabbing was a popular activity to do at night in the area. The day was 43°C and even into the night the temperature was still into the mid thirties so it was sides up, fly nets down for a sweaty night in the swag.
After our first night in the swag it was actually pleasant to be woken with sprinkling rain. We packed the swag up early before it got too hot – well Matt – my fiancé – packs it up because apparently I don’t to it right. A short walk in the morning we where lucky enough to spot some Kangaroos, one with a joey in its pouch while birds danced around the water. Signage explained the tragic history of what white invasion has done to the area, that I show in my YouTube video from our road trip around the south west edge.
An online review pointed out that the ranger did not come till after 9am but we didn’t want to stay around as the sand flies where already out so we camped for free. On the drive out we decided to check out Belvidere beach. You can drive onto the beach with a 4×4 but we decided to walk as the boggy sand meant we would need to let the pressure down and then later having to pump them up again. The water seamed clear and good enough to swim and was beautifully calm that time of the morning. Men fished and dogs run up and down the sand but even though we where not alone you almost felt like you had the beach to yourself.