Denmark

In Australia?  That’s Right!

Thoughts on Location No 64

Denmark, Great Southern Region, Western Australia

And what a lovely little town Denmark is.  Established beneath a canopy of huge eucalyptus trees, Denmark’s city area has parks and gardens lining both sides of the Denmark River and rose bushes lining both sides of the main street just south of the bridge across the river.

I thought Denmark was a very pretty, proud, little town.

The roses along the road were so bright and beautiful.

Red, red, red!

Such beautiful red roses.

Dean thought he’d get a surf at Ocean Beach, but this was not the case.  The beach itself is sheltered and a popular location for a swim with the locals.  He finally managed a surf at Lights Beach though he was only in the water for a short period of time.

. . .

We stayed at the Denmark Ocean Beach Holiday Park, another Big4 park that offered a good discount and reasonable price.  The park was rather busy hosting an Avan Club when we arrived and we were lucky to get in.  I’ve never seen so many Avans in the one place before.

We settled beneath the peppermint trees (Agonis flexuosa) at the back of the park and relaxed in the cool shade of their canopy.  Their flowers were coming to the end of their bloom and even a slight breeze sent petals fluttering to the ground like little snowflakes out of season.  The peppermint tree grows in the south west of Western Australia and is easily identified by the powerful – almost overpowering – odour of peppermint released when the leaves are crushed.

The Peppermint tree has very distinctive bark

Under the trees

The last of the little flowers

The trees attracted a variety of bird life, but the predominate ones vying for the title of X Factor Morning Song Champions were the Laughing Kookaburras, Australian Magpies, Australian Ravens, and (I think) Australian Ringnecks.

They started each round of their competition at 4:00 am while it was still dark, and continued pitting their songs against each other for hours, not calling it quits until human life was out and about causing the flocks to head off elsewhere.

I have to say, lying in bed listening to them, the Australian Magpie’s song was my favourite.

. . .

Today, we are heading further west, still edging closer to Margaret River, but before we get there, I get to spend some time in the Valley of the Giants.