Elder and Sister Nielsen: Wave Rock

Due to the distance to Wave Rock, one of the major highlights of Western Australia, we decided to take a bus tour scheduled for Saturday, 3 September 2011. It took four hours to drive to Wave Rock and another four hours to drive back (not counting the stops) and Dad said, “No way am I going to drive it!” So we paid for the bus tour, and Sister Kruger joined with us.

The bus left Perth at 8 a.m. and headed east into the wheat belt region of WA. Our first stop was York, a small country town, which just happened to be celebrating York Day.

JoLyn, would you believe that there was even a Young Living Essential Oils booth there.

The gentleman at the booth mentioned that they had just begun sales in Australia.

Along the way the bus driver drew our attention to the famous “Rabbit Proof Fence.” After rabbits were first introduced to Australia by a British immigrant with 14 rabbits, a rabbit infestation from eastern Australia was threatening wheat fields. The government decided to build the fence to stop the western migration. It is the longest fence in the world! It slowed the migration but failed to contain the rabbits.

On to our next stop…a Dog Cemetery!! A gentleman wanted his dog buried next to him, but the township wouldn’t allow it. So he purchased a small piece of property and began a dog cemetery where well over 50 dogs from the community are buried.

Our journey continued to Hippo’s Yawn, and huge rock formation resembling a hippopotamus’ open jaws. It probably could have swallowed the whole bus.

The first order of business when we arrived at Wave Rock was to have lunch provided by the tour company. In a pond next to the lunchroom, were two beautiful black swans (the symbol of Perth) along with their 3 young goslings.

We have seen few black swans since our arrival, and never seen their goslings before.

WAVE ROCK – one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles which rises over 50 feet above the ground (and over 325 feet long) like a giant wave about to break. It’s a granite formation created by erosion. The dark stains are created by algae and lichen.

We made the steep hike to the top and discovered water pools and a natural fault line.

Note the beautiful panoramic view from the top. Wave Rock was the highlight of our day.

Before beginning our return trip, we stopped nearby at Mulka’s Cave.

Mulka was an Aboriginal boy with a vision impairment preventing the ability to hunt to provide for himself and his mother after his father’s death. He eventually turned to cannibalism and hunted down and killed. He lived in Mulka’s Cave, which contains hundreds of handprints, believed to be his, as well as young tribal warriors in later years.

Note the beautiful view from the parking lot as we headed back to Perth, another 4 hour drive which included a brief stop for afternoon tea and crumpets, arriving just before 10 p.m.