The southern area of Western Australia is a wonderland of sights and scenes. The ancient Karri and Tingle tree forests are a must see. Being up close to these huge trees is an awe-inspiring experience. The forest canopy feels impossibly high – like the ceiling of a cathedral. -The Karri is the 3rd tallest tree in the world towering to a height of 90 metres and swaying in the canopy at the top of these giants you can walk along the tree top walk
Did that take your breath away? Are you ready for an even more heart stopping climb?
The tree top walk is a safe and sanitized adventure, really you have no chance of falling. The construction is sturdy, solid steel with railings to hang onto. The fear is all in your mind.
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Now let me show you the Diamond tree…
This massive Karri tree has operated as a fire lookout for over 65 years.
Constructed in 1940, the tree remains in active service as not only a fire lookout but also a tourist attraction. If you aren’t scared of heights, trees or really big things you can attempt to climb it. But be warned it isn’t for the faint hearted, in fact it is down right frightening, all you have are metal spikes (which have been hammered into the side of the tree) to climb up
The tower is the only tree top tower in the world. When the Diamond tree was opened to the public in the 1970’s it attracted over 2,000 people per year . If you wonder, like me, how safe the climbing pegs are, I have been informed they were replaced in 1991 (uh huh!).
The tree top lookouts were built during the late 1930’s as a way of identifying the location of fires which often flared up among the tall timbers. Today light aircraft take on the role of fire spotting and the Department of Conservation and land Management (CALM) are actively involved in preventive measures in reducing the intensity of wildfires.
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This is my contribution to Ailsa’s “Travel Theme“.
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Tree top walking, what an amazing idea. Looks a great place to visit and those photos are awe inspiring.
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Thanks Chris it is a surreal sensation to be up there with the birds
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This is so cool and a perfect take on the theme. I’m not a very good climber so I think I would sit for you and wait for Jack.
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Yes I must admit it worried me a bit watching him slowly become the size of the birds as he disappeared into the canopy of the Diamond tree. I needed you to hold my hand as I waited for him to come down
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That would have been lovely 🙂
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Wow,, I just adore our trees, and have only seen huge trees, the redwoods in Canada that match these Sacred Silent watchers… Wonderful that you took me upon your journey.. I so enjoyed the climb and the view 🙂
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The trees in that area are very special and I love the name Tingle Tree. I didn’t show that tree in this post I will save it for another day. Jack was very brave climbing right to the top of the Diamond tree.
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Indeed Pauline, it looked very high 🙂
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I have heard about the tree top walk but have never tried it, I think I will give the vertical tree one a miss though. Thank you the walk is now definitely on my list.
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I’m sure you will enjoy the experience of being on eyeball level with the birds…
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It’s ridiculous – I live so close, spend so mush time down south and yet I’ve never done the Tree Top walk. It’s now on my must do list 😉
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It is good but I enjoyed the ancient forest walk more on the board walk around all those huge Karri and Tingle trees under the tree top walkway, very impressive they were.
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Gorgeous!
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Thanks Cindy
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What a brilliant post PP . I really enjoyed it . That climb must have been something else indeed not sure either if i’d have made it to the top . Such amazing trees .
What a lovely comment from Jack 🙂
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Thanks Poppy, what a lovely comment you have given me. I love to hear from you. Have you seen Jacks blog? He has more philosophical posts than me.
http://jacksjottings.wordpress.com/
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Morning PP … the feeling is mutual 🙂
I shall nip over now and see Jack right now ….
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I enjoyed being reminded of the good times we have shared. Sharing the present with you is also wonderful. You record all our good times to look back on, as you say these happy times would be forgotten without our photos. It is not the memory at fault it is the recall with a photo it all comes back from the mist time.
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Thanks for the comment Jack, we do have lots of lovely memories
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