Stirling Ranges

We headed north from Albany up into the Stirling Ranges, wow these are magnificent. They just come out of nowhere & are massive. We planned to stay at the national park camp, but drove in & it was pretty terrible. There were some tent sites & 4 bays that said carvans only, not sure where camper trailers are meant to camp, it was $10 per person per night. There were 2 other privately run campsites nearby & we went to Mt Trio Bush camp. It was really good, set up in a paddock overlooking the ranges (Mt Trio) & it had hot showers, toilets & an excellent camp kitchen. We set up in a quiet spot, it was $25 for an unpowered site. That afternoon we stayed at camp & even played ping pong/table tennis for a few hours in their games room, Mat won 3 games to 1 but we had plenty of laughs. 

Stirling ranges

Mt Trio bush camp

The next day we explored the ranges. There are quite a few walks to choose from & we went with Bluff Knoll. It was a 6km walk & was almost 1100m high. The walk was pretty hard with lots of steep large step ups. Unfortunately I only made it about half way before having to turn around, I wasn't feeling very well & didn't think it could make it to the top. I was really disappointed, but we did get to see some magnificent views. 

Bluff Knoll above & below

We made our way backdown & then did the drive through the national park amongst the ranges & had lunch along the way. Back to camp & the wind really picked up. It was blowing a gale & some of the strongest wind we have been in, especially inland.  Cooking dinner was a nightmare & took us until nearly 8.30pm at night & when it was ready we had to eat in the car out of the wind. 

Stirling ranges

In the end we decided to pack up the next day & keep heading east back towards the coast & the Fitzgerald National Park. The Stirling Ranges are definitely worth the trip, a beautiful spot & we are told the orchids in the spring time are amazing. Mt Trio is a great option for camping, so check it out. 

Stirling ranges flanked by farmland