Busselton Trip: Pt 2—Capel, Boyanup, Dardanup
Being keen to take photographs while I was down at Busselton my basic plan was to spur out on the various highways and byways from Busselton and check out the countryside. Something I am always looking for is old rustic stuff and I had recently been provided with some strong intel indicating that there was an old pump-up petrol bowser at Capel. For photographers like me those old pump-up petrol bowsers are like the Holy Grail of rustic stuff needing photographing.
Also I had found on the Web that there were supposed to be some old steam train hulks and some old rolling stock at Boyanup. I was not too sure where in Boyanup this cache of trains was but I was pretty sure if I just drove around the town and area I should be able to spot any old steam trains.
So on Tuesday afternoon we headed for Capel and Boyanup, and on the way I could keep an eye out for any interesting gates.
Capel was a bit of a failure. I drove around all the obvious streets but I could not spot this reported pump-up petrol bowser. Somewhat disappointed we left Capel and headed for Boyanup. It had to be easier to spot rusting old steam trains.
Turns out that the steam trains and rolling stock in Boyanup are corralled in a locked-up yard. Additionally, it is generally not open to the public except on 'open days', and the day we were there was not an open day—seems there are only two or three open days a year.
I did manage to get the following pictures at Boyanup of the old raised platform and the steam engine refilling tank stand. While the actual square black metal water tank has been replaced with a modern re-enforced round plastic tank the stand is mostly original except for some repairs here and there.
Following is a wider shot of the same area taken from a different angle.
Notice the trees now growing out of the landing platform. I presume that there was a station on this platform at some stage because over the other side of the road there is the obligatory 'Station Hotel'. Almost all these old towns had a hotel right opposite the railway station. This provided the weary traveller with a cold beer or accommodation, or both, within a short walk from the station.
If I get the chance before I go back to work, assuming I go back to work, then I might return to Boyanup and this time arrange to get into the yard where the old trains are.
From Boyanup we decided to go on to Dardanup just to see what is there, but there was nothing rustic or old there that I spotted that needed photographing. So then we made the return journey back to Busselton so we could plan where we were going the next day.
Barry.