South West Life

This article was written by Akita Olsen.

Within the adventurous Wellington District lies a great recreation site, named Potters Gorge.

Potter’s Gorge is a popular picnic and camping area located on the shores of Wellington Dam.

I travelled there last week with a group of others for a canoeing trip and camp. We rocked up in a large bus that was towing a trailer with our canoes. There was plenty of space to drive and park our bus, so a caravan would have no dramas. In fact, the site has large open spaces for camping, a looped car park, gas and wood bbqs, picnic tables, and flushing toilets with universal access.

Camping is available all year round. Can I suggest you stay overnight during spring or summer? It was freezing cold the other night, but the amount of stars and native wildlife helped soothe some of the chill. Camping fees are very cheap and must be paid in cash.

During our stay we camped in tents and did a lot of canoeing on the dam, although picnicing, fishing, swimming, and bushwalking are also popular at Potter’s Gorge. One morning we were canoeing around a little island in the dam and as this area is quite high up we were “in the clouds” canoeing around like in some mysterious movie. Great experience - one I wont forget. Sometimes we need to get out more and do some stuff, admire nature, learn new skills, hang out with people, and have fun.

It is a great site to be based at, and launch out to visit one of the many attractions in the area. If you wish to know more about what is available there, contact the Deptartment of Conservation and Land Management – CALM. They have a great brochure called “Recreation Sites in the Wellington District”, which provides a description of seventeen attractions and a map to clearly slow each location. These attractions include: Walking In The Crooked Brook Forest, Blackboy Picnic Site, Logue Brook Dam, Whittakers Mill, Willowdale, Hoffman Mill, Honeymoon Pool, Lower Collie Valley, Potter’s Gorge, Gnomesville, The Quarry, Wellington Discovery Forest, King Tree, Leschenault Peninsula Conservation Park, Glen Mervyn Dam, Harris Dam, and Stockton.

I suggest you give them a call today and ask for a brochure or visit www.naturebase.net. CALM Wellington District - Tel. (08) 9734 1988.