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Perth and Fremantle
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e flight, covering almost 4000km took us from Sydney NSW to Perth WA.
Somewhere over the red centre of Australia whilst flying at 30,000 feet we travelled back in time 2 hours, it made my eyeballs bleed, but apart from that it was fine and we arrived in Perth at 10am.
Western Ausralia is big and empty. It swallows up a third of Australia's land mass in its 2.5 million sq. km, and has a population of only 1.9 million people living in an area 4 times the size of Texas. 1.3 million of those live in Perth.
With 12,500km of coastline, vast deserts in the east and 350 million year old ranges inbetween, WA has some of Australias most amazing sights, but its just too big to see everything in a few weeks, so we've decided to concentrate on the southwest corner, starting in Perth.
Jumped on the airport shuttle bus for the 10km ride into the city, and we noticed Perth is very flat. The half dozen skyscrapers of the central business district are visible from anywhere in the Perth area, and stick out, like skyscrapers do.
A 2km walk to our pre-booked accomodation, was followed, after dumping our bags, by a 2km walk back into town to find the nearest supermarket and a 2km walk back with our food. Then we realized we were on one of Perths 3 free bus loops. Doh.
The bus dropped us right by the visitors centre where we extracted as much information and as many leaflets as we could, before we returned to our 70s style apartment with a bottle of clear skin. (The winemakers sell their excess wine to wholesalers, who sell it label-less at massive discount, displaying only the grape and year). A top tip from Shar.
As luck would have it, Perths top clear skin dealer was four doors down from our accomodation so alcohol was on hand to anaesthetize the senses against the onslaught of Oz pop idol. I'm not sure I'll ever recover from the devastation of Chanelle's eviction.
Expenses (A$2.5/pound): Tea 3, bus 6, accom 79, smarket 46.20, wine and beer 10.90
Day 182 - Tues Oct 26th
Archaeolagical indications suggest that Aborginal people were living in the present day Perth area at least 40,000 years ago, but it didn't take the Europeans long after landing to dispossess, incarcaate, disease and kill the locals.
A Dutchman with the comedy porn star name of Dirk Hartog was the first European ashore in 1616, but he wasn't taken with the place. In 1826 a small military outpost was established at present day Albany and in 1829 the first British settlers arrived at the Swan River Settlement (Perth).
Isolation meant the area was seen as a natural prison and the first convicts arrived in 1850. The 1890's saw WA really take off when a series of Gold Rushes bought much needed wealth to the region.
There's gold in them there hills. As a surprise for her birthday, I've booked Rene on a 2 week gold panning tour, with a long bearded, one toothed, feral gold miner who smells like a swamp and answers to the name Hooch. She'll love it, she gets to sleep out under the stars, with no facilities and I've even paid the extra $1 a day for a line dance lesson and a pickled egg.
Free bike hire with the accomodation is always good news, bad news. The good news is the free bit, the bad news is the bike bit. All these places must have their own skip junk monkies who go round removing buckle wheeled brakeless bikes from skips.
We managed to make it up to Kings Park and Botanic Garden which is 400 hectares of natural bushland and manicured gardens, full of cycle paths and walkways.
Kings Park also offers superb views of the city, nestling on a sweeping bend of the mighty Swan River.
Perth is extremely cycle friendly, with a whole network of connecting cyclepaths. We rode right along the river front where the Fremantle Doctor gave us a slight buffeting until we reached the famous WACA ground (famous if you enjoy cricket) and then rode back through the city.
Despite the bin bikes it was good fun, although Renes saddle was particularly savage and required regular adjustment stops.
Todays clear skin was a 2000 semillon chardonnay, quenchingly quaffable and a bargain at $6.99.
Expenses: Accom 79, laundry 4.50, books 25.70, wine 7
Day 183 - Wed 27th Oct
Migrating humpback whales can be seen off the WA coast from September to December, so we hoped we might see one on our whale watching trip out of Fremantle.
Follow the meandering Swan River downsttream and where it eventually empties into the Indian Ocean you'll find Perths old port town of Fremantle.
The river ferry from Perths Barrack Street jetty took about 45 minutes to reach Fremantle harbour. On the way we passed several exclusive yacht clubs and countless multi million dollar river side properties.
The whale watching boat was larger than at Hervey Bay and packed to the gunnels. Being less manouevreable, the boat had trouble keeping in touch with the whales we saw, who to be fair weren't interested in interacting anyway.
The trip was only 2 hours and before we knew it we were back in port. We had seen 4 mothers and calves and had great views of Rottnest Island nad Perths northern beaches, so it was a good afternoon.
Just time to glance at the new Opera house-esque WA Maritime Museum before we cuaght the train back to Perth.
Expenses: Accom 79, cruise 70, inet 5, train 6, water 1.60, smarket 17.95
Day 184 - Thursday Oct 28th
A day spent in Fremantle.
Freo as the locals call it is a laidback waterfront town, full of character, charm, alternative lifestylers and a horizon of a million masts.
Many of the small streets contain heritage buildings, built by ealry English and Irish convicts from local limestone. There are also several historical sites, some of which are now museums and galleries.
Apparently Freo has long been a centre for European migrants (especially Italians) who have given the place its unique street cafe culture, there are lots of coffee shops. We shared our sarnies with the gulls on Bathers Beach before wandering round Challenger Harbour, looking at ostentatious boats.
Not to be outdone by Perth, Freo also has a free bus network (come on IOM you can do it), just 2 buses on a continuous loop. Being free loading travel rats it would have been rude not to utilise it fully, so we did eight laps before jumping off at a former lunatic asylum which is now the History Museum and arts centre.
HMS Challenger arrived at the mouth of the Swan River on 2nd May 1829 and Captain Charles Freemantle strode ashore and "took possession in the name of the King". Sod the locals eh Charlie. Today Freemantle has a busy, fully containerised working harbour and international port, but its seperate to the leisure craft harbour and marinas, so you aren't really aware of it.
I'm sure Captain Chalres Freemantle would approve of the towns continuing nautical bias, but I'd wager any subordinate who'd dared call him 'Freo' would have been made to take a long walk on a short plank.
Expenses: Accom 79, train 12, inet 0.80, smoothie 5.45, wine and crisps 10.70
Day 185 - Fri Oct 29th
Many of Perths old buildings have been bulldozed but there's still a few about. The convict built 1868 Perth Town Hall, St Georges Cathedral 1888, the 1836 Georfian style courthouse and the gothic looking 1859-64 built Governemnt House are all good examples.
Add to this walking tour, visits to the Perth Mint, the Swan Bell Tower, WA Museum and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts and it was a physically demanding day.
That had been the plan, but every now and then, when you're not paying full attention, a day just disappears on you. Today was like that.
Expenses: Accom 79, smarket 31.30, post 10.90, trousers 19.95, laundry 2, wine 7, book 8.80, map 5.95, inet 4.20
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