Perth and Fremantle
Trip Start
Sep 22, 2008
1
24
50
Trip End
Feb 01, 2009
Perth,
Western Australia,
Australia
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Our entrance into Perth through the Swan Valley was very pretty. We hadn't expected a main thoroughfare to take us straight through the middle of the wine growing area.
Without a clue about which van park to choose, we took a gamble on one that was about 10mins drive from the city centre and 5 mins to Perth's northern beaches. It was great for our needs. One bonus was the big red sightseeing bus that's housed next door. It took us into the city for two days of hop on / hop off excitement and then returned us to our van park. The lake at the van park was also the only place we saw a black swan!
We were reminded of what rain looks like, as we hadn't seen it since leaving Rockhampton back in September. The weather had cooled down significantly and the warm clothes were in demand. Perth however is claimed to be the sunniest state capital in Australia!
With its parklands, beaches and beautiful Swan River, Perth is an attractive city. We were informed that 1 in 3 households own a boat! The real estate is very expensive - Keith and I would choose Hunters Hill in Sydney over some suburbs and still get change!
We know we're biased, but Perth beaches are not what we're used to. They're very narrow and small, although the shared cycle/walk tracks along the cliff tops go for ever and are very picturesque.
Kings Park, in the middle of the city is delightful and offers sweeping views of the city and the Swan. There are lakes, playgrounds, walkways and cafes throughout. A favourite for us was the Federation Walkway, an elevated path leading on to a steel and glass bridge that extends several hundred metres through the Botanic Garden.
We did some window shopping at Harbour Town, the factory outlet place in town. We'd also read in a magazine about "Scitech", a hands on science centre and planetarium. The kids (and adults) particularly enjoyed the "Flour, fuel and farts Show", lead by a quirky science geek named James.
No visit to Perth is complete without a cruise along the Swan River, so we combined that with a day in Fremantle. We shared the boat with a number of tourists who are musicians in Andre Rieu's (the violinist) orchestra! They all oohed and aahed when Lauren pointed out a dolphin and its calf playing around a jetty pylon.
Where Perth is a relatively modern city, Fremantle or "Freo" as the locals call it is steeped in history. It was settled in 1829, depending on mainly whaling and fishing for its survival. British convicts arrived in 1850 and constructed the Fremantle Prison and lunatic asylum. The many heritage buildings that have survived and the narrow streets afford it a very different atmosphere. It has a festival vibe and you can't help but feel relaxed and happy here.
We thoroughly enjoyed our time and need to come back to see what we missed.
