western australia – Page 2 – All in a Day Adventures

All in Day #8 Numbats & Egg Sandwiches

Numbat stalking in the Dryandra Woodland National Park in the Western Australian Wheatbelt

April 2023

Is there anything more delicious than a service station egg sandwich? The white bread fresh and sinfully soft with egg mixed through with mayonnaise, so creamy and so right. Pop the packet and reach for the sandwich with one hand while guiding the car with the other.

Damn you, egg sandwich, I missed the turn. Glance in the rearview mirror and slow down to savour the eggy goodness of a service station sandwich. Then back on track covered in crumbs.

I am on my way to the WA Wheatbelt for a couple of nights of numbat spotting and woyley watching with my friend Elaine. Numbats are diurnal so it will be numbats by day and woylies through the night.

Arrive at camp and brush off the crumbs before making my home for the next two days. Spend the afternoon chatting and relaxing – the sun is shining.

Burn-off smoke hangs low and obscures the sun turning it red – the same red as the breast of the Scarlett-capped robin I sighted earlier. The robin had flitted into view tantalisingly close but not close enough to get with my big lens.

Ash falls like snowflakes onto our tents and rests on our sleeves before moving onto the next surface. The burn-off season is here. Ravens cry far off, and parrots squabble in the trees behind. The air is thick, so thick it tickles your throat. Still no numbats and no sign of echidnas. Do they really exist in WA?

A generator bursts into life, cutting through the silence like a message from home. Lawnmowers on a Sunday afternoon?

Day Two

Numbat safari – driving at snail’s pace, eyes scanning the bush on either side of the gravel road. Foot hovering over the brake pedal. Not sure what I am looking for, but I will know it when I see it. “There’s one!” I press the brake and glide to a halt. 5 km/hour, hardly the stuff of screeching halts.

I fumble for my camera – lens cap off, turn on the camera. Numbat, small, striped and oh so delicate. I was expecting them to be bigger, but there it is, 20cm in length, mouth filled with leaf litter. She stops on top of a fallen log and looks around before scampering into the bush. My only photo shows a whisp of tail disappearing from view.

The second numbat and I am ready. Camera is on, lens cap is off and my finger is ready to focus and shoot. I capture her twice. Again, this one has leaves stuffed into her mouth and she poses for the camera and turns tail, stopping a short way away for a second shot, perfect camouflage.

Satisfied we complete the remaining 10 km of the 23km circuit slowly but not as slowly as the first half.

Back at camp, hail falls as the clouds charge overhead, black and looming, carrying fresh ice and fresh wind across the treetops and over the campsite below – our temporary home with plastic for walls and foldable furniture inside. Camping lacks substance but is substantially satisfying.

Another layer of clothing to warm against the impending weather. Will my tent leak?

Campers arrive and set up their temporary homes. Click clack, ladders up to houses atop cars. Chairs released from their bags, ready to receive bodies tired from travelling. Most people keep to themselves.

So still, now the storm has passed, and the local birds emerge to peck at the bark and retrieve grubs. Small birds, flittery and fast. Stop still while I press the shutter – click whir – got you, little one.

Camp food – always the simplest ingredients that taste the best. Salad and roast veg – leftovers from last night’s cook-up on the coals. Pumpkin sliced and placed on freshly warmed wraps. Cheese, pickled onion, salad and Japanese mayonnaise. A sprinkle of sea salt with pepper berry from Tasmania and a scattering of fine black pepper – Saxa. Balsamic glaze to finish off this fine meal. I could live on wraps (and service station sandwiches).

Still no echidna despite my scanning the land for the tell-tale round forms moving back and forth. Waddling awkwardly on clawed feet that extend sideways from prickly, furry bodies with a strange bill not unlike a bird’s beak. They freeze when discovered and bury their beaks into the earth not unlike a 3-year-old child hiding behind her hands “I can’t see you!” Echidna where are you?

A nocturnal tour of Barna Mia. Red torches so as not to harm their eyes. Small hopping marsupials, some that no longer exist in the wild, surround us. Cheeky possums (hardly endangered) join in and feast on chopped fruit. Families of restless children surround the animals preventing the shy Bilby from appearing. A glimpse of her from behind, big ears and a fluffy tail – like the Easter bunny – elusive. Then gasps as travelling “stars” appeared to cross the nightsky in a row. False alarm it was only Elon Musk.

The next morning is so cold it’s hard to get out of bed. Birds everywhere – the sudden appearance of the Rufus tree-creeper – a menacing name but they look so fluffy and sweet-natured. Little fat feathery bodies topped with small sharp beaks and soft brown eyes. They sit on damp logs absorbing the sun and occasionally pecking at bugs. They creep up the tree trunks just like their name suggests.

Pardalotes, Scarlett capped Robins, Djidi Djidis, Wattle birds and Shelduck swoop through camp posing left right and behind – cheeky glances over their shoulders.

Packing up under the threat of a looming shower. Neatly folded chairs, tables and tents slide into spaces and bags not made for the return of their occupants. Doors slam and hold everything in for the trip home. Fire extinguished to prevent the spread and firewood abandoned for the next inhabitants.

A fulfilling two days. Now, where is the closest service station?

A version of this post has been published on the We Are Explorers website.

What’s the skinny?

Egg sandwiches are best when made with soft white bread and lots of mayonaise (imho)
Dryandra Woodlands National Park is 175 km (two hours + 10 minutes) from Perth.
The camping is a first come first served basis. No booking
There are two main camp grounds – Congelin and Gnarla Mia
Take everything you need including water – no potable water is available at campsites
Lions Dryandra Woodlands Village is an ex-forest department settlement for logging families. Cabins and dorm style accomodation can be booked online.
Numbats are diurnal – they come out during the day.
Barna Mia Nocturnal Nocturnal Wildlife Experience is well worth a visit. Bookings before you leave Perth recommended.
Mobile coverage is hit and miss – download maps before you leave Perth.
The nearest town is Narrogin – 40 km away
The wilman Noongar people are the original inhabitants of this land.

All in A Day #6 Lane Pool Reserve Camping

When bookclub decided to go bush we didn’t expect to be treated to Mother Nature at her most rock n roll.

March 2023

All in a Day #6 could be more aptly titled “All in a Night” but to maintain continuity the title remains!

“It’s not going to rain much,” – were the words I heard just before I rolled over to go to sleep on night two of our bookclub camping trip.

The day had been idyllic. We woke that morning to the sounds of Currawongs, Ravens, Kookaburras and black cockatoos, while the soft rays of sunshine filtered through the Jarrah forest onto our tents at Charlies Flat in Lane Pool Reserve. After a hearty cooked breakfast of scrambled eggs (the best Doci had ever had!) mushrooms and tomatoes washed down with lashings of coffee and tea, we decided on a walk and a swim.

Doci and I set off to walk to Island Pool while the others opted to drive. Island Pool, about 1.5 km from our camp spot at Charlies Flat, is the widest expanse of water in the currently still Murray River. It is a popular swimming spot with deep clear water and rocks for basking upon. There is a small island of rocks in the centre, hence the name.

Doci and I first heard the rumbles of far-off thunder while walking and decided that it didn’t seem close enough to be of concern. The clouds had cleared and there seemed to enough blue sky for us to assume that all was going to be well weather-wise, that and Doci’s bones said it was not going to rain. Little did we know that Mother Nature was merely sound-checking for the main event!

We floated in the not too cold waters of Island Pool for about half an hour – waiting for our fingers and toes to take on wrinkled “granny hands” and for the peaceful surroundings to sooth our bones and minds. Water is certainly the great healer.

The remainder of the day was punctuated by rumblings and we had the occasional discussion that rain might ensue, but not enough to stop us from heading for another welcome dip closer to camp after lunch and a small glass of bubbly! The five of us set off for the river with pool toys and a blow up mattress and slipped into the cool waters for a second swim. Our swimming souls sated we headed back for more snacks and further alcoholic offerings – after all being outdoors makes you ravenous (and thirsty)!

Snack time merged into dinner time where we all ate our body weight in cheese and nibblies and enjoyed the sounds of the evening. The sounds we had heard the night before and thought to be recalitrant birds was actually microbats – so we recorded their high pitched sounds for future reference.

It was starting to get dark when we decided the rumblings were closer and the sky looked slightly more ominous than before. We had a discussion about whether or not we should batten down the hatches or not worry too much. It was Elaine who said “Imagine how we would feel if we did nothing and the storms took us by surprise” .” So we sprang into action. It should be mentioned at this point that we had no phone coverage so we were very much relying on Doci’s bones and the general vibe of the atmosphere to accurately predict the weather.

Doci’s bones were still communicating with her and she assured us that she didn’t think anything major was going to occur weather-wise. We decided to err on the side of caution and scurried about putting things away and making sure that everything was out of the weather.

The thunder and now lightning was circling ever closer as we played a game of Bananagrams and had final drinks before bed. A spot and then another spot gave us reason to congratulate ourselves on our timely battening down of hatches. I was the first to go and tuck myself into my tent and I listened to the drops increase to a pattering and the voices of the others still discussing the likelihood of us being washed away.

Doci’s words “It’s not going to rain much” were still ringing in my ears when I woke to what can only be described as a surround sound vortex of continuous rumbling circling above our camp site punctuated by lightning flashes and, by this stage, torrential rain.

To say I felt vulnerable is an understatement – protected by a couple of millimetres of tent fabric and the massive trees looming above me, I asked that Mother Nature at least be kind and if I were to be struck by lightning, make it fast and painless. Needing to pee added to the anxiety – nothing like the sound of flowing water to make that thought never leave your head!

I hoped everyone else was faring ok – Jill in her swag, Nat in her newly purchased Aldi tent, Doci snug in her Getz and Lainey up in her roof top tent (closer than all of us to the elements). I lay there watching the lightning and made up my mind that it was sheet lightning and not the dangerous forked variety. I am not sure if that made me feel better, or if sheet lightning is indeed the safer version of its cousin, forked but I did eventually drift off to sleep only to start dreaming about forked lightning, and once again woke with a start!

I don’t think I have ever experienced such a storm like that before. The rumbling didn’t stop. I can only liken it to a surround sound speaker system where the sound moved from left to right. Nature at its finest and most awesome (in the true sense of the word).

Needless to say we all survived the night – everyone emerged from their respective accomodations with wonder and awe in their voices and a different perspective and personal experience. Everyone’s tents held up under the heavy rain and our battening down of hatches was welcomed as most of our belonging were dry and protected during the night.

We returned to the city where it still appeared to be dry and storms had not happened with the same magnitude that we we expereinced. When describing the night to my family that night I realised that you really had to be there to even fathom what it felt like to be an insignificant dot in the universe while nature raged and rumbled above.

The five of us will never forget the night nature turned it on.

What’s the skinny?

Lane Poole Reserve is in Dwellingup – One hour + 20 minutes (114 Km) from Perth.
Camping must be booked ahead of time for most camp areas.
There are 50 000 acres to explore – for hiking, mountain biking, horse riding or kayaking.
Take everything you need including potable water.
Always check before lighting a fire – fire restrictions apply.
Mobile coverage is hit and miss. Download maps before leaving Perth.
The closest town is Dwellingup

Vale Muesli Aristotle the axolotl

Muesli the axolotl is survived by Napolean (her daughter) and hundreds of babies (location unknown)

“Hello, do you have any axolotls?” It was my fifth phone call to one of many petshops in Perth and this one bore fruit!

“Yes, we have an albino and she has only just come in” replied the petshop attendant.

“I will take her!” I screamed, “Can I pay by credit card?”

Muesli Aristotl the albino axolotl moved into the Year 5 classroom at Quintilian Primary school on the 23 February, 2015. Her pink fins and translucent flesh endeared her to most and disgusted some. She was named by the children – a double barrel name because we couldn’t just settle on one! We were not sure of her age or origin but guessed that she could have been anywhere from 3- 5 years old.

Over the years Muesli followed me from class to class. In each class the children would learn how to clean the tank and take turns to feed her. We would produce axolotl fact sheets in writing and kids would draw pictures of her for art classes. Every school holidays she would come home with me to dwell in peace for a few weeks. Occasionally she would go to someone’s house when I went away.

One school holidays in 2017 I decided she needed a friend and Hahn the male axolotl arrived to wreak havoc – babies were produced in their hundreds – You can read the story of Hahn and Muesli in Readers Digest “A Whole Lotl Love” – published in 2022. The axolotl story was also told at Barefaced Stories in Perth a couple of years before (see link on my website).

When I left the primary school there was no option but to take her with me – no one was keen to take on axolotl parenting. Muesli and Napolean (Muesli’s daughter who was taken on by another teacher before she left to sail around Australia) have spent the last couple of years living in luxury – befitting of a grand dame of the axolotl family. A massive tank and all the frozen shrimp she wanted.

I noted that she hadn’t been eating very well over the past few weeks and her previously beautiful fins had become short and stumpy. I figured she is probably eleven plus years old and was drawing to the end of her days. This morning I scooped her from the tank and I swear she had a smile on her face!

Napoleon now has full range of the huge tank and will probably go on to live a ripe old age. Thanks Muesli Aristotle the Albino Axolotl for all the stories you spawned (and the babies!) and for the joy you brought to many!

All in a Day #5 Nannup Music Festival

When festivals all but ground to a halt in 2021 and 2022 there was a part of me that wondered if we would ever return to normal. 2023 has rolled around and festivals are back!

Nannup Music Festival 2023 – Festivals are back! March 2023

Festival companions: Anthony, Elaine, Leanne & Helen

Nannup Music Festival is an annual tradition – the music festival falls on the long weekend in March at the start of Autumn. It’s that time of the year when the sun keeps shining, and the humidity is hanging around, making everything and every one slightly sweaty.

I have been going to Nannup Music Festival for many years with a group of friends who camp together on the banks of the basking Blackwood River, just a short walk to the heart of the festival. We usually volunteer (well, some of us do) and get free entry to the festival. The last time I volunteered it was as the bus driver – I circled Nannup in a mini bus until the late night hours!

This year was the first festival to be held in two years. Last year the festival was cancelled due to Covid restrictions, but we went and camped sans music. But in 2023, it was back on, and we were pretty excited to be there!

Nannup is a beautiful town set in the forest about 3.5 hours from Perth. The town hosts the music festival like a well-oiled machine. The pub is open to everyone, even if you don’t have a ticket. The other venues require you to have a festival ticket.

You can wander at will and enter any venue with the volunteer or ticket wristband. The locals turn it on for the 4000 festival goers as they churn out marron pies from the bakery, beers, and counter meals at the pub, and even hold a Saturday morning market at the local chapel.

This year we volunteered behind the bar. We had applied for our RSAs (Responsible Serving of Alcohol) online the year before, so we were ready to pour beer and make idle conversation with punters. The bars are situated in most venues inside a gated area. The drinks selection is simple and easy to serve – no fancy cocktails or difficult requests.

So, let’s start at the beginning… Saturday

We had arrived the evening before (some of us a night before that) and set up tents, pop-top sleepers, chairs, and camping paraphernalia. The banks of the Blackwood in March are still lush, and the water throws up reflections of trees.

One tree, in particular, sits opposite our site – its roots cling tenuously to the bank. Every year there seems to be more soil washed out. The teens love to swing from the rope attached to a high branch. The more daring climb to the top and bommie down into the water – depth unknown. While we sit on the bank, peering through fingers not wanting to watch.

We awoke to the sound of cackling Kookaburras at dawn. So first up, put on the coffee pot and the kettle for tea. We slowly rose, groaned, and stretched as we waited for coffee or toast to cook. It was Leanne’s 60th birthday, so we had planned to give her a surprise lunch at midday.

We checked our programs for the music we would like to see/hear, and Anthony, Leanne and I set out for an early show while others lingered to set up the table with tasty treats and cake. We started our Saturday music feast with a band at the Amphitheater – a lovely way to ease ourselves into the festival.

Coffees in hand, we sat in the shade close to the stage. Once the band finished, we meandered back to the camp browsing the stalls for trinkets and clothing we didn’t require. I stopped and booked a reflexology session with a good friend set up in the trees. Sunday 10:00 am for a relaxing foot massage –I will need one by then!

Back at camp, the others have put out boards with a delicious selection of cheeses and dips, fresh tomatoes from the markets, and a cake purchased in Perth. We popped a Prosecco and settled in for a feast, conscious that we had a bar shift looming at 2:30 pm. Birthday gifts were exchanged, and birthday songs were sung before we decided to rest briefly before our shift started. Chairs, akimbo, and mattresses aloft, we surrendered to the location.

Much discussion was generated around the colour of this year’s volunteer attire. The shirt was an insipid cream colour that we decided was oatmeal (after photographing it and using Google Lens). The last time we volunteered, the shirts were black – way more rock and roll!

2:15 rolled around quicker than we expected, so we quickly donned our oatmeal and set off for volunteer central to sign on for our shifts and pick up our lanyards. I had never volunteered behind the bar – despite being a bar chick in my 20s for many years. Just like riding a bike, I decided. I had a shift at the Tigerville bar while Leanne and Elaine headed for the Amphitheater.

The shift was fun, with some great bands backgrounding the session. Taking money, popping cans, and chatting to happy festivalgoers was easy. Most people came and thanked us for volunteering, and the locals were very appreciative. Before I knew it, my first shift was over, and we headed back to camp for a cold beer and feet up before dinner.

Everyone converged on camp simultaneously, where we shared our various afternoon experiences. Those who didn’t volunteer had been out seeing bands, while the bar tenders had tales of beer cans and bluster. Everyone was hungry and ready for dinner from the food trucks on the festival grounds. We ripped off the oatmeal shirts and dressed in warmer clothing as the weather had cooled considerably since the afternoon.

We had dinner of Nasi Goreng from the Indonesian truck and consulted our band schedules as we made plans to enjoy a couple of hours of music and entertainment. Most of us were tired, but we stayed up until 10:00 pm (not a bad effort!)

Helen wanted to linger and see Liz Stringer at 10:30, but we decided it was too late, so we left her to see Liz alone and made our way back under the bridge to our campsite. There was laughter and banter as we slipped and tripped on the gravel path, trudged through the clean river sand, and tramped across the boardwalk.

A final glass of wine back at camp, as a nightcap, had us falling into our tents. As I jammed my earplugs in and drifted off to the muted sounds of music and laughing campmates, I was filled with anticipation for the following day. Nannup never disappoints.

and a poem to end…

Raising the Bar – a bar vollies lot.

JUICY is my pale ale
can I have two on card please?
I bought some Harry Angus merch
Can you help me find my CD s?
Sparkling wine and bundy rum
Can I have a stubby holder for free ?
Give me a can of your crappiest beer
It’s for my mate, not me!
SSB by the bottle and keep cups filmed with dust
I want some bottled water please
Security guards look nonplussed
Managers are AWOL
Can i take your all your fifties?
Open the till hand over cash
Just press down one of the shift keys
Before we know it the bar is closed
Wine and beer to pack and stack
Off with the oatmeal vollie shirt
Next year we’ll be back!

What’s the skinny?

Nannup is about 3.5 hours from Perth
The town of Nannup hosts the Nannup Music Festival every year in March 1 – 4
The camping grounds for the festival are situated on the town golf course
Riverbend Caravan Park (where we camp) requires a booking 12 months ahead
The Blackwood River is usually very still at this time of the year.
The nearby Barrabup pool is a forest pool not far from Nannup and the perfect place to cool down in Summer.
Volunteers can register interest from October each year. There are many roles you can apply for including bar work, set up, rubbish collection and ticketing.

All in a Day #4 A Day in The Life of a Freelancer

Finding time to blog in 2023 is not proving as easy as I thought! This is a day in the life…

February 2023

Making time to journal or document your life is tricky when life gets busy. Unfortunately, I was lulled into the post-summer holiday’s false sense of “I have all the time in the world” earlier this month, and now I don’t have time to scratch myself.

So here goes #4 – A typical freelance writing work day.

6:00 am – up with the birds

I wake with the sun and the sound of chattering lorikeets in the trees outside my bedroom window – it’s usually 6:00 am (or earlier). As I drag myself from bed I grab some items off the bedside table – phone, glasses, and watch, always with good intentions of going for a brisk walk, a paddle, or a pilates class. Sometimes not one of those options occurs. Scooping a pair of lycra leggings from the floordrobe, I hop across to the bathroom battling gravity and the slight vertigo of getting up too quickly.

A quick check of my notifications, hoping to intercept a fantastic job offer where I can write for an hour and get paid enough to get me through to next month. No, just the usual Substack updates from writers like me who write for money but like to write for no other reason than they like to write.

There is the occasional LinkedIn notification pleading with me to go “pro” again, teasing me with “someone has viewed your profile.” I know from past experience that the only people who view my profile are writers like myself who are curious about what I do. Don’t get me wrong, I have great connections through LinkedIn, and most of them bear fruit. Not this morning, however.

Somewhere between pulling on my Asics and reaching for a water bottle, my notifications ping. Once again, I am swept up in checking the latest headlines and finishing the Wordle for the day. Today is going to be the day I get it in two! Yeah right. What sort of a word is “usage”?

6:15 am – bothering the wildlife

Out the front door and down the path to the park for exercise, deep thinking, and communing with nature. I also check on the wildlife around the lake. Unfortunately, botulism has reared its ugly head, and water birds are prone to this paralysing disease during the Summer months – fortunately, fluids and a stopover in the wildlife hospital can have them back on their feet. So I am now the weirdo walking up to ducks and asking, “are you ok?’ before scaring them into entering the water. (If they can get up, they are usually fine).

After three laps of the lake and much scrutiny of feathered friends, I am ready to return for coffee, breakfast, and work. I always set myself a time to start and get ready for work like I would if I went to an office, without the crazy peak hour traffic, school drop-offs and corporate clothing (shorts and tshirt do perfectly thank you!) I do miss my morning drive with a podcast, though, so sometimes I put one while eating breakfast, for old-time’s sake.

8:30 am – work meeting (with myself)

If it’s Monday, I start with a work meeting – me, myself, and I. We draw up a list of outstanding things from the previous week and list all those items we need to do this week. I make sure we all get to have our say, and then we delegate tasks. My blog is an item that gets carried over and over until now! Chasing up accounts is another – why can’t people pay their bills?

8:45 am I open my computer, log in to Google and check my emails. I have requests for social media posts, a start-up’s web content, and a Capability Statement brief. Once I have worked out my priorities, I get started. Social media posts are usually pretty quick; I have those finished in an hour. Then, I put them aside for a final read later in the day. A bunch of web content for a start-up – 50% of my time is spent researching and working out what I am supposed to be writing about.

12:00 – 1:30 – break time

Lunchtime arrives (anytime between 11:30 and 1:30), and I stop. Sometimes I will get in the car, drive to the beach, and float in the ocean for 30 minutes (yes, I time myself); it’s cheaper than paying $150 to float in a tank with woo-woo music filling my ears. Sometimes I jump on my ebike and go for a spin – cool breeze in my hair and all that. Sometimes I turn on the TV and watch a doco to switch off my writing brain. Nothing like the dulcet tones of David Attenborough to soothe the thought process. Of course, I also eat during this time!

1:30 pm – more work

Back to work – I always feel refreshed after my lunch break and I am ready to tackle the Capability Statement (yeah, I had to ask what one of those was, too!); it’s a trumped-up version of a profile. I sweat my way through the statement and then have a reread of any work I have completed during the day. I send any finished work to clients with an internal sigh of relief and then commence to second guess my writing ability – imposter syndrome is real.

4:00 pm – imposter syndrome kicks in

4:00pm rolls around, and I start thinking about finishing up. I go back and check what I have already sent once more and cringe inwardly as I pick up sentences that could sound better – or could they? Finally, I let it go and leave the computer for another day. I check the pilates app to see if I can squeeze in a class – BINGO; there is a space.

5:00 pilates and chill

Heading back from pilates feeling stretched and aligned on my ebike, I do another lap of Hyde Park Lake and bother the ducks again. If I have my camera, I will stop and take some snaps. Like, I need any more bird photos on my computer! Sometimes I chance bumping into my family and stop for granddaughter cuddles and family gossip.

Home for chores – taking in the washing, emptying the dishwasher, feeding the bird, and checking on the axolotls’ tank. If my partner is home, he will probably cook dinner; if he is away, I have eggs on toast. Time for some TV and then bed, where I attempt to read another two pages of my current novel. It’s two steps forward, one step back, I’m afraid. I feel my new year’s resolution to read more books slipping through my fingers like sand at the beach at lunchtime.

Most workdays go like this – except when I am teaching small people, but that’s a whole other story!!

What’s the skinny?

Freelance writing can be very rewarding.
Australian Writers Centre hold courses for freelance copywriters, feature writers and travel writing – I did my courses with AWC but I am not affiliated with them or being paid to promote their courses.
If you like the idea of being your own boss and working from home this could be the career for you.
There is a lot of self-motivation required and some days are slow.
People will pay you to write for them because not everyone can write.

All in a day # 1 Fremantle Western Australia

Wondering what to do with your day? A quick trip down the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) to the port of Fremantle is a fine thing to do on a Summer’s day.

Perth to Fremantle – Boats, trains and cocktails

January 2023

One sunny Saturday in January, we were home with no plans. It was one of those perfect Perth summer days – not too hot with the promise of a breeze. So an afternoon in Fremantle was just what the doctor ordered (see what I did there). If you are not from Perth, you may not know that the sea breeze is fondly known as the Fremantle Doctor.

The train is usually my transport of choice when heading to the port city as parking can be a nightmare, and what’s not to love about riding the train along the coast? However, today we decided to do as the tourists do and jump on the Derbarl Yerrigan (Swan River) for a boat ride. I quickly checked online and discovered a Captain Cook cruise departing from Elizabeth Quay at 2:15 pm. $43 for a one-way trip – probably not something I would do every day. So without overthinking it, I booked!

We threw on some hats, grabbed the camera, and caught a bus to Elizabeth Quay. The boat was ready to board when we got there, so we headed for the top deck. The bar was open, and beer was on the menu, so we ordered a beer and sat back to enjoy the trip of just over an hour. There was a commentary of course, which is not always to my liking – but this was OK. The skipper pointed out landmarks and told us about some of the houses we passed.

We arrived in Fremantle Harbour, where we caught sight of frolicking dolphins and could see the bustling Gage Roads Brewery, now situated on the wharf in one of the old passenger terminals. We decided to go and check out the brewery first. The brewery was impressive, with views of the harbour and enough seating configurations to suit groups of all sizes. A playground at one end with a real boat and an old four-wheel drive for the kids to climb on.

This might be the best bar view in Perth!

Next stop was the Fremantle Markets – I must admit I last went there some time ago, and it feels a bit tired. Even though it was bustling, it didn’t have the same vibe as the old days when permanent markets like Fremantle were king (or queen). I enjoy the outdoors of a farmers market these days. We did a quick circuit, breathed in the flavoured coffee smell that always assaults the senses when you enter the market and decided to head back to the other end of town. We meandered and stopped to check out op shops and bookshops. Fremantle wins hands down when it comes to secondhand books and killer op shops.

The next stop was the Jungle Bird, where the cocktails were flowing – so when in a rum bar… We stopped for a cocktail and soaked up the atmosphere before deciding that we should think about getting on the train for home.

The train was in the station, so we boarded and sat back to enjoy the coastal view. By this stage, we were starting to feel a bit hungry, so we decided to get off the train in West Leederville and duck into Besk for some share plates and one last drink. The food was delicious and really hit the spot – we over ordered, of course, and had to abandon the basket of french fries!

We could have gotten back on the train and continued our journey as we started by returning home on the bus. But with full stomachs and all that fresh sea air, we were happy to jump into an Uber for the trip home.

We arrived home as the sun set and agreed that our adventure had met all expectations considering we had none about 30 minutes before we had set off.

What’s the skinny?

Fremantle is around 30 minutes from Perth City.
The train departs every 15 minutes during peak hour and every 30 minutes on weekends and at other times.
Fremantle is a port city with a rich maritime history.
Gage Roads Brewery is worth a visit, if not for a beer, just for a gander.
Its best to catch a train (or ferry) because parking can be tight.
Captain Cook Cruises depart from Barrack Street Jetty in the city & arrive at B Shed in Fremantle.
Give yourself a day to meander.
Go and visit the Maritime Museum – there are two.

How to get the best out of a music festival. Volunteering at Nannup Music Festival 2021

Nannup Music Festival, the little festival with a big heart!

There’s an old military saying “never volunteer for anything,” but that is certainly not my adage.WA has truly been one of the lucky states in Australia for the 12 months since Covid19 first impacted our country. In Western Australia, following the initial lock down of April 2020, we enjoyed many days of Covid free living, apart from the recent 5 day lock down. A stark contrast to our friends in Victoria and NSW.

I attended Nannup Music Festival this year as a volunteer. I drove the shuttle bus a 3km round trip from camp site to town , while my friends worked the bar, (wo)manned the gate and MC’d the stages. The fact that we could attend a music festival at all was not lost on any of us.

Nannup Music Festival is a three day festival set in the Western Australian bush, situated in the quaint town of Nannup which is 3.5 hours south of Perth. The festival usually attracts artists from the national and international stage and sells around 4000 tickets. 2021 saw crowd numbers limited in venues, due to Covid19 restrictions, and the talent was very much a Western Australian affair with some artists travelling interstate from Darwin and Queensland.

Nannup Music Festival 2021 will forever be etched on our minds as “the year of no beer”. Over the many years I have been attending music festivals with my friends, there is usually a single event or a series of events that define that year. There was “the great flood” of Fairbridge Music Festival in 2008 when torrential rain flattened our tents and cut off power to the main stage. Particularly memorable because one of our children called 000 as they were caught in their tent when the rain started and did not know what to do. The first we knew of their panicked call for help was a police car turning up and 2 puzzled constables wading through mud, searching for “the scene of the crime”.

There was “the big wind” of 2017, also at Fairbridge, which ripped tents and shelters out of the ground and generally wreaked havoc. A foray into the earnest world of folk music at Nanga Music Festival is one we always remember and laugh about, and we will never forget sleepless nights at Wave Rock Weekender , when we camped beside the soundscape, which ran all night. I have attended many festivals in my time but this is the first one I have known to run out of beer.

I had first hand information on Saturday afternoon that some types of beer had already run out and there was only a small selection of other beverages available. By Sunday lunchtime the alcohol situation was pretty dire despite more supplies arriving. Sunday night I was driving the shuttle bus from 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm and word on the street was “the bars have all run out of alcohol!” Following what had been a fairly raucous Saturday night of ferrying inebriated patrons to and from the camp ground, Sunday was a fairly sober affair!

Nannup Music Festival is an artists festival and it can only run with the help of volunteers. I only received my volunteer rosters 2 days before the beginning of the festival so I did not get a lot of choice about the timing of those shifts. Two late nights shifts meant I missed all the evening performances and had the added joy of dealing with drunk passengers with no extra support. So the lack of alcohol on Sunday night actually made my life easier!

It’s these moments that I will remember with a smile: The group of 20 somethings who sang a canon of “The Wheels on the Bus” with ALL the verses; the inebriated guy who sat in the front seat and got into a discussion with me about teaching and then asked if he could do another loop to continue the chat; the young girl who got on the empty bus alone, and when I asked her if she was having a good festival, she burst into tears and told me she had just broken up with her boyfriend and he had left her alone with no transport home; the group of lovely young women on a “hen’s” weekend who were constantly ferrying members of their group back to the campsite because they had too much to drink; the countless young men who thought they could pull the wool over my eyes and pretend there was a seat at the very back of the bus when there wasn’t; and the laughter when I told the whole bus I was a school teacher and that I wasn’t going to take any shit.

Despite the lack of alcohol, the crowd kept dancing and the bands kept playing. The world did not stop turning and I think I could safely say that everyone who attended this years festival would have only good things to say. It’s just a shame that this glitch might mean the difference between a festival that breaks even and one that doesn’t.

Musical highlights for me: Ruby Gilbert @ the Secret Garden on Saturday morning; Ben Evolent @ the Nannup Hotel on Sunday afternoon; Alter Boy @ Tigerville ; Gina williams & Guy Ghouse also @ The Secret Garden; and John Bennett Trio @ The Amphitheater on Sunday night.

My next volunteer gig is Fairbridge Festival 9th – 11th of April, 2021 in Pinjarra, where I can be found in the Woodshed helping kids hammer nails into wood and use electric drills. What could possibly go wrong?

Side Note: The 2021 Fairbridge Festival ended up being the last one to be held at Fairbridge Village. The festival organisers are still looking for an alternative venue 😦

Think you might want to volunteer? Most festivals require that you do 3 x 3 hour shifts over the weekend. If you can get there early and have some extra time you can get your shifts out of the way in the set up and take down. Fancy a bar gig? Get your RSA online. Like working with kids? Apply for your Working with Children Check. Bus driving ? An F Extension on your driver’s licence is all it takes! You get to be part of the fun and enjoy all the music, all while feeling like you are doing something good.

If you would like to read about volunteering at another great WA festival. Fairbridge Festival is a must for volunteers and music lovers alike. https://www.lisabenjess.org/fairbridge-festival-2021-rocking-out-with-the-kids/

Bular Mial/Bluff Knoll, Stirling Range National Park, Western Australia

Fancy seeing the world from the top? A sunrise hike up one of Western Australia’s highest land forms will not disappoint.

We were up at 3:15 am on a Friday to climb WA’s highest mountain in the South West! Bular Mial/Bluff Knoll stands 1095m above sea level and it is classed as a grade 4 climb of 6.8 km. Bluff Knoll is part of the region in the Stirling Ranges originally inhabited by the Mineng and Goreng people. The mountain is a four hour drive south from Perth on the way to Albany. https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/site/bluff-knoll-car-park-trail-head

***The summit of Bluff Knoll at sunrise***

The night sky was lit with bright stars and there was no cloud cover to be seen when we strapped ourselves in the car to drive 45 km to the base of Bluff Knoll. We were staying in accommodation at the Karribank Chalets in the Porongurups. A stunning part of the world and a first time visit for my partner and I.

Being around 6 degrees Celsius, we layered our clothing and made sure we had something warm to put on at the summit. Water, a small flask of coffee and some nut bars for sustenance, were jammed into our backpacks. I decided against taking the big camera and opted for my GoPro instead.

The car park was empty – we were the first to arrive! We paid our National Park Fee of $15/car at the Trail head using the automatic machine. This is a requirement of entering the park. Your docket must be displayed on the dash of your car. At 4:16 am we strapped on our head torches and found the beginning of the trail. Apart from the amazing skyscape all we could see was the imposing shape of Bluff Knoll looming above us in the dark.

The beginning of the trail lulls you into a false sense of security as it plunges down into a valley before rising. The paths is well maintained and made up mostly of steps fashioned into the granite rock and box wood construction. It wasn’t long before our glutes were singing and our heart rates pumping. After walking for around 30 minutes the path began it’s spiral around the Knoll. It was still dark so we were relatively unaware of the growing drop to our right.

It wasn’t long before we were warm enough to take off some layers and stop for a quick drink. We could hear another hiking group not far behind us and this spurred us on to keep going. Nothing like a bit of competition to inspire you!

Sunrise was supposed to be around 5:33 am and we started to see a change in the available light. The looming Knoll was very imposing. We also realised the sun was rising behind us so we quickened our steps to reach the summit in time. When the sun started to come up over the horizon we had reached a point on the climb where we could see the orange glow lighting up the peak. Perfect timing!

At 6:16 am we reached the actual summit, which is a bit further than you first think. Breathtaking! Our hiking competition arrived around 10 minutes behind us so we had the summit to our selves for the shortest time.

We were poised above the low cloud cover which made the view even more spectacular. There was not a breath of wind but it was certainly cold. Our layers were quickly relayered, coffee poured and we sat on top of the world looking down on some of the most beautiful country in the world.

Unable to bring myself to stand close to the edge like some of the young climbers who seemed hell bent on getting the most crazy Instagram photo they could, I lay down and peered over. Took my breath away. Sheer rock face all the way down. A sign warned us not to throw rocks off the edge as rock climbers could be below.

Once we had taken our photos and rested for a while we decided to head on down to see what scenery we had missed on our dark ascent. They say that “coming down is the hardest thing”, to borrow a song line from Tom Petty, and I must say my calves and knees are certainly paying the price 3 days later.

This climb is one I have always wanted to do and I was not disappointed. Come prepared, wear appropriate footwear and clothing in case of extreme weather on the summit. I used a stick that a previous hiker had kindly left by the beginning of the trail, and I would recommend walking poles especially on the way down.

If you love hiking and climbing the Porongurups are around 30 minutes away and boast amazing granite peaks with a number of climbs. We climbed up to Castle Rock and the Granite Skywalk which was well worth the walk. https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/porongurup

The Western Australian Police Historical Society Museum

A hidden museum in Highgate with some interesting artefacts.

I made a new discovery this weekend. As I am oft to do, I was out wandering when I chanced upon a museum I never knew existed despite living in this area for many years.

The smell of cooking sausages and onions was what first drew me in, even though I am a vegetarian. Who can resist the smell of onions? The museum is located beside and under the Sewerage Ventilation Tower on Lincoln Street in Highgate. The Heritage listed tower has been there since 1941 when the Chief Engineer of Public Works, Mr Dumas commissioned it’s building. The purpose of this tower, you may well ask? It was originally built to vent the Perth sewer of acidic gases.

The 38 metre tower, which took 6 years to build And 250,000 bricks was used for the purpose it was built for , for a sum total of four weeks but the stench was so overpowering and the residents were up in arms. From this point on the tower was referred to as “Dumas’s Folly”.

In 1942 the WA Police installed a covert aerial inside the tower to operate their communications during World War ll. The small hall attached to the tower was used as a lecture room for traffic offenders and now is used as a meeting room for the WA Police Historical Society.

The Museum which is usually only open on Tuesdays and Fridays holds a comprehensive collection of WA Police paraphernalia including an old Anglia Police car, police uniforms dating back to the 40’s, police cameras, speed cameras, decommissioned weapons, many photos and documents and a collection of hats.

Maree, a volunteer with the society, showed me around as I was their first customer. They were hoping for a big crowd and had cooked up a mass of sausages. Unfortunately for them, I am vegetarian so I just had a nice cup of tea and a chat.

*The original Police Station which had two lock-up cells*

The photos of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples being taken prisoners in the remote North West of WA were quite distressing, with pictures showing large numbers of people chained and restrained. There is a photo of the Prison Boab Tree just out of Derby where people were imprisoned while waiting for transport to other towns.

The staff photos of large groups of men are testament to just how male-dominated the WA Police Force was up until the 60’s when one or two women were permitted to join. Even then the photos list the names of individual men but the women were not named, but instead labelled as “2 female police officers”. Women were not permitted to be married, as with the teaching profession and they had to be trained nurses in order to join.

My favourite item would have to be the Anglia police car that was out on display. As a lover of the TV series “The Young Ones” I have fond memories of Vivian, the punk in his Anglia. The kids who see the car apparently refer to “Harry Potter” as there is one in one of the Harry Potter movies.

Worth a visit but it is not usually open on weekends, just Tuesdays and Fridays. Maree did say that they were hoping to open on weekends in the future.

The Sixty Foot Falls walk trail in the Perth hills

Sunday morning started out at around 22 degrees with a lovely fresh breeze and some sunshine with a promised high of 27 degrees on the horizon. Perfect morning for a hike!

Perth City is only around 45 minutes drive to Darling Scarp or as the locals call it, “the hills” area , and we picked out a trail we hadn’t walked before At Banyowla Regional Park in Gosnells.

Banyowla (pronounced ban-yow-la) recognises Banyowla a Nyoongar elder at the time of colonial settlement. The park has 550 species of flowering plants, 116 species of birds, 9 species of frogs and 8 species of native animals. The Ellis Brook flows seasonally from June to October, depending on rainfall.

There are 4 marked trails varying in difficulty and length beginning with the Easy Walk Trail, a 500m loop, the Eagle View Trail (moderate) a 430m return. The blue Wren Ramblue was listed as being easy and 2.8km return. The Sixty Foot Falls Trail (difficult) 2km loop with elevation.

*The marker for the Sixty Foot Falls Walk*

The walk we decided on, the Sixty Foot Falls Walk Trail took to us an elevation of around 150m and promised waterfalls and great views of the city. Waterfalls were definitely not expected as it is the middle of summer but views on a clear day are always a yes from me!

*The place where the falls would be falling in the right season.*

When we arrived at the gate we had to park on the road as the gate to the park was not open despite there being a sign stating that the gate was open between 6.00 am And 7.00 pm. No problem, it was only a short 1 – 2 km walk up the road to the beginning of our trek.

The walks were very clearly marked and maps were on display in various locations. We chose the “Sixty Foot Falls Walk Trail” which was around a 2km Loop that took in the water fall and the old quarry site.

After a quick look at the map we cleaned our shoes at the dieback station and started following the clearly marked arrows that took us up to the first lookout area.

The path was pretty rocky in places and had steps cut out to enable easy climbing.

While climbing up we could see where the waterfall would usually be flowing and the view from the top was incredible. The city and surrounding suburbs clearly visible as it was a clear day.

Once we got over the top of the waterfall area we came across the old quarry with views from the top. This area is fenced so it is difficult to get too close, however, we could see that there was a road or track that allowed access to the quarry from the bottom.

The quarry was full of water which looked very inviting, however, there were signs warning that swimming might not be safe due to meningococcal risks. The surrounding cliffs are quite beautiful.

A video of just what is at the bottom of the Old Barrington Quarry

The quarry site, previously known as the “Old Barrington Quarry” is quite awe inspiring with huge cliffs that have been carved out by years of quarrying for stone.

The walks are suitable for both families and serious hikers. We saw some rock climbers in the quarry so it must also be popular with the climbing community

I thoroughly enjoyed our hike to another of Western Australia’s hidden spots. We will definitely be back to see the water falling and the wildflowers blooming!

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