Margaret River

The Margaret River wasn't what I expected. I'm not sure what I expected really, but what we found wasn't it. It turned out to be quite different, and quite exciting. We spent as much time climbing to the top of the lighthouse, and going into underground caves as we did visiting wineries and tasting wine. There are over 90 wineries in the area - everything from the big internationally known ones to small boutique wineries, and we visited a random selection of them. In addition, there are olive oil producers, great restaurants, lots of local art galleries and museums. We could have done more, had we more time to spend in the area.

The wineries share land with the karri forests. Driving down the main roads, if you didn't know there were wineries behind the trees, you'd miss quite a few of them. There are vineyards along the roads, but most of them are further back. Beaches, forests, caves and eco tourism are an important part of the Margaret River area. The town itself is nine miles inland from the Indian Ocean and is part of the Leeuwin (pronounced LOO WIN) Naturaliste Ridge.

Walter and I visited the lighthouse at Cape Leeuwin - the most south-westerly point in Australia. It's where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. We could actually climb to the top of the lighthouse and look out over two oceans. Awesome! The lighthouse was opened in 1896, is the tallest on mainland Australia, and is still in operation today. Things were certainly built to last in the 1890s. The walls at the base of the lighthouse are two metres thick, tapering to one metre at the top. Our guide told us that there are about 30 days per year where the wind can exceed 100 km per hour - hurricane force. The staircase (which was made in England) to the top is the original metal narrow one, and spirals its way to a narrow door (even I had to duck to avoid hitting the lintel) before stepping outside just underneath the light. The spare parts for the stairs, also from England, are still in the storage room at the bottom of the staircase ready to be used if ever needed.

One of our fellow tourists asked the guide why lighthouses are still in use, in this era of GPS. Our guide, Paul, replied that each lighthouse has its own frequency. By determining the frequency, and referring to the appropriate chart, anyone can determine where they are. Ships' power can fail from time to time, and when that happens navigational equipment is useless. And lastly. GPS' can sometime be misleading. I can attest to that, as ours (we call her Martha) sent us along a dirt toad to the back gate of Xanadu winery! At least we saw kangaroos on that detour. All was not lost, as a reference to the local tourist map showed us how to get to the front entrance on a paved road. Just goes to show that old technology isn't always obsolete technology.

We visited three of the caves in the area - Jewel, Mammoth, and Lake Caves. Jewel Cave was discovered in the 1960s, and is the largest limestone cave in the area. Lake Cave is the deepest and is right under the main road. Over 300 steps down, and 300 steps back up. Talk about a work out! It was originally discovered in the 1800's (I don't remember when) by a young girl out riding on her horse. The horse stopped and wouldn't go any farther. When the girl dismounted to find out why, she discovered the cave. She went back to tell her family. Unfortunately, the area was difficult to find again, and it became somewhat of a family joke - the cave that doesn't exist - until about thirty years later when one of her family members stumbled across the cave entrance! The guide told us that the first two formations were only 2 1/2 metres inside the cave. They are called Headache and Splitting Headache. In other words - duck. The ceiling is so low that anyone entering needs to duck or crouch down (and this while we're still going down stairs). A bit of a contortion, as we had to keep that way while descending over a dozen steps, but definitely worth it.

After four days, we returned to Perth and flew back to Sydney on the following day. It's been a great trip, and as much as I like to travel, I'm now looking forward to going home.

Cottesloe Beach

Cottesloe Beach is one of Perth's most popular attractions. There are several restaurants and bars along the coast road, and the beach itself is very beautiful. Sunsets over the Indian Ocean have a lot going for them, especially when they inspire romance!

Perth and Fremantle

On March 17th, we flew from Sydney to Perth in Western Australia. I've always wanted to visit the western part of Oz, and didn't have an opportunity on our last trip, so this was exciting. Perth and Fremantle, the entire west coast that we saw, did not disappoint.

The first thing we noticed is that it's hotter and drier. It was about 30 degrees when we arrived in Perth - and that was at 9:40 in the morning. The air is much clearer because it's so dry. Also smells different. That could be because of the ocean breezes. Perth in the third windiest city in the world, after Chicago, USA (#1) and Wellington, NZ (#2), according to our B&B host.

We drove up the coast a bit to see what we could see. Unlike what we've seen in NSW or Queensland, there are huge sand dunes along the beaches. From the road, it's not always obvious that we're near a beach. But the beaches are beautiful. The Indian Ocean is very blue farther out, and a brilliant turquoise near the shore.

We spent Sunday, March 18th, in Fremantle. The cities are really one metropolitan area. The big difference is that Perth is a newer, more modern city on the Swan River, and is the financial centre of Western Australia. Fremantle has kept many of its 19th century buildings, is more laid back, and is a major sea port on the Indian Ocean. Getting from one to the other takes about 20 minutes.

A brief explanation of the pictures I've posted, mainly because I posted them backwards. So here goes. The first picture is part of the fishing fleet in Fremantle. We could see these boats from our restaurant on the wharf. Some of the best calamari I've ever had (and I couldn't finish it all!). The cute thing about this picture? The third boat is the Mis Perception.

The next picture is the old town hall in Fremantle. Beautiful building now part of the tourist info centre.

The picture after that has Walter with a tray of beer glasses in front of him. No, he didn't drink a whole bunch of glasses full of beer. But..... he is fond of a pale ale made by Little Creatures, which just happens to have its brewery in.... you guessed it..... Fremantle. I had a glass of wine (they didn't make ginger beer), and Walter had a beer tasting. Each glass contained about two ounces of beer, everything from the pale ale to a dark beer, and a sparkling cider. The verdict was the pale ale was still the best. The idea was that once you've done the tasting, you can go up to the counter and order a pint or a schooner of the beer you liked the best. Walter said after finishing the tasting, that was sufficient.

The next photo - Walter with the bronze bathing beauty. The artist who did this lives in a house near the old round house. There are examples of his work all over Fremantle. One is a huge mermaid. You can see the sand dune in the background. There are paths everywhere in the dunes leading to the various beaches, which are all public.

Then we have Walter sitting on a large concrete sofa. Ouch! This was in the old insane asylum, now the Fremantle Arts Centre. The sofa looked interesting, but definitely uncomfortable.

The next two photos were taken in Kings Park in Perth. From the top of the hill on one side of the Swan River, you can see across. The whole downtown core is fairly new as cities go - most of it from the 1980's and onward. Everyone we talked to said that mining in WA is booming, and WA is growing. The Perth area apparently is getting about 1100 new people a month. There is construction everywhere.

The last picture is an old boab tree. This tree is very old - around 750 years - and was moved in 2008 from the Kimberley area in the northern part of WA to Kings Park in Perth, a distance of 3300 km. The tree was in the way of the Great Northern Highway that was then being built, and rather than it being destroyed, the local indigenous people made a gift of it to Kings Park. The park, in return, will use its seeds to grow new boab trees that will be replanted in the Kimberley area.

The Blue Mountains

On the way back to Sydney from the Hunter Valley, we went to the Blue Mountains. Think of the Grand Canyon, only bigger and wider, and much, much greener. It was an incredible sight. We only stopped for an hour or two, so there are only a few pics. Two years ago, when we were here, we couldn't see a thing because it was so foggy. Yesterday, though, afforded us great views.

Hunter Valley

Here is a photo of Milne and me. Milne is the son of our host, Robyn, at the B&B. He was great fun to talk to and we enjoyed his company.

Piggs Peake Winery's mascot - a big pig. They made a great Sowvignon Blanc. Really - that's the name. They also made, only ones in Hunter Valley, a fabulous Zinfandel. Rivals anything from California.

The vineyard at de Bertoli - their original planting.

Our B & B. We had a room at the back opening onto the balcony. Shiraz grapes on the vine - won't be harvested this year.

The view from the top of the Pokolbin Mountains. The fog hadn't quite lifted yet.

Tyrrell's original ironbark cabin. Walter at the hearth.

There is also an older pottery works, with very large kilns, that is now a brewery. Loved the Beer Prayer.

We spent three days in the Hunter Valley, visiting various wineries and taking in the sights. We could easily have spent more time there. In addition to vineyards, there are horse farms and a few alpaca farms.

The area also has a history of coal mining. In 1929, coal mine owners had proposed terms which would have reduced the miners' wages by 12 1/2%, and allowed the mine managers to hire or fire miners without reference to seniority, among other things. The miners refused to accept the conditions and were locked out. The lock-out lasted from March 1929 to June 1930. In December 1929, the NSW police fired into a crown of miners who were demonstrating against the use of non-union miners in Rothbury. One miner was killed and dozens of miners and police were injured. The event became known as the Rothbury Riot. At the time, it was called one of the worst industrial clashes in Australian history. There is a memorial to the miner who died along the Wine Country Drive.

One of the most interesting things we saw was Edward Tyrrell's cabin. Edward Tyrrell is the founder of Tyrrell's Wines, and came to the Hunter Valley in 1859. He arrived at 19 from England in 1854, and started dairy farming in Singleton, at the top of the valley. When he saw the vineyards already established, he decided the take up wine making, and established his vineyards, which still exist today. His ironbark one-room cabin still stands on its original site. Today, the fifth generation of Tyrrell's is running the winery.

Another gem of a place was Wyndham Estates Winery at the top of the valley, on the north side of the Hunter River. The winery was established in 1828, and parts of the original buildings still stand, and have been incorporated into the existing winery. The first wineries were built closer to the river than later ones, and consequently are more subject to flooding. The last flood was in 2007. The photos in the wine shop show just how damaging flooding can be. The river has been up to 4 metres over its normal height. Thankfully, it doesn't last, and the rich deposit of silt helps to fertilize the land.

Everywhere we went in the valley, and up into the Brokenback Mountains which border it on one side, there are signs of the heavy rains from the summer. Creeks and rivers are swollen, and in one or two places, are almost level with the road. All of the wineries had grapes still on the vine, or on the ground in the vineyards. The summer was too cool and wet for the shiraz grapes - what the Hunter Valley is known for - to ripen properly (too much acid, no sugar), that the whole shiraz crop was lost.

At the bottom of the valley is the Pokolbin Mountain lookout. Not easy to get to. Four wheel drive definitely helped. Up a steep dirt road to the top of the mountain. You know you've arrived because there is no more road. But what a view! Incredible! Defintely worth the trip.

Sightseeing in Sydney

We have spent the last few days relaxing in Sydney. One day we went to Centennial Park while Jaime and Lex were at play group. The

park is really several parks together. We spent an hour and a half walking around and barely saw anything. There are ponds with ibis, geese, ducks, coots and swans. There are wetland or swamp areas, wooded areas, and large formal gardens. Around the perimeter are bridle paths, and yes, we saw several people out riding their horses. In one section, there was a 'Taste of Sydney' going on, but time was not on our side, so we didn't have an opportunity to sample any of the food or wines available. The park is an oasis of green in the middle of Sydney. Once you've entered the park, you can't hear any of the traffic on the main streets all around it. We plan to go back one more time, and spend more time walking around and exploring.

Yesterday we went down to The Rocks area, near the Harbour Bridge. We went to the Justice and Police Museum first. It wasn't exactly what I had expected, but still very interesting. Housed in the old Water Police building, and two other attached buildings, the museum has a very good history of policing in Sydney and New South Wales. We could walk into the old cells - solid brick affairs with two wooden cots and an enamel bucket in the corner for bodily functions. While there may have

been two wooden cots, the cells often held up to 12 prisoners at a time. Hmmm. Very smelly after a while, I would think.

The old police station and court house are also open. We took turns sitting first in the prisoner's dock, and then in the judge's chair to get a feel of what the court would have been like.

The other museum we went to was the Discovery Museum. Specifically about the excavation of The Rocks area of Sydney. A good portion of the area was destroyed over time from the mid 1800s to the mid 1900s, until conservation kicked in. The picture above is in the back of the museum. You can see two fireplaces, one above the other. There would have been a floor between them originally, so you have some idea of what the area would have been like. The picture below, also from the back of the museum, looks through several doorways. Everything is very close together, and the area would have been crowded in its heyday.

In between museums, we walked up Pitt Street to have lunch at Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant.

Definitely worth the walk and the 20 minute wait to get it.

After the museums and walking around, it was time for the mid-afternoon coffee. We treated ourselves to a lemon tart and lemon macaroon at a bakery on George Street before heading back to Jaime's and Jon's. The lemon tart was good, but not as good as Jes'. The macaroon was delicious. I'll be exercising like crazy once I get back home to burn off all the good food I've been eating.

Back to Sydney

After two wonderful weeks in Noosa, it was time to head back to Sydney. Jaime, Jon and Lex flew back on Saturday, and Walter and I headed back in the car.

We headed inland to Toowoomba. A lovely town - at least what we could see - in the hills. Unfortunately, it started to rain and then got very foggy, so we could see little through the mist. Enough, though, to notice the beautiful Victorian houses as we entered town. We stopped there for the night. After talking with the receptionist in the hotel, we realized that any further on the inland route would take us to the areas affected by flooding. Not a good idea, as many of the roads are still closed. Therefore - Plan B - back to the coast. I mentioned to Walter, half seriously, that I would like to go back to Byron Bay, and stand at Cape Byron, the easternmost point in Australia. Walter, being the sweetie that he is, went to Byron Bay and here is the picture of me at the cape.


Along the way from Toowoomba to Byron Bay, we took a few tourist routes (we would call them scenic routes in Canada). One was the settlers route, that wend its way through small towns and villages. That one joined the falls route, which turned out to be a real treat. A little over 15 km of winding, twisty roads, up through the hills, with various stops along the way. The first stop was Brown's Falls, which we never got to actually see. The sign indicated it was 600 metres from the car park. That was 600 metres through mud and water, and after about 50 metres, Walter and I turned back. We would have needed hiking boots, walking sticks and a compass to navigate along the trail. From Brown's Falls, we followed the road up to Dagg's Falls - a lovely area. But the best was another 5 km up the road at Queen Mary's Falls. These were truly beautiful. We walked to cliff walk along the top of the falls, and then down to the bottom, and back up again. What a wonderful area.

This picture on the left is at the top of the falls. Below is the actual falls themselves. You can stand on a walkway at the bottom and be cooled by the mist rising from the water. Beautiful!

The little country store was a gem. Although the name is hard to read, it's the Wiangaree Ramada. The store had books and magazines, card, household products, on racks, and general hardware (nails, screws, etc) in bins below. The counter had penny candy in large jars, and in the back was a take-away place. We stopped for lunch and asked what was on the menu. The owner said ham. We had homemade ham sandwiches - ham sliced from a large roast, thick slices of cheese, on buttered bread, all wrapped up in waxed paper. Delicious.

Got back to Sydney on Tuesday afternoon. It was a great trip to Noosa. As it turns out, we left just in time. The road we took on Saturday to take the kids to the airport was flooded by heavy rains. We were lucky - we missed it. Next week, we're off to the Hunter Valley for some wine touring.