The beautiful Perth skyline from Kings Park at night....
It's hard to believe you are so close to the city in Kings Park but here's the view from in front of the war memorial - amazing!!
Lee is seated at Synergy Park. Within Kings Park it has magnificent lawns and play areas for children. A great family place to visit...
This shot is of the war memorial at Kings Park - excellent park and memorial. Kings Park is a beautiful place and is one of the largest inner city parklands in the world!
The boys near the wharf area for embarking the ferry back to Perth. The city skyline is just visible in the background. It's about 19km from the mainland to Rottnest Island...
A very pretty local of Rottnest Island!! The amazing peacock who seemed to ham it up for Lee's camera!!
This little guy is called a Quokka. Common on Rottnest Island
The boys had a great day out touring around Rottnest Island on the pushbikes. Awesome fun and beautiful scenery....
This view is of the Swan River from 'Wireless Hill' a local viewing spot...
We visited the Gravity Centre near GinGin town and Lee has promised to cut back on the snacks and exercise when we get home....that's if she survives!!
One of the locals at the WA Aquarium Centre - a Grey Nurse Shark...
One of Perth's premier beaches, the lovely Cottesloe Beach. Quite pretty and amazing that it's in a large capital city.
Here we are at Fremantle, the busy port that supplies and exports goods for Perth and abroad. Also the take off point for the Rottnest Island Ferry.
During the river walk we came across these exercise machines. First bit of exercise for six months!! Very short session indeed....
Perth is a very clean modern city with some different architecture. The 'Bell Tower' is one example of this...
Lee, Joey & Sam @ the famous WACA Cricket Ground...
On the banks of the Swan River we came across the State Emblem for WA - The Black Swan. Lovely big fella' too!!
Sam in the typical miners tent. The guys that came from all over had to be admired!! Some came from Wales, where as Welsh miners they worked in temperatures around 50 degrees fahrenheit. They arrived in Albany or Fremantle to discover the work was a further 600km inland where the summer temperatures could reach 50 degrees Celsius!! Some died, mainly through lack of water and disease...
Lee making off with the 'Welcome Stranger' on the standard transport of the time. That's if you could get hold of one.
Here are the Durnies at the Perth Mint where the guides give a bit of history about the various Gold Rushes in Australia's past. The West Australian scene is prominent even today with the 'Super Pit' at Kalgoorlie still producing large quantities. This shot show the villians melting down the 'Welcome Stranger' nugget...
This is a sample of the 'desert wanderer' fashion that will be hitting the shelves in 2011. This sample is modelled by the lovely Leeanne and as you can see does a good job of it!! A much better alternative to having 2000 of the most persistant flies on earth trying to drink from your eyes!! Urghh...
If you're wondering what this is, well so am I!! Leeanne is convinced that it is an emu footprint. I reckon she drew it in the sand. You will have to make your own mind up about it...there were a trail of these leading away....still a bit suspect though!!
A sample of the bigger pinnacles found in the Nambung National Park...
A short drive from the fishing village Jurien Bay will take you to 'The Pinnacles'. An unusual landscape indeed. Made of limestone. It could well be another world. Very dry and really looks like a desert!! An essential item here is the trusty fly net. Otherwise the little critters will try to get their next drink from the corner of your eye!!
Geraldton Town Centre is literally only metres from the beach. It's a well serviced modern city with a lot going for it...
This old church is a typical example of the structures at Greenough...
Some more information on the Alinta Wind Farm...
Nearby to Greenough is the massive wind generation farm. These are each about 78m high and at 14 RPM the tips are travelling at 220kmph!! The information says that these 54 windmills could run 60,000 homes....amazing!!
Here's another of those lazy trees!! This one is found south of Geraldton near the little township of Greenough, itself a historic reminder of pioneer days gone by...
Youngest son Paul at home with his son Brody...
Here's John & Dawn at the local Irish Club which they help to run...
We looked up dad's cousin Jack Regan whilst in Geraldton. Also saw Jack's wife Kathleen, and sons Paul & his wife Jade, and John & his wife Dawn. We'll hopefully see oldest son Phil in Perth...
In Geraldton there is one outstanding weather feature...wind...and plenty of it!! The tourist Information staff reckon it's the 3rd windiest city in the world (not sure about this), there are wind surfers who travel from all over to take advantage of the regular strong winds in the region....look what happens to the trees!!
Some more details on the Memorial to HMAS Sydney II.
This is the memorial to HMAS Sydney. The remains were only found in 2008 about 200 Nautical Miles West of Shark Bay area. It was sunk in 1940's by the German ship Kormoran which disguised itself before striking. All crew were killed...
This weird looking body of water is actually pink!! Found south of Kalbarri. It's not trick photography - it's caused by high levels of beta-caratone. The same ingredient is found in carrots!!+-+Kalbarri.jpg)
Super Sam showing off again!! - Warming up on the local Kalbarri playground (after the fish & chips)...
Another wildflower sample. This one seen along the coastal route south from Kabarri
The high sandstone cliffs along this section of coast are pretty awesome!!
A short drive south from Kalbarri will bring you to a series of lookouts along Kalbarri National Parks' Coastal Section. Here's Sam & Joey looking back towards Kalbarri town
One of the regular activities at Kalbarri is the daily Pelican feeding across the road from the caravan park! Lee has this action shot of a happy Pelican about to swallow an offering....
