Monday and Tuesday saw us out and about on our own. Alison loaned us her car which was great. On Monday we went to their local shopping area (half an hour away) at Midlands first, as the car needed a couple of new front tyres. While we waited for them to be fitted we did a little bit of shopping in the mall. Next we took the freeway south down to Rockingham - a drive of over an hour. The greater area of Perth is very spread out and it can take a lot of driving to get from one place to another, even using the network highways and freeways. The mapping system on our iPad is invaluable!
Rockingham is a lovely area, south of Fremantle and also on the coast. There is a large industrial area as you come into the area, with some having their own wharf jutting out over 500m into the sea.
The town centre is on the water front and is landscaped to enhance it for everyone's enjoyment. There are playgrounds, shaded areas, toilets, BBQs and paved walkways. Even early in the week there were lots of people out and about enjoying the water and the facilties. We purchased ourselves some 'picnic food' and made use of the he facilities. Water sports are very popular here, particularly sailing and kite boarding. We watched lots of kite boarders enjoying the off shore breeze that is very much part and parcel of the area.
Next stop was the Penguin Island information centre. At one stage we had thought that we might head across to the island to see the penguins but decided against it when we realised it had timed it very well (the wait for the next boat was a bit long). Our Blue Mountains friends had also given us some friends to look up and they were only 5 minutes from here so we used our time to catch up with them.
We took the scenic route back home along the coastal route, which took much longer than using the Freeway but is more interesting. It took us through Fremantle and passed the areas again that we had visited with Alison. We stopped at one stage for a coffee break and to stretch our legs. Not far from home we got a text from Garry wondering if we were lost! It had taken us well over two hours to get back.
On Tuesday we decided that we should go into Perth City itself. The easiest way to do this is by train so we drove to Midlands, parked the car and took the train. This is a very efficient service that took us into downtown Perth in twenty minutes. It also meant we had no parking hassles and were able to enjoy the day. We aren't big shoppers but we did enjoy browsing through some if the bigger department stores like Myers and David Jones. David Jones reminded us a bit of Harrods in London, with their beautiful displays and in particular their food courts.
There is a large development being undertaken on the waterfront, which when finished will be a wonderful facility. In the meantime there is lots of large machinery doing its thing. The wharves are still operational and from here the tour boats and ferries leave. There are several restaurants and cafés so we sat and enjoyed a bite to eat for lunch. The 'Swan Bell' tower is also here. This was a millennium project for the city. There are beautiful bells that sound the time, but are also rung by bell ringers on special occasions.
Stephen was keen to have a look at the museum so while he spent an hour browsing its displays I went back into the shops. We met up again by the 'urban orchard' just opposite the train station. This project has been designed to demonstrate the principles of sustainable gardening. It is both informative and interactive, with those interested being able to be involved in planting and harvesting days. The 29 fruit trees are under planted with vegetables, herbs and plants beneficial to insects.
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment