Bunbury to Margaret River

Left Bunbury for the Margaret River region. Good weather finally to stop at Busselton on the way, which was bustling with many tourists. Too long a wait to take the train out the 1.8km long jetty, so we settled for a nice stroll. Margaret River is beautiful and vibrant, the fudge and wine helps too.

Busselton Jetty

Busselton Jetty walking out

Busselton Jetty walking back

Busselton Jetty - tourist train

Margaret River Tourist Park

Bunbury

Left Perth on the busy AFL grand final day, and as it happens the start of school holidays and a long weekend! Great drive down the freeway though and into Bunbury. Did some looking at the lookout, and tried to find some dolphins at the beach. The dolphins were playing hooky.

Discovery Holiday Parks Koombana Bay

Bunbury Lookout Pano

Perth & Fremantle

Started our Perth visit with a trip to Kings Park, which includes a botanic gardens which have a wildflower display this month. Kings Park is primarily however native bushland, the largest inner city park in Australia.

Perth from Kings Park

Kings Park Botanic Gardens

Kings Park Botanic Gardens

Kings Park wildflower

Kings Park wildflower

We have also been to the Aquarium, which had a great tunnel loop with moving track so you could just stare at the huge turtles, sharks and many fish.

The Aquarium of Western Australia

In our other trip into Perth we visited the Museum of Western Australia which includes dinosaur skeletons, huge array of fossils, rocks, butterflies, mammals etc. Then we took a cruise out to Fremantle along the Swan River, where we saw a few things we would like after we become billionaires.

Perth Bell Tower

Gina Rinehart's house

Our new humble abode

Typical Swan River view

We have been to Fremantle a few times this week, but we actually had a look around today. Went to the markets and the Fremantle Prison which was in operation until 1991. Possibly still could have been had they not worked out that the fire brigade can't get in. No running water in the cells toilet in a bucket!), and still the same as when the first convicts constructed it in the 1850's from limestone and jarrah timber.

Fremantle Prison external

Fremantle Prison Division 3

Fremantle Prison Gallows

Perth (Rottnest Island)

Took the ferry over to Rottnest Island, so named because the discoverer thought the native quokkas were large rats. Rott = Rat. We thought they were pretty cute and very friendly (too many people feed them.) Great island, with plenty of beaches, bays and lookouts. You could snorkel, surf etc but it was only 22 degrees today, so little chilly for watersports.  We chose to ride around the island, with its many hills.

Rottnest Island Snorkel Site

Rottnest Island Beach

Rottnest Island Beach

Rottnest Island one of mant bays

Rottnest Island Vlamingh Point

Rottnest Island Vlamingh Point

Rottnest Island Quokka

Rottnest Island Quokka & Friend

Rottnest Island yet another lizard

Cervantes to Perth

Left windy and wet Cervantes and headed to Perth via the freeway. Great roomy sites here at Karrinyup Waters Resort with an in house lake complete with various water birds.

Karrinyup Waters Resort

Karrinyup Waters Resort - bird life

Cervantes & The Pinnacles

Cervantes - where everyone has a big boat, and it seems a tractor to launch said boat. Fishing and lobster are the norm around here. There are some nice beaches but the one beside the caravan park is currently covered in seaweed.

Cervantes Pinnacles Caravan Park

seaweed littered beach beside caravan park

Cervantes - Thirsty Point Beach

Lots of little islands around Cervantes

We went to see the fascinating limestone mysteries, the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park before the nasty windy weather hit. A mystery, because they appear like something alien, and nobody actually knows how they have come about, only theories.

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles

The Pinnacles from lookout

The Pinnacles pano

The Pinnacles pano

Sea of wildflowers near Cervantes

Geraldton

Here we are at Sunset Beach, Geraldton where we find the first major civilisation (identified as places with Mc D's) since Broome. The weather has also gone south however, with actual rain (first real stuff since we left) so no great sunsets.

Not much doing here but more beach browsing, HMAS Sydney II Memorial, and the Western Australian Museum.

Geraldton Sunset Beach Holiday Park

Geraldton HMAS Sydney II Memorial

Geraldton - Industrial Vista

Geraldton - Nicer foreshore view

Western Australia Museum - Geraldton - Shipwreck Exhibit