Nearly Perthfect

Sunday 24th September to Friday 6th October 2023

We left Nambung National Park and the Pinnacles late morning and made our way towards Perth. We still had three days before our house sit was due to commence so we were invited by some new friends we met at the Muster, John and Sue, to spend a few days with them at their home in Guildford, north east of the city in the Swan Valley.

We set up the van on their property and then went for a walk through the historic township. The following Monday we had a meeting with the owners of the house sit, 40km to the south where we met Jack, a 14 year old cavoodle, who was to be our companion during the house sit. We dropped into Fremantle on our way back to Guildford for brunch and a look around. Having lived and worked in and near Fremantle for three months at the end of 1999, I was keen to see if I recognised much of it. Obviously the old historic buildings hadn’t changed, though there seemed to be more of them than I remember, however the area surrounding Fremantle was totally different. Twenty three years of development has seen houses and shopping centres pop up where there were once farms.

On our last day with John and Sue they took us on a brief tour of some of the wineries in the Swan Valley, which was a very relaxing and enjoyable afternoon. With them having owned a hire car business for thirteen years in Guildford they knew the pick of the wineries. Pre-dinner drinks (as if we needed any) in the newly restored historic Guildford hotel, followed by steak burgers at Guildford’s iconic Alfred’s Kitchen saw a wonderful three days with John and Sue draw to an end. Unfortunately I was remiss by not taking many photos of Guildford or the Swan Valley.

Once the Shorte family headed off on their holiday mid-morning on Wednesday, we parked the van on the driveway and set ourselves up in the house. Fortunately we are able to sleep in the house which does make things easier, though we are constantly going in and out to retrieve bits and pieces.

In addition to walking Jack every day, we headed out on most days to explore Perth and its environs. Day trips included a train ride to Perth city to visit Kings Park and the Botanic Garden then in to Elizabeth Quay. Another had us drive south to Mandurah to have lunch with friends Matt and Renee who we met at the Muster. Living in a canal estate, Matt and Renee took us on their pontoon boat to one of the waterside restaurants. On the way a small pod of dolphins swam along with us. Although I didn’t take my camera, I did have my phone, but I was enjoying the company and surroundings so much that I didn’t take one photo. Another day was spent on Rottnest Island. Unfortunately it was only one day. John and Sue had recommended we spend at least one night on the island, but alas, we didn’t. We’ll certainly do that next time we visit, probably two nights. We rented a couple of push bikes to get around the island. More time would allow some swimming and snorkelling and visiting all the little bays and beaches the Island has to offer.

Another day was to visit the Sunset Coast which spans more than 50km “boasting nineteen white sand beaches that leave those looking for surf, sun and endless sand spoilt for choice”, or so the tourist guide states. Starting at Cottesloe Beach southwest of Perth, it ends at Two Rocks in the north.

The only photographic evidence of our stay with John and Sue in Guildford. They sold the hire car business a few years ago, but have kept a rare original 3.5 litre Jaguar drophead coupe.
Some of Fremantle’s historic buildings.
More modern additions to the Freo streetscape include Bathers restaurant at Bathers Beach; a bather at Bathers Beach and the Bistrot Café, our brunch venue.
Clockwise from top left: our house for 9 days over the school holidays, with Henrietta holding on to Jack while I took the photo; catching the train into Perth; Perth skyline from the State War Memorial in Kings Park;  The Swan Brewery Company building (1879). Redeveloped in the 1990s as apartments, restaurant and conference facilities.
Elizabeth Quay precinct: Spanda, an 8 storey, $1.3 million sculpture; The Bell Tower; First Contact Sculpture – a representation of what the local indigenous Noongar people saw of the tall ships as their past ancestors returning from the sea; Elizabeth Quay pedestrian bridge.
Lunch at The Island restaurant and bar, Elizabeth Quay.
Kings Park and the Western Australian Botanic Garden.
On our way to Cottesloe Beach and the Sunset Coast we dropped into Fremantle again as I wanted to revisit the Cappuccino Strip (aka South Terrace). When working in Perth in 1999, I cycled with a large group each weekend, stopping for a coffee in Freo, and again in Perth. The Freo cappuccino strip these days is a far cry from what I remember 23 years ago, where cafes competed against each other to produce the best coffee. Gino’s Café (top photo), now 40 years in business, was disappointing. The coffee was ordinary and the staff abrupt. And there didn’t appear to be much competition along the Strip.
Cottesloe Beach and its pavilion. Cottesloe was looking rather tired. 
Scarborough Beach and Hillarys Boat Harbour north of Scarborough along the Sunset Coast were considerably more vibrant than Cottesloe.
Day trip to Rottnest Island (clockwise from top left): Boarding our ferry at Shed B in Fremantle; approaching the Island; morning tea at Geordie’s Café; lunch at Hotel Rottnest.
Rottnest wildlife including plovers (?), long nosed fur seals and the iconic quokkas of Rottnest.
Various beaches around the island and one of the inland salt lakes (top right). 
Historical building around Rottnest including various accommodation types, the Battery Observation Post (1938), a signal station (1939) call sign “Bowerbird”, Bathurst Lighthouse (1900) and Rottnest Lighthouse (the taller one) (1896).
A rest stop on our cycle circumnavigation of the island; after cycling 22 km, Yum Yum was ready for a bourbon and coke at the hotel; the view to the mainland and Perth from the Rottnest Lighthouse.

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