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Winter Playground: Destination

Western Australia

CoVid 19 has caused chaos all over the world. With a sense of Just inland from the bustle of the canals are natural wetlands.
an “altered reality,” shops in Western Australia are just starting Pelicans, gulls and black swans are everywhere. Overhead flotil-
to reopen. School holidays are in full swing and with the hard las of pelicans, noisy white crested corella parrots, black cocka-
border lockdown still in place, “local” is the go-to destination! toos, green ringneck parrots as well as pink and grey galahs can
be seen. Conservation areas have been carefully planned and
We have spent the past few weeks between Perth and Mandurah incorporated into the design. There are parks and duck-ponds
and we are now enjoying the beautiful Tinglewood forests of to be found in all neighbourhoods. Beaches are all along the
Walpole/Denmark in an area known as The Great Southern. seaward side of Mandurah. Beautiful walkways are to be found
all around this magnificent area.
The winter day time temperature is perfect for exploring the
region. Roaring log fires keep restaurants and taverns nice and Photos really do not do justice to this winter playground which
toasty in the evenings. is just down the freeway from Perth. Just inland from Mandu-
rah is North and South Yunderup which are on opposite banks
Perth has so many parks, playgrounds and open spaces, as well of the Murray River. Steve and I enjoyed a braai with friends at
as Kings Park with its magnificent views over the Swan River. Mulberry Cottage. We got together in Cape Town last Novem-
ber at The Blue Peter. While fishing in the area for black bream
Mandurah has a system of manmade quays and beautiful (known locally as Brim) the water suddenly surged in front of
waterways. Homes all look like palaces mostly with boats just us - two dolphins on the hunt.
tied up at their private dock. Vessels range from the alumini-
um “tinny” to cruising/ entertaining pleasure craft. There are From here we travelled to the Great Southern which is famous
houseboats (which resemble floating caravans) to luxury ocean for its towering forests.
going yachts.
Manjimup is the heart of the black truffle trade. An annual
A tour of the canals, quays and wetlands is a “must do” if you foodie event is held here called “The Truffle Kerfuffle.” Like oth-
find yourself here. The dolphins surf right alongside the vessel er events it was postponed this year. The highlight of a previous
as you cruise through the waterways. There are two major visit was to go on a real truffle hunt with a trained truffle dog.
bridges linking the foreshore area to the suburbs on the sea side Extremely expensive product!
of the city centre. Both of these bridges have purposely built
fishing jetties underneath. Fish cleaning stations with running Pemberton is known for trout farms and fly-fishing. If you
water and waste disposable areas are floodlit at night. It is so know about geocaching then a cache is located at the top of one
nice to see families fishing or having a picnic together. Play are- of the tall trees used as fire spotting lookouts - I shall leave this
as provide sunny fun in winter and shaded areas in summer. for another time. Geocaching needs an entire article to do it
justice.
A few trains-on-wheels circuit the foreshore to Dolphin Quays
areas providing a fun trip for families. There are coffee shops, The Tree Top Canopy walk is through a forest of red tinglewood
indoor markets, a play park with a Ferris wheel, boats and trees. The steel walkway is 40 metres above the forest floor.
kayaks for hire, cinemas and a performing arts theatre - the list These enormous trees are 70 metres high. When you have com-
is endless. There is even an enclosed swimming pool area in the pleted the tree top tour you walk along a wooden boardwalk at
fast-flowing tidal sea water. Walkways have “special photo op- the foot of theses enormous trees. Information boards name the
portunity” spots which include a heart shape to pose in-front of, trees and provide information on the animals who live in the
a painted pelican to “feed” and a life-size 3-D mural to stand in. forest. Umbrellas are provided and families took advantage of
the winter break to explore this area.
At night the “old” bridge is lit in a changing kaleidoscope of
colour. A pedestrian walkway and cycle path is on the side of As many businesses are still closed (or working shorter hours)
the bridge safely away from the traffic. A new skate-board park the restaurants and hotels which are open are doing a brisk
is being constructed on the island side of this bridge. trade. It is good to see that locals from WA are travelling,
social distancing and supporting local businesses in their time
A very unusual war memorial pays tribute to the fallen. This of need. Dinner this evening was in the Tavern in front of a
incorporates pillars from the water’s edge as symbols of the roaring log fire. Tomorrow we head back to Esperance until our
beach landing at Normandy, becoming tall pillars at the centre next trip to Perth for a wedding in August.
and grave stones at the inland. The sun shines directly through
the centre only on Armistice Day. Maureen

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