Linie
Previous Section Back to the Down Under 2002 Page Next Section
Linie

Perth to Wiluna

-----------------

Since we had to bring our trusted Cruiser for some new tyres and a little servicing to Perth, we took this opportunity to revisit some of our favourite spots along with discovering some new ones. One of the favourites of all Perth citizens is certainly Freemantle, or as it is called by the locals "Freo". Freemantle is still the most important harbour of Western Australia. Around the round house precinct a township, whaling station and a prison were established to look after the first european settlers as well as the convicts brought here from England. Around this precinct in later years a beautiful township sprang up. Freemantle features some absolutely stunning old houses from around 1900. A lot of different restaurants along the "Cappucino Strip" help to look after your personal well being and are very much a part of the Freemantle lifestyle.

Half an hour by ferry from Freemantle is Rottnest Island located. Probably West Australias most visited Holliday Island. It is inhabited by Quokka's, a very friendly marsupial, about the size of a large rabbit. Early dutch explorers took these Quokka's as being rats. Therefore they named the island "Rotennest" which means rats nest. From there it is only a short stretch to Rottnest. The island roughly measures 12km by 4km and can be discovered by walking, cycling or with the Bayseeker Bus. The island boasts a lot of beautiful beaches together with a rich history. It was used in the second world war to defend Perth against enemy attacks. Therefore 2 gun batteries were installed and a signaling post to look out for enemy ships or plains. One such gun station can be visited on Mt. Oliver as well as 2 Lighthouses that still are in use.

A new addition to the Perth city skyline is the Swan Bells at the city harbour. It was one of the Millenium projects of Perth. It houses 18 church bells, some originally from the St. Martin in the Fields church at Trafalger Square in London. These bells were for the first time cast in the 14th century. They are now housed in a magnificient glass tower overlooking the city skyline and the harbour. The accoustics of this building allow to be adjusted such that the bells can only be heared inside or that the sound can be heared throughout the city.

From Perth we then started to head out into the outback again. Our way lead us through some more remote areas with new species of wildflowers, and a lot of already known ones. From Paynes Find towards Sandstone, we encountered lots of Emu's traversing the road just in front of the car, or at times even running ahead at speeds of up to 50 km/h. Usually the moment of surprise was on their side, so that we couldn't manage to take a picture of them. Luckily we managed to avoid hitting one. We just arrived in Sandstone late in the afternoon. Obviously we had to revisit London Bridge and take the odd sunset picture. The next day we drove along some more gravelroads towards Wiluna from where we intended to start our trip onto the Gunbarrel Highway.


Perth: Skyline in the fading Sun Perth: The War Memorial and the Skyline Perth: On our way to the Hotel through Kings Park Freemantle: The Round House Prison Freemantle: The signaling Canon at the Round House
Freemantle: The Well and the cell doors Freemantle: Beautiful Buildings from around the turn of the last century Freemantle: Beautiful Buildings from around the turn of the last century Freemantle: The P.D. Building Freemantle: In Memory of aWestern Australian sculptur
Freemantle: The Freemantle Hotel Freemantle: His Majesty's Hotel Freemantle: Beautiful colors Perth: The Jetty from our Boat to Rottnest Island Perth: The Skyline from the Boat
Multi Million Homes along the Swan River (Also called the millionaires row) Freemantle Harbour, West Australias most important port Rottnest Island: A Quokka, a small marsupial only found on Rottnest Island and another nearby Island Rottnest Island: No boat without it's own palm Rottnest Island: Salmon Bay
Rottnest Island: Wadjemup Lighthouse Perth: The Swan Bells Perth Swan Bells: On the viewing Platform Perth Swan Bells: The Glass Tower from the Viewing Platform Perth Swan Bells: A high rise through one of the copper sails
Perth Swan Bells: Kings Park The old Monastery at New Norcia Wongan Hills: Lake Ninan Wongan Hills: Gathercole Reserve Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: Pink Verticordia
Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: A rabbit tunnel Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: Flame Grevillea Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: Flame Grevillea Flower Landscape near Burakin in the wheat belt Beacon Campground: Sense of Humour or what?
The Landscape near Beacon Waiting until the Photographer is ready to go on Near Paynes Find: Beautiful Combination Near Paynes Find: Pink Wildflowers Sandstone: London Bridge in the evening sun on our second passing through Sandstone
Sandstone: London Bridge Sunset Sandstone: London Bridge Sunset On the Road to Wiluna Landscape towards Wiluna Landscape towards Wiluna
Landscape towards Wiluna Landscape towards Wiluna
Perth: Skyline in the fading Sun
Perth: The War Memorial and the Skyline
Perth: On our way to the Hotel through Kings Park
Freemantle: The Round House Prison
Freemantle: The signaling Canon at the Round House
Freemantle: The Well and the cell doors
Freemantle: Beautiful Buildings from around the turn of the last century
Freemantle: Beautiful Buildings from around the turn of the last century
Freemantle: The P.D. Building
Freemantle: In Memory of aWestern Australian sculptur
Freemantle: The Freemantle Hotel
Freemantle: His Majesty's Hotel
Freemantle: Beautiful colors
Perth: The Jetty from our Boat to Rottnest Island
Perth: The Skyline from the Boat
Multi Million Homes along the Swan River (Also called the millionaires row)
Freemantle Harbour, West Australias most important port
Rottnest Island: A Quokka, a small marsupial only found on Rottnest Island and another nearby Island
Rottnest Island: No boat without it's own palm
Rottnest Island: Salmon Bay
Rottnest Island: Wadjemup Lighthouse
Perth: The Swan Bells
Perth Swan Bells: On the viewing Platform
Perth Swan Bells: The Glass Tower from the Viewing Platform
Perth Swan Bells: A high rise through one of the copper sails
Perth Swan Bells: Kings Park
The old Monastery at New Norcia
Wongan Hills: Lake Ninan
Wongan Hills: Gathercole Reserve
Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: Pink Verticordia
Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: A rabbit tunnel
Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: Flame Grevillea
Wongan Hills, Reynoldsons Fauna Reserve: Flame Grevillea Flower
Landscape near Burakin in the wheat belt
Beacon Campground: Sense of Humour or what?
The Landscape near Beacon
Waiting until the Photographer is ready to go on
Near Paynes Find: Beautiful Combination
Near Paynes Find: Pink Wildflowers
Sandstone: London Bridge in the evening sun on our second passing through Sandstone
Sandstone: London Bridge Sunset
Sandstone: London Bridge Sunset
On the Road to Wiluna
Landscape towards Wiluna
Landscape towards Wiluna
Landscape towards Wiluna
Landscape towards Wiluna
Linie
Previous Section Back to the Down Undern 2002 Page Next Section
Linie


Copyright © V. & Ph Schlaeppi
Last Updated : 16th of October 2001


e-mailus for suggestions or comments