Out of the blue, a phone call from our grandson, and an offer of an evening trip up the Swan River, on Christmas Eve. Being our wedding anniversary, what better way to round off the day. Few details were provided other than that we needed to be present at the East Street Jetty for around 19:00.
Swan River – View upstream from East Street Jetty – Fremantle WA
The trip was being provided by my grandsons partner who runs a charter business.
Arriving at the jetty, we soon found other folks, similarly awaiting the arrival of a boat.
While we waited Steve and I started to scout out the area as a possible fishing venue, having already noted the presence of several anglers. After chatting with one guy, who was packing up, we have added the jetty to our list . Easy access with parking very close by and straight into deep water.
It wasn’t long before our transport appeared upstream and was tied alongside ready for boarding.
MV Cygnus – Approaching East Street Jetty, Fremantle, WA
MV Cygnus is a fully licensed 53′ Catamaran and is apparently capable of catering for up to 60 people. I think that might be a tight squeeze, however we weren’t that many so had room to meander.
Posh Pads – Swan River, opposite East Street Jetty, Fremantle, WA
Shortly after boarding it was time for a little something to moisten dry throats. Make the most of the next photo. It features yours truly which is a rare occurrence as it’s not often that I step in front of a lens.
Gerry and I – Swan River Cruise, WA
By 19:15 we were underway, heading up river and it was time to point the lens outside of the boat. Having made a similar daytime trip, several years ago, we knew we would see some very nice properties along the river banks. At least while the sun was still up. However, an evening trip was going to be somewhat different.
Fremantle Dinosaurs !!
These cranes, silhouetted by the setting sun, look somewhat like prehistoric creatures heading to the river to drink.
Water Police Base – Fremantle, WA
My grandson is a member of the Water Police. This picture shows some of their toys. Am I jealous ? , go on, ask me.
Down here in Oz it gets dark very quickly so photography on a moving platform becomes something of a challenge. Here are some “snaps” taken once darkness had arrived.
At some point we tied up to a buoy, so that the hot food could be cooked on the huge BBQ at the stern. We sat swinging at the whims of the river currents and the wind, just offshore from Mosmans Restaurant.
The crew laid out quite a spread, with steaks, chicken drummies and prawns cooked on the BBQ, supplemented with a variety of salads and roast vegetables followed by fresh fruits and cheeses.
Food consumed, we were then of further up river until the city came into view. Time for some more snaps but, several beers in, I wasn’t really up for the challenge.
Blame it on the Little Creatures – That’s my excuse, not sure what theirs is.
Yes, that’s twice I’ve been in front of the lens on one single occasion.
Here is the best of a bad lot …..
Perth City Skyline – Viewed from the Swan River
It would have been nice to have cruised right up into the city, but that was as close as we got. Still looks good though.
There was a disco on board and we did get up to dance, a bit. Well that’s perhaps a very loose description of the gyrations I was making. I am pleased to say that there are no photos of that brief interlude.
All too soon we were heading back to the East Street Jetty. Just a short distance, from the jetty, is the Left Bank, bar and restaurant.
This place, The Left Bank, was having a Xmas Eve party. It started at Noon and was going on till 2 am . From the jetty we could see that they had swarms of hi-viz jacketed security outside. We could hear it from the river as we cruised by. Call me an old fart, but any pub that requires that level of security is not a place I would want to frequent. Having said that we did have a nice early evening meal there a few years back.
So there you have it, our trip up the swanny.
There are many interpretations of the phrase “up the swanny”, including ballsed up, stuck in the mud, tits up, up shit creek, up the creek without a paddle and so forth.
None of these are applicable. We had a great time and our thanks go to Kate and her crew for a super evening.
Decided to give the Blackwall Reach location a bash on Wednesday morning. So I took myself off to a nearby tackle shop for some bait and advice.
The proprietor was enthusiastic about our proposed venue but suggested that fishing from the cliff tops at Blackwall was problematic and that if we took ourselves a short distance down stream to Blackwall Parade we could fish at river level and within sight of our car.
It seems the local rogues like to target cars left in lonely car parks. Those that service the cliff tops are a particular favourite. The car park at Point Walter is possibly the worst, especially if you are an angler and plan to fish of the sandbar.
Sand Bar – Point Walter
The miscreants can see an angler way out on the water and know that they cannot get back to prevent their car from being burglarised or totally trashed.
On Wednesday morning, at around 08:30, we arrived at Blackwall Parade. We decided to recce and walked the full length of the parade, noting a couple of likely beach spots with the possibility of a jetty to fish as a back up.
On the way back to the car we spotted a Kookaburra quietly observing us.
Kookaburra, Blackwall Parade
During our stroll along the shoreline we encountered many joggers, dog walkers and baby strollers. Everyone seemed very friendly and we were typically bade a cheery good morning.
Retrieving our tackle and bait from the car we found ourselves a cosy corner as our base, complete with mancave, to provide some shade.
Beach front accomodation, Blackwall Reach
Getting the fishing underway we were immediately plagued with bites from “blowies“. They are adept at stealing bait whilst avoiding getting themselves caught. They are however, tenacious, and will follow your line and any remaining bait back to shore. On several occasions I managed to lift my line out of the water ,with a single “bowie” hanging onto the remnants of my bait. Realising they were no longer in the water they would then drop off and dart back into the deeper waters. These little blighters quite happily helped themselves to all of our bait. We were using squid, herring and prawns. Nothing was immune to their concerted attacks.
The sum total of our catch, for the four or so hours that we fished, was one Bream and one “blowie”. Being poisonous, nobody wants “blowies” and the Bream was undersized, so both were returned to fight again.
Our champion fisher and his record breaking catch
So, what was I doing while Steve was catching all the fish ?
Well, I was doing my damnedest to haul this specimen ashore …..
I managed to cast my line over the mooring rope on three occasions. On one of those occasions I will hold my hand up to a miscast. The other two I will blame on the strong winds blowing up the river. On two out of those three occasions I lost the end tackle.
If I had managed to pull this craft ashore I was planning to exercise my rights to salvage.
A few yards along the shore from our fishing spot there were a couple of other anglers. They started after us and gave up before us. I didn’t see them bring anything ashore but I am sure they suffered the same plague of “blowies”.
Although not a productive day it was definitely fun and there is plenty going on along the river to keep ones interest. This would be a nice spot to just sit with a picnic and while away a few hours.
Continuing our general exploration of the Perth region we headed out to the township of Northam. The main reason for heading that way is that Northam is said to have the largest number of historic buildings in Western Australia (other than Fremantle).
Northam is just over 30 Km north of York, which we have visited before, and just over 90 Km from Perth. So just over an hours drive. Waiting until the Perth suburbs commuter rush hour was over we set out on a drive through picturesque countryside. Some might question the picturesque descriptor and certainly the countryside is nothing like the green and pleasant land that is the UK.
Driving out we passed through forests of trees, with fire blackened trunks, starkly contrasted by brilliant white gum trees. All topped of with leaves that are tinted close to sage green. All with a constant backdrop of a clear blue sky. Occasionally these forests give way to more open lands, presumably cleared to provide grazing for sheep and cattle. Although mainly open, these pastures are dotted with trees to give livestock some shade.
Countryside – Near Northam WA
The landscape change as we enter the “Avon Valley”, becoming more hilly and open. The road changing altitude more frequently and, as we entered the outer suburbs of Northam, we made a short detour, following a sign indicating that there was a view-point on top of the hill.
The view-point gives good panoramic views over Northam and the surrounding countryside.
Countryside surrounding Northam WA – Viewed from Mt. OmmaneyCountryside surrounding Northam WA – Viewed from Mt. Ommaney
The picnic tables up here have been vandalised and the whole area is looking a little sad. It would seem that it is a popular place for “hooning” around with cars and bikes.
After several do-nuts, I managed to get the son-in-laws car perfectly parked. As you can see now the smoke has cleared.
There is also an information board which makes reference to a grave site accessed down a made path. Unfortunately, most of the information is obliterated but I was able to determine that the grave site is on un-consecrated ground and that it once held the body of a Mrs Iva Jane Burrows. Apparently she shot and wounded her step daughter before injecting herself with a lethal dose of poison. It was her wish to be buried without religious service or sermon. One other oddity was that her husband had the coffin bound with two chains prior to interment. Confusingly, despite the presence of the grave-site on the hilltop other sources on the web suggest that she was buried in the Northam Cemetary which is, presumably, consecrated.
On into Northam and we spotted a sign for the pedestrian suspension bridge and were soon parked up again.
At the foot of the bridge is a modern day wood sculpture, of a Bob Tailed Lizard, entitled Little Bobby.
Little Bobby – Northam WA
The bridge has a 117 metre span and is 16 metres high. Apparently it can hold up to 400 people, evenly spaced, and is capable of withstanding 150 Km/hr winds. It is a popular vantage point for the famous Avon Valley Descent, so the live load capacity has probably been exercised on numerous occasions, since it was built in 1975.
Shire of Northam – Avon River Suspension Bridge
We crossed the bridge, and yes it wriggles, squirms and bounces as you walk. I was told on numerous occasions, to stop making it bounce.
The Ubiquitous Shopping Trolley – Scourge of the western world
Having crossed the river, we ate a very pleasant lunch on the veranda at the RiversEdge Cafe. Here, I had a Curried Rice Salad with added Chicken Strips, while Gerry had a Peach Salad with added Salt and Pepper Squid. Mindful of the rising temperatures we washed the food down with some thirst quenching Iced Tea.
Apart from being the start point for the Avon Descent
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Avon Descent is an annual, two-day, white water event involving both paddle craft (kayaks, surf skis) and small motor boats. It runs from Northam to Perth, Western Australia along the Avon and Swan Rivers, and is held in August of every year.
Sponsors and commercial support regularly changes, sometimes annually.
It is the only event in the world where both power craft and paddle craft race compete. The course has Grade 2–4[clarification needed] white water rapids and is 124 kilometres (77 mi) long.[1] The first Avon Descent was held in 1973. There has been an increase in the prize pool from 2007 of $10,000 providing an extra $6,000 for 1st, $3,000 for 2nd and $1,000 for 3rd fastest single paddle craft. In 2006 757 competitors started the event in 459 craft.
The top class in the powerboats is the 10hp sports class. These boats are made from foam and fibreglass, and have hydraulic jacks that enable the motor to be jacked up. The motors are unmodified and run a surface piercing propeller. These powerboats can reach speeds of approximately 70km/h.
Northam is also known for its many historic buildings …
133 Fitzgerald Street, Northam – A two-storey rendered brick and tile building (1906) in the Federation Free Classical StyleNortham Post Office & Quarters – a brick and iron building designed in the Federation Free Style architecture. Built circa 1909Commercial Hotel, Northam – Built 1902-1903Northam Hotel – The original hotel was built on the site in 1887.Commonwealth Bank – is a two-storey, Inter War Stripped Classical style commercial building. Built circa 1934
During our walk alongside the river we were entertained by various aquatic birds. Ducks, gulls, moorhens, and a lone pelican. The Pelican was fishing, and seemed to be doing quite well. Sailing along majestically, plunging his enormous bill down into the water, then slowly lifting his head while draining the water keeping his bill closed enough to keep his prey from escaping. This would be followed by a uptilt of the bill so that whatever had been caught slid quickly down into his gullet.
Pelican – Northam Town Pool
The gulls spent a deal of time harassing the pelican. Everytime his head went under water, and his bum went up in the air, they would swim in close, as if to peck the exposed behind. Then when his head came back up they would move away. On one occasion, one of the gulls leapt out of the water and used the pelicans back like a trampoline to launch itself into the air.
Other birds on or around the water included an Egret …
Egret ?
…… a Heron ….
Heron ?
…. and a Cormorant drying it’s wings …
Cormorant
Western Australia is known for the Black Swans which feature on the state flag, but Northam is known as the home to White Swans which were first introduced to Australia during the 19th century.
In 1896 the White Swan was introduced into Western Australia by a British colonists. In the early 1900’s, it is believed a Russian settler and the town’s mayor, Oscar Bernard, introduced White Swans to Northam . The Avon River in Northam became the only place in Australia where the newly introduced bird survived and today it is still the only place in Australia where White Swans breed naturally in the wild.
After spending a few hours in an around Northam it was time to head back to Perth. Returning to the car I made a really bad decision. I knew that the car was low on fuel but decided that we would be able to fill up at a service station on the way. This was stupid as I then made a second dumb decision, which was to take “the pretty route” back. We drove for many kilometers along very quiet roads, with few other motorists. Slowly the fuel gauge dropped towards the empty mark.
Then nature stepped in to compound my dumb decisions. We started to see the signs of a bush fire directly ahead …..
Bush Fire – Gidgegannup, WA
Then we encountered signs stating that there was a road diversion ahead due to the fire. This was not good news, with the fuel tank virtually empty, we could not afford to be diverted onto even more remote roads.
Cresting a rise I spotted a guy and his vehicle on the opposite side of the road and I stopped to speak to him. The reason he was parked up was because his vehicle was LPG fuelled so no way through and, being low on fuel, he also had a limited range. He said that he was resigned to spending the night at the roadside.
When I asked if he knew where the nearest service station was he waved his hand towards the smoke and said “the other side of that”. This was not looking good.
Off the road, through the trees on our side, we could see some buildings. So we decided to go and see if anyone there might have some fuel to sell us. The buildings that we had seen were not inhabited but we could see a house further back and made it up to the front of the house.Luckily there was someone home, and, not only that but they had a can with about 10 litres of fuel which they gave us.
Thats right, gave us !!!
Twice I offered to pay for the fuel, but was refused. I siphoned the fuel although he offered to do that too. I couldn’t allow him to do that when he was donating the fuel. The fuel he provided took us back up to about a quarter of a tank. After thanking him profusely we set off on our way, me with the taste of unleaded on my lips and tongue. No amount of water seemed to clear that taste.
Shortly after leaving the “Good Samaritans” home we arrived at the detour which took us through some picturesque wooded roads. These roads were quite narrow, barely wide enough for two vehicles to pass. I guess I should be grateful that they were paved. En route we encountered this little fellow.
Kookaburra
I’m pretty sure he’d had an encounter with another motorist. He let me drive right up to him and even when I got out of the car he just sat there looking at me. Not very humane of me, I took a picture first before considering helping him. Looking at the displaced feather I thought I might have to move him off the road or even contemplate something more drastic. However, as soon as I got within a couple of feet, he took off and flew away through the trees. Hopefully he was just stunned.
A few more kilometers down the road and we began to see signs of civilisation and then we were ejected onto The Great Eastern Highway. Soon after that we arrived at The Lakes Roadhouse where we were able to fill up with fuel and I was able to get some mints to try to get rid of the taste of unleaded.
It took us another hour to get home and a nice hot cup of tea while we discussed the days adventures ……. or perhaps I should say, misadventures.
Here is how the bush-fire was reported on the day ….
Took a run out to a place called Two Rocks on Friday, travelling via Osbourne Park where our granddaughter was buying some uniform items for her new job which she starts on Monday.
Why go to Two Rocks ?
Well for no other reason that it is further up the coast than we had been before without having to have an overnight stop. I had also read about a large statue to King Neptune which had been, at one time, a feature of a now defunct theme park. I thought it would be interesting to drive up, take a look and perhaps have a spot of lunch. If we could find an eatery.
King Neptune – Courtesy
And so, uniform items purchased, we found ourselves trundling along the country roads leading to Yanchep and Two Rocks. Once you clear the Perth suburbs the driving becomes quite calm and the scenery is pleasant, swapping between woodland bordering the edge of the road and scrubby bushland with stark dead trees silhouetted against the clear blue skies.
Nearer to Two Rocks the bushland gave way to what looked like grassy hummocks. Initially I though these lumps were just piles of spoil left by local property developers. However, there are so many of them that I now believe them to be naturally produced sand dunes.
Despite being around an hours drive away from Perth there seems to be quite a lot of residential development underway. A large hoarding proclaimed that a plot of land can be had for 139,000 AUD. Slightly nearer to Two Rocks and another had jacked the price up to 195,000 AUD. So once you have your plot, all you have to do is build your house.
On arriving at Two Rocks we were immediately struck by how much like a ghost town the place was. A, very large, car park supports a small shopping centre. And I mean small. There several empty units. And those that were occupied comprised a small supermarket, cafe, tavern, hairdresser, travel agent, newsagent/post office, curry house and an arts and crafts gallery.
All of this is perched on a rise looking down on the Two Rocks Marina and the ocean. The Neptune statue can be seen from the shopping centre but appeared to be fenced off with no access. I had read that the statue had been vandalised but recently refurbished and reopened to the public in May. Seems like he’s been segregated again.
Catching some rays while waiting for our Chish n Fips
We did stay to have lunch at the Neptune Cafe. Fish and Chips all round with a chilled Ice Tea for Gerry, Chocolate Milk Shake for Caitlin and an Iced Coffee for me. All served on the terrace overlooking the marina and out over the ocean. The fish served here were perhaps the smallest fillets I have seen since being in Oz. However, this being lunch, they were adequate and well cooked. Each supported by a large basket of chips and a bowl of tartare sauce. With taste buds suitable enhanced by the salt sea air our appetites were truly satisfied.
Two Rocks Marina – Viewed from the terrace
It was very windy and the ocean, blue as always, was flat but speckled with whole herds of white horses. This terrace would be ideal for sitting out with a cool drink, in the evenings, to watch an Indian Ocean sunset.
Two Rocks – After which the town is named
Off to one side, in an out-of-the-way corner of this little community, there are a number of limestone creations known as “The Waugal Monoliths” created by WA sculptor, Mark le Buse.
Sculpture – The Waugal Monoliths
The photo above is perhaps one of the better examples. The sculptures are supposed to be a depiction and interpretation of aboriginal Dreamtime legends.
Sculpture – The Waugal Monoliths
No idea what this is supposed to represent. The sculptor hailed from the USA. You would have thought that they could have found an aboriginal artist.
The Waugal – An antipodean Nessie perhaps
The following was taken from an information board near this sculpture….
Waugal Monoliths Legend
The Waugals, legendary spirits with supernatural powers living deep within the Yanchep waters for thousands of years, featured in mythical rites and were regarded with fear and awe by the local natives.
Aboriginal folklore handed down for generations tells how the waugal dragged its victims down into the depths of the lake to imprison them there forever.
After this cultural break we headed back to Perth, making a brief stop at Drovers Marketplace, Wanneroo, to pick up some meat for dinner. They do good meat here.
I was also put under great pressure to stop at Leapfrogs Cafe. Leapfrogs is situated in the Wanneroo Botanic Gardens on the shores of lake Joondalup and features a mini-golf garden. We had been here before on a previous visit to Oz and it is the mini golf that was the major draw but, due to time constraints, a visit here had to be deferred.
A re-visit is on the to-do list and there is an open challenge from Caitlin, Steve and Denise.
Over the last few days we have been discussing getting in a bit of fishing. This kind of talk then leads one into a discussion about possible venues.
During previous visits I have fished various locations, including
Coogee Pier – produced blowies until the dolphin came
Woodman Point – Produced a Snook and a couple of unidentified fish. They tasted OK though.
Mandurah – one of the canals produced blowies until the dolphin came. Bit of a theme here. And an early morning trip to a beach only produced blowies and a cheeky pelican.
A bit of trawling on the interweb and Point Walter / Blackwall Reach came into focus as possible venues.
It was decided that an exploratory visit was in order and as luck would have it there was also a nice cafe where we could have a spot of lunch.
Arriving at Point Walter we strolled the immediate foreshore and slipway. There were some boats anchored just off shore, with folks fishing, and at least one guy appeared to have waded out to a sand bar. He was fly fishing in water that reached up to his thighs.
Swan River – Point Walter
Further strolling took us to the Walters River Cafe and on inside, where we had a very pleasant lunch comprising burgers for Steve and I, Salmon with scrambled eggs on a roti base for Gerry. All washed down with cold beers and a home-made lemonade for me.
In search of the fishing spots we meandered out onto the nearby jetty, at the far end of which we could see a figure drowning worms. Hoping to get some fishing hints I said hello and was greeted with a smile and “no speak english”. In response to my muttering that I was hoping to ask about the fishing he offered “no fish” and settled back to watching his rods.
Jetty – Point Walter
All around the end of the jetty there were thousands of bait fish and we caught a glimpse of maybe half a dozen “bream shaped” fish ghosting through the water, behind the angler. I resisted telling him he was fishing in the wrong direction.
Walking round the point didn’t reveal the fishing points we were searching for but was still a pleasant way to pass time. There was plenty f activities taking place on the water. Sailing boats, fishing boats, paddle boarders, tour boats and seadoo’s. As we walked we were shadowed by the ever-present seagulls and were harangued by the magpies and crows.
Jonathan Livingston Seagull !!Blackwall Reach – Swan River
From the shore, having walked round the point we were able to look down Blackwall Reach. The cliffs in the distance hold the fishing points we were searching for. Following this water down will ultimately lead one into Fremantle.
Causeway to small islet
We decided to return to the car to drive round to find the access point for the cliffs. En-route we picked up an ice cream, or two.
Place Marker – Point Walter Reserve
To be fair, only Steve and I had ice creams although the picture may say otherwise.
Arriving at the first parking space near the cliffs we were confronted with this sight.
Hope this isn’t representative of what happens to all anglers cars.
There is a sticker on the other side of the car, giving the owner twenty-four hours to remove the vehicle from this site. Seems a bit unfair, assuming that the car was stolen, since the owner may not know it is missing or if they do, may not know where it is.
There was quite a useful information board here.
Interesting, although hardly surprising, is the linkage back to England.
From here we made our way down to the cliffs and the potential fishing sites. There are made paths running along the cliff tops, with view platforms positioned at various points.
View From Platform Over Blackwall Reach
Although the viewing platforms are positioned several metres above the water, the local council has provided for anglers by placing special bins for hook and nylon disposal.
Looking Back Towards Point Walter
General consensus is that this would be a good place to try out, so the plan is to give it a go sometime next week. I’ve not fished from cliff tops before but it can’t be much different from fishing off a pier…… can it ?
Just below one of the viewing platforms there were a number of Black Swans resting….. although, with the naked eye, these two looked more like gnarled, twisted driftwood.
Black Swans
Heading back to the car and onwards to home, we stopped for me to get a couple of shots across the river to the Perth city skyline. This gave me the opportunity to also capture a couple of local wildlife shots.
First up is a cluster of pied (?) cormorants ….
Pied Cormorants ?
Then we have a much rarer species …..
Orange Backed Yellow Jackets – Otherwise known locally as “schoolies”
As you can see in the photo, these are Orange Backed Yellow Jackets, known locally as “schoolies”. Known for gathering onto rafts during the summer season. These are the young but they are always overseen by the elders of their species. They can be identified by the darker plumage.
Further along the shoreline the Perth skyline comes into view…..
Perth City Skyline
Shame it was a little hazy. Hopefully, I’ll get some better shots as we advance through our trip.
I’m sorry but it seems like my posts of late seem to be food based. Actually I’m not really that sorry as I like food, a lot. And, Australia is just full of fabulous food. Down here in WA there is an abundance of fabulous seafood, tender steaks and plenty of new “craft” beers to wash it all down. It helps that many of the fine eateries are located in nice, picturesque, touristy areas.
Today we headed down to the Ravenswood Hotel situated on the banks of the Murray River. We have been here on previous visits to Oz and it is nice to sit out by the river watching the boats and water birds. Since my last visit the outside eating area has been upgraded from grass to a more formal block paved terrace and they have put deterrents up overhead to try and keep the gulls away from the tables. Its a shame, but just as we arrived the weather became overcast and there was a bit of a breeze which at least kept the flies away.
On arrival the car park had seemed really full and we expected the hotel to be really busy. However, there were plenty of tables available both inside and out. We elected to sit outside so that we could enjoy the view.
Ravenswood Hotel – View From The Terrace
A rare event for us is that we all selected the same items from the menu. We all elected to go for the Scotch Fillet, two well done, one medium and I as always chose to go rare. In addition, we all requested the optional extra of Garlic Prawns.
Our meals were ready really quickly and proved to be well cooked. The chef(s) had prepared the steaks just right with only one minor gripe. The chips came ready salted which seems to be the norm everywhere we have been during the last week or so. One of our group is trying hard to cut down on their salt intake and this inclusion by default doesn’t help. It also seems an odd thing to do in these health-conscious days.
Ravenswood Hotel – Murray River Shoreline
Our meals were washed down with Orchard Crush Cider for the girls and One Fifty Lashes for the blokes. The draft version of One Fifty Lashes is very good but, unusual for me, I preferred the bottled version as it seems to be just a little bit more bitter and has a sharper edge. The girls went back later for some Matso’s Ginger Beer which came highly recommended by the barmaid. The drivers had “muggaccinos”, cappuccino served in mugs, although they still came on saucers. These second rounds were required to help wash down two large slices of Lemon Meringue pie and a large slice of Pecan Pie.
With lunch complete we headed off to Rockingham for a stroll along the prom and an ice cream. However the ice cream didn’t happen as the girls were feeling both a little full and a little chilly. The winds were blowing hard, a condition that the many kite surfers were taking full advantage of. We still managed the promenade which has many plaques set in the paving. Each plaque records the names of prominent people and the part that they played in the early history of Rockingham back in the 1890’s.
Rockingham Foreshore – Ships on the horizon, waiting to enter Fremantle
This pelican was just sailing along sedately …..
Aluminium Can – Pelican
….. while further along the shore this power boat was fairly buzzing ….
Power Boat – Rockingham, WAPower Boat Viewed From Rockingham – In The Background Road Bridge To Garden Island and HMAS Stirling (Naval Base)
Moored just off the beach at Rockingham is this vessel, Lissa Solklint.
Power Boat Passing “Lissa, Solklint”
From the web this 1950’s built ship is variously listed as a cargo vessel and as a luxury “super yacht” ???
Rockingham Foreshore – Looking South-West…ish
Note: For those of you who have looked at the above photo, and questioned the direction of the shot, please look HERE for an answer to Jims question which echoed my own. For me, the position of the sun and the shadows was all wrong.
Looking Towards Fremantle
The beaches were relatively empty. However I am reliably informed that, come the weekend, and later this month when the schools close for their summer break, Rockingham will be heaving.
Tugs Assist A Cargo Ship Into The Quayside
So, a pleasant day with good food, followed by genteel exercise all tempered with a fresh sea breeze. Shame we didn’t get that ice cream but we have plenty of time yet.
We have, over the years, visited Mundaring Weir on many occasions. We have not, however, eaten at the Mundaring Weir Hotel which is just a few minutes away from the weir. So we decided to give them a try for lunch.
Mundaring Weir Hotel
Apparently, there has been an establishment on this site since the turn of the century and was originally built to service the workers and visitors to the weir. In 1898 a single storey building called the Reservoir Hotel was built. Then in 1906, a two-storey building was added and the hotel was renamed Goldfields Weir Hotel. Not sure when it was renamed again but whatever name it is sporting the building still retains much of the decor and character of the original.
Food is only served during the day and it is what they term “counter food”. Back home in the UK I guess we would just refer to bar meals.
I had the Steak Sandwich which is described as “Graziers porterhouse steak with onion jam, cheddar cheese, beetroot & rocket with BBQ and ranch dressings. Served with chips”.
Gerry and Denise both had the Snapper Burger “with lemon & dill aoili, lettuce, chopped salad and beer battered chips”
All agreed that the food was very good although we would have preferred the food to have been served on plates rather than the wooden board which allowed the food to slide of onto the table. The star of these meals was the beer battered chips which were crisp on the outside and full and fluffy on the inside.
The girls each had a “midi” of refreshing Orchard Crush apple cider while I had a midi of an amber ale called Nine Tales . Both brews are from the James Squire Brewery. One thing I can vouch for is that Australian craft beers are seriously good and a long way removed from the horrendous lagers, such as Fosters, which they insist on exporting to us.
Mundaring is about an hours drive out from Perth and the road out to the hotel takes you though picturesque woodlands interspersed with open farmlands.
Farmland near Piesse Brook, Kalamunda
On a previous trip out to this area we had encountered kangaroos crossing the road. On this occasion we spotted a much more diminutive creature, a Bobtail Lizard.
Apparently these fellows are quite often kept as pets but come with a government health warning “CAUTION: These lizards can deliver a painful and bloody bite”. See this video.
Around the hotel grounds I came across these guys ….
Parrot B-B-Q
After a BBQ lunch what do you need, why a nice cold beer of course….
I Just Dropped In For A Swifty
These guys are obviously quite used to humans around the hotel grounds. They let me get quite close before taking off to the nearby trees.
Who you looking at ?
All in all a pleasant afternoon.
Well pleasant except for the flies which were very much in evidence whenever we stepped out of our car.
As I posted on Friday, we were heading up to Wooroloo on Saturday for a tribute act extravaganza. We trundled up to El Caballo Resort suitably equipped with concert seats and bug spray, this being an outside event.
Arriving about 15:30 we picked up our tickets and were duly supplied with coloured bands to identify us as fully paid up for both the show and a buffet meal.
The venue is ideally suited for this type of event with a grass amphitheatre and a covered stage built at the central focal point. Not long after we had arrived, and set up our seats, the show got off to a fairly prompt start.
After an introduction by the MC we were treated to a rendition of Imagine by “John Lennon” as a mark of respect to those who had suffered losses due to the recent atrocities.
NOTE: Apologies for the photos. I didn’t have my camera and my phone is not very good over distance or in the dark. I include them only to give an idea of the venue and break up the sea of text.
And so the show got underway ….
First up was the Roy Orbison Show. This band were really quite good and soon had the audience singing along with them. The “Big O” vocalist gave a pretty good impression. I had seen Roy Orbison, many years ago, in Portsmouth and still remember his fairly stiff performance. Stepping up to the mic to sing, then stepping back prior to the next number. Obviously this show was more a tribute to an earlier, younger man. All in all though, an enjoyable performance.
The Roy Orbison Tribute Show
Next up was the Johnny Cash & June Carter Show and this was where the standards slipped. There were issues with the radio mics throughout the performance which didn’t help but that wasn’t the real problem. The act opened with a solo “Johnny Cash” strolling down among the audience. We lost track of him for most of his performance as he was on in his knees “interacting” with the female audience members. I have seen many TV and video performances of Johnny Cash and don’t remember any where he wandered amongst the audience acting like he was gods gift to women. Throughout the performance his favourite phrase was “you’re on fire” but sadly he didn’t actually do much singing. Given the “Man in Blacks” vast catalogue of songs it’s a shame this guy didn’t concentrate more on the singing as his voice was quite good. At some point he introduced “June Carter”, his “lovely wife”. Apparently she was the writer of many of his “favourite” songs. We were treated to a couple of songs regularly peppered with entreaties to “put your hands in the air” and more “your on fire”. Even with his “beautiful wife” out there he was still off playing to individuals in the audience. A perfectly good stage was totally unused and for most of the act we couldn’t actually see where he was. For me, a long time fan of Cash and his songs, the inclusion of this act was pretty much a waste of time. Not much of a show unless you were sat six feet away from him.
After a short break it was time for the The Beatles Show. Thankfully these guys repaired the damage done by the previous act. The sound quality was good, the playing and singing were good too. So much so that we were able to forgive the overly heavy “puddlian” accent.
Opening their set dressed for and playing songs from the Sgt. Peppers era they soon had the audience singing along. After a couple of songs they stripped off the colourful coats and reverted to the earlier Beatles style dressed in black shirts and trousers. They delivered a slick performance of the early hits interspersed with anecdotes to identify where the songs belonged in the Beatles historical timeline.
With the conclusion of a very good set we took ourselves of to explore the delights of the buffet meal. Much to our surprise this turned out to be a full-blown sit down meal. We had been expecting to collect our food and go back outside to our concert chairs to eat. El Caballo had put on quite a good spread with choices of chick pea or green salad, a very yummy red cabbage coleslaw, mushroom risotto, sliced pork, beef stew, a fish dish and roast vegetables. There were also choices of sweet which included two different flavoured mousses and a fruit salad. This was only let down, a little, by the lack of organisation with regard to tables and seating. Most folks appeared to be coming in to the dining room in groups of two, four and occasionally six. But the tables were laid out for eight which meant by the time we entered all of the spare seats were scattered around the room. We were lucky to find a table that had four seats available together, but others behind us were not so lucky.
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, we missed the Marylyn Monroe performance while we were eating. I’m not sure what kind of performance this would have been. Personally I can only name two songs she’s associated with, Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend and Happy Birthday Mr President. We will never know if we should be disappointed.
Next up for us was the Creedence Clearwater Revival Show and once again we were treated to a very good performance. These guys turned out to be, for us, the act of the night.
During a set that lasted for about an hour, they played all of the major Creedence hits, finishing up with Proud Mary which, by the way, is the name of the band. Once again the audience was well into the music as well as many folks making use of the dance floor. They are very competent musicians / singers and, if you ever have an opportunity to see them, you will not be disappointed. Given the issues surrounding the real Creedence band members it is unlikely that any of us will see them live on stage anytime soon. Proud Mary make for a great substitute.
A surprise set was Aurora Mackrill who just appeared on stage, with no introduction, in a long shimmering silver dress. Her set was very short, comprising just three Shirley Bassey songs. Looking at her website it would seem that she probably did the Marylyn Monroe stint that we missed earlier. We all thought she was very good and would have been happy for her to continue.
Next on the menu was the Elvis Presley Show. “The King” bounded onto the stage dressed in white suit and cape. We soon recognised that this was in fact our “Johnny Cash” performer from earlier. So “The Man in Black” had transformed into “The Man in White” and although the songs had changed the act had not. He couldn’t resist coming down off stage and mixing with the crowd. Once again we were “on fire” and he reverted to the one on one performance that had plagued his “Johnny Cash” act. The gremlins that plagued his earlier show also returned and without warning his music stopped and the sound engineers put on a recording. In response to the opening bars “Elvis”, not knowing that his act had been curtailed, said “What’s this one then ?” The evening continued with recorded music for a short while and then “The King” was back to fairly audible groans from some of the audience. Thankfully, our suffering wasn’t prolonged. His performances as Cash and Presley may have been tolerable had he actually spent more time singing to the whole audience. In my opinion he was a waste of space. More time could have been given over to the other acts. Also, bizarrely, some women were either passing their underwear or telephone numbers to him. Did they not know that he wasn’t the real thing?
Last up for the evening was the Tina Turner Show featuring Rebecca O ‘Connor. This act got off to a promising start with a huge intro. The dancers came onto the stage followed by Ms O’Connor who struck a pose, arms outstretched, as in Tah Dah, here I am. Unfortunately, she was in darkness and we couldn’t see her. The lighting at the front of the stage left much to be desired. In addition the camera which was feeding the two inflatable screens either side of the stage was almost permanently set to provide an image about the same size as the stage appeared with normal eyesight.
So, no close up of “Tina”. The sound quality of the vocals was not very good and after the first number Ms O’Connor was berating her sound crew to make adjustments to add some warmth. Her vocals needed something. Tina Turners voice switches between rough like bootleg whisky thru to smooth like blended bourbon and honey. Ms O’Connors voice was permanently switched to bootleg and began to grate. Like listening to a bandsaw. Maybe she shouldn’t try to do too many consecutive performances, having appeared in Perth the night before. Apparently, the band was lacking decent sound levels via their monitors a point which Ms O’Connor made to the sound crew while moving mic stands around on stage. I understand that the point of a tribute act is to provide the audience with the look and sound of the original artist, but I felt that Rebecca O’Connor with her exaggerated posturing and gestures had created a caricature of Tina Turner. And, with the unpleasant roughness of her vocals we decided to call it a night. We weren’t the only ones and having packed up our things we joined a line of other folks heading for the exits.
Overall we had a great day and, perhaps, on another occasion we would have enjoyed “The Big O”, “The King” and “Tina”.
The show was, despite my reservations and criticisms, well worth the money.
Mad, impetuous fools that we are, we are heading up to Wooroloo and El Caballo Resort for an outdoor musical extravaganza.
The show is entitled Simply The Best and is an evening of tribute acts and the line up goes like this …..
Roy Orbison Show 4.00pm – 5.00pm
Johnny Cash & June Carter Show 5.00pm – 5.20pm
The Beatles Show 5.30pm – 6.30pm
Elvis Presley Show 6.30pm – 6.50pm
Creedence Clearwater Revival Show 7:30pm – 8.30pm
Marylyn Monroe Show 8.30pm – 8.45pm
Tina Turner Show 9.00pm – 10.30pm
We will either have a fabulous time or it will be a monumental disaster. Only time will tell.
WrAnTz 