The following photo’s are of birds that are visiting the garden here in WA. I have no idea what species they are but offer them up for your delectation.
Should anyone be able to identify the species, please let me know.
Spent yesterday evening down by the shore at North Coogee, a coastal, western suburb of Perth, WA.
Close by is the derelict site of the South Fremantle Power Station which closed in September 1985, after 34 years service. Originally coal-fired, later converted to oil. After closure its four chimney stacks were demolished. Seems odd that after thirty years this site has not been cleared.
We had been invited to join my grandson and his partner for a BBQ with some of their friends. This was our first ever, al fresco, BBQ.
The actual BBQ site was a small park separated from the sea by the ubiquitous sand dunes.
The park is part of the C.Y. O’Connor Reserve and had been the venue for a very large party on New Years Eve. There were huge piles of rubbish everywhere, and the public conveniences were not very, convenient that is. In fact they were indescribable.
This did not put us off the BBQ and we had a great time with some tasty food, a few beers and a relaxing time spent talking with some new acquaintances.
At around 20:00 we were treated to a superb sunset…
A great evening.
We made a short visit to the viewing area at Perth Airport, on our way back home, after travelling up the coast for lunch. The viewing area is ideally placed for capturing photos of planes as they take off. Unfortunately that placement isn’t so good for incoming flights as they slow down and taxi away before coming anywhere near the end of the runway. But I guess you can’t have everything.
Some incoming flights do become visible towards the end of the runway, especially if they are big. An Airbus 380 is big, and it uses more of the runway than most other planes.
The A380 visits Perth on a, once, daily basis.
It’s a shame most other airports don’t embrace the publics enjoyment for aircraft observation in the same way as Perth has done. As a boy I had visited Gatwick to watch the planes. Had a fabulous time watching noisy Vickers VC10s, Hawker Siddley Tridents, BAC One-Elevens and even a Lockheed Constellation.
That last just goes to show how old I am. The point is back then we were encouraged to go and watch. Now, at most airports you can only see aircraft if you are departure side of security and if you are stopped anywhere around an airport perimeter or on top of a multi-story car park you are likely to be moved on rapidly.
So, that just leaves air shows and, with this years disaster at Shoreham, even they are under threat.
I’d just like to point out that not every member of the public is a ground-to-air rocket wielding lunatic.
Did you see it ? The ISS (International Space Station) that is.
If you were in the Perth, WA vicinity it would have been visible this evening from around 8:43 PM, for around 6 minutes. According to NASA the ISS would track across the sky, appearing 10° above NW. Reaching a maximum height of 84° before disappearing 11° above SE.
Of course, all of the above assumed a clear sky.
Had you been in the Perth area today you would be aware that today has been a scorcher, with clear blue skies, all day.
So all looked set fair for a great evening for celestial viewing.
Imagine my thoughts when I stepped outside at 20:30 to see the skies obscured by broken clouds.This is typical of my luck regarding all celestial events. Blood moon scheduled to make an appearance, I go to the top of Portsdown Hill but its cloudy. The Perseids meteor shower makes an appearance. Not in any sky that I have access to.
Still, ever hopeful, I settled in to see if my luck had improved. Gerry, Steve and Denise all came out to join me and after a couple of false sightings, the ISS appeared in the sky. Tracking from the far corner of the garden, as expected, and passing almost directly overhead. The bright “star” passed rapidly across the sky, disappearing from time to time behind the clouds. It couldn’t be mistaken for anything else, traversing as it did in an apparent straight line.
We all waved to Tim Peake, the British astronaut, wishing him Merry Christmas. Did you see us Tim ?We commented on what a special achievement the ISS is and that Tim has joined a very unique group of people. It s a very small group that have actually travelled to outer space and Tim has also joined an even more select group, those that have spent Christmas in space.
So we wish the folks up on the ISS all the very best, good luck with their missions and of course wish them safe return.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
These cranes, silhouetted by the setting sun, look somewhat like prehistoric creatures heading to the river to drink.
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.
Yes, that’s twice I’ve been in front of the lens on one single occasion.
Here is the best of a bad lot …..
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.
Please excuse the play on words. It may be Christmas but, down here in Oz, it is the height of summer, in fact Monday was the longest day. Being the longest day may have a different meaning for the various folks involved in fighting the bush fires raging across the country. With temperatures up in the mid to high thirties these folks will be sweltering dressed in their safety gear while they fight to close down these fires.
http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/alerts/Pages/Alert.aspx?ItemId=15797
Earlier yesterday (Monday) afternoon, we had noticed that there was a lot of aerial activity and had seen helicopters and fire fighting (air attack) planes buzzing across the sky.
Planes similar to the following..
It transpires they were probably headed for a bushfire which started on Brentwood Road in Wattle Grove area of Kenwick, a Perth suburb, just 10 kilometres (6 miles) away from where we are.
My granddaughter, returning from the gym, had asked if we had seen the smoke while we were out earlier. Apparently, this local bushfire was just a short distance away from where her friend lives.
The following picture shows the plume of smoke visible from the front doorstep.
Later in the afternoon, while I was typing this post we became aware of a fresh plume of smoke, this time in the exact opposite direction from the original fire.
This fire was near Waterperry Drive just under 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) away.
http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/alerts/Pages/Alert.aspx?ItemId=15807
The wind was blowing the smoke directly over our heads and down into the garden along with ash from the fire. As soon as we noticed the ash, Steve had the air-con turned off. Apparently fires can be transferred by hot embers being sucked into the air-con and entering the roof space.
Soon there were more aircraft in the skies overhead. A helicopter from Channel 7 News was sat up high, make slow circuits round the site of the fire. This was then joined by a small biplane, assumed to be a scout for the emergency services. Through the tree lines I saw at least two of the “attack” aircraft heading into the fire zone. Shortly after, two helicopters entered the fray.
These aircraft are Bell 214B-1 operated by McDermot Aviation. They carry water in “the ‘Tsunami” Belly Tank” slung between the skids. You can also see the “elephants trunk” hanging below, which they can dip in any nearby water source and use to refill the tank.
The two choppers were making regular circuits, flying off to refill, then returning to douse the fire. Out of site from my viewing point I assume there were many fire fighters active on the ground. I could hear sirens for the emergency service vehicles from my location.
Later in the evening you wouldn’t have known that there had been a fire. The skies were totally clear of any smoke from either of the bush-fires, although they were still the subject of active alerts.
Thankfully, according to the local news, nobody was harmed in either incident. Though, some property was lost to the fires.
This is, apparently, the closest fire to their home that my daughter and her husband have experienced. Lets hope there are no more but, with the temperatures set to rise in the next two days, we won’t be holding our breath.
There is also a suspicion that at least one of these fires was started deliberately. Given the monetary cost, and the potential risk to human life, should either case be found to be arson then the full weight of the legal system should be brought to bear.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 …
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.
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 …
…… a Heron ….
…. and a Cormorant drying it’s wings …
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 …..
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.
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 ….
And, at the time of this post, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services had this to say some twenty four hours on …..
http://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/alerts/Pages/Alert.aspx?ItemId=15727
And finally, once again, a big thank you to Paul for donating the fuel.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The photo above is perhaps one of the better examples. The sculptures are supposed to be a depiction and interpretation of aboriginal Dreamtime legends.
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 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 ….
Then we have a much rarer species …..
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…..
Shame it was a little hazy. Hopefully, I’ll get some better shots as we advance through our trip.
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.
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.
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 ….
After a BBQ lunch what do you need, why a nice cold beer of course….
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.
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.
WrAnTz 