#shoalwater up for grabs

[saltyground]

"yeah a lot of it everywhere...sand by the looks of things"

[shannrussell-blog1]

When the words ‘Perth’ and ‘hiking’ are uttered in the same sentence there are good odds the conversation is about the Perth Hills, where the flat Swan Coastal Plain ends and the Darling Scarp emerges.

The bushland and undulating hills make for some great bushwalking (there’s one track that’s 1000km long!) among wildflowers, waterfalls, and the odd abandoned quarry.

But it’s not all grass trees and red-tailed black cockatoo flocks, don’t forget Perth also has some great coastline walks along the Indian Ocean, and the mighty Swan River.

Don’t have a car? Neither do I. So the five areas listed below are all accessible by public transport. Okay, I might be pushing it with Ellis Brook Valley, but I have to include it anyway.

So, grab your SmartRider card and let’s get hiking!

1. Kalamunda National Park

Distance from Perth: 28km

Walking 1000km along the Bibbulmun Track from Kalamunda, in the Perth Hills, to Albany is not everyone’s cup of tea. But, with the Kalamunda bus station at the doorstep of the Bibbulmun Track’s northern terminus, almost anyone can experience at least a small section of this famous trail.

Rocky Pools in flow in Kalamunda National Park

Apart from adding a feather to your hiking cap, there is also plenty to see, especially wildflowers, bushland panoramas, and birdlife. A popular spot is the scenic Rocky Pools, which was a popular swimming hole pre-1930s. Not sure how the kids back then coped with the freezing water. I’ll just enjoy the sound of running water and hopping amongst the rocks, thanks.

The Kalamunda local government provides a number of marked trails which traverse the area and are well worth exploring. The best time to visit is in the cooler months, especially after winter rains have filled the streams, and in late winter and spring when the wildflowers are erupting.

2. Mundy Regional Park and Lesmurdie Falls National Park

Distance from Perth: 24km

Located to the west of Kalamunda and Lesmurdie, the parks are accessible from all sides via public transport. Once again the Kalamunda local government has provided some fantastic marked trails.

My favourite would have to be the Whistlepipe Gully Walk – a 3km trail which loops around the banks of a winding creek with numerous small waterfalls. When the vegetation is lush from winter rains you could swear you are traipsing through a tropical jungle.

Attempting to not get wet at the foot of Lesmurdie Falls

Whistlepipe Gully is a great one for the kids, but if you are looking for a hike a bit more strenuous try a couple of the longer walks which loop around the hillier sections of the park. The reward for your effort will be panoramic views across the Swan Coastal Plain and an abundance of wildflowers and birdlife.

The jewel in the crown, however, would have to be Lesmurdie Falls, probably the most spectacular waterfall in the Perth metropolitan area. For a close-up view, take the Foot of the Falls Trail along Lesmurdie Brook but be careful hopping along those slippery rocks.

For a more panoramic view, take the high road along the southern shoulder of the valley and enjoy aerial views from the observation platforms.

3. Ellis Brook Valley

Distance from Perth: 25km

Okay, so Ellis Brook Valley isn’t that easy to access via public transport (about a 40 min walk from the closest bus stop), but it is doable without a car. And the effort is worth it. The area has probably the best display of wildflowers I have ever seen in the Perth metropolitan area.

There are a number of different trails to explore for different fitness levels. For those that like to take an easier walk try the Echidna, Eagle View Trail, or the Blue Wren Ramble Trail. These three trails have mind-blowing amounts of wildflowers if you come at the right time of year.

If you are more adventurous try the Sixty Foot Falls Trail which climbs to the top of the waterfall, providing brilliant views over the valley and to the city beyond. The trail also passes by the well-known Old Barrington Quarry, which for a hole in the ground is very photogenic.

A walk amongst the wildflowers on the Eagle View Trail

Ellis Brook Valley is a personal favourite of mine. I felt like a kid walking around here for the first time. Not sure what it was about this place.

Wildflowers I have never seen before? Pushing my way through tunnels of chickweed to find a babbling brook surrounded by colour? Hunting down my first ever sighting of a splendid blue fairywren? Or crawling through a hole in a fence to tip-toe my way to the edge of an abandoned quarry? Whatever it was, I had a blast and will forever be memorable.

4. Perth’s Indian Ocean Coastal Walks

Distance from Perth: 49km

That’s enough of the Perth Hills, time to give hikes along Perth’s stunning coastline some credit. There are plenty of walks all the way from Burns Beach in the north, to Mandurah in the south, but my favourite would have to be what I term the Unofficial Rockingham Coastal Hike.

Atop a sand dune enjoying the calm blue waters of Warnbro Sound

Stretching from the Rockingham City foreshore on Cockburn Sound, around Point Peron, along with the Shoalwater Islands Marine Park coastline, and then finishing in Port Kennedy after enjoying the expansive ocean views of Warnbro Sound, the Rockingham Coastal Hike is a big task at 25km.

Luckily the majority of the trail is a flat concrete path but you do get some adventure along the rocky shores of Point Peron. As the majority of the trail is easily accessed by public transport the hike can be broken up into much smaller sections.

So what can you experience on the walk? Plenty. Indian Ocean views, long sandy beaches, jagged limestone cliffs and outcrops, dolphins, bird life, rolling sand dunes, flocks of colourful kiteboarders, exploring WWII bunkers and gun emplacements, nude beaches (if you are so inclined), maritime history, and best of all absolutely stunning sunsets. A great summertime hike, so bring your swimmers.

5. Walking the Banks of the Swan River

Distance from Perth: 2.5km (to Narrows Bridge)

I’m not sure the exact length of the Swan River’s perimeter, but whatever it is it’s huge. This means plenty of walking opportunities. But where to start? Why not the Three Bridges Loop which joins the Narrows Bridge, the Canning Bridge and the Queen Victoria Street Bridge.

At a touch over 40km, you may want to break the walk into sections and spread the joy. Along the way there are obviously three bridges but also dolphin sightings, spectacular river views, Point Walter Spit (a sandbar that extends over 1km into the river at low tide), parklands, cafes to sample, black swans, sunsets from Como jetty and a glimpse into the lives of Perth’s wealthy (including one of Australia’s most expensive houses at $57.9 million).

Perth city lights reflecting on the Swan River

Want something a little closer to the Perth CBD? Try the loop from the newly developed Elizabeth Quay, over the Narrows Bridge, along the South Perth Foreshore, across Heirisson Island (don’t forget to say hello to the urban mob of Western Grey kangaroos) and then back along Riverside Drive. A great walk to take on a warm summer night while watching the city lights sparkle.

Heading interstate or maybe you live further east? Here are the best hikes near Adelaide, Brisbane, and Melbourne.

What’s your favourite bushwalk near Perth? Comment below.

The post Top 5 Hikes near Perth appeared first on Snowys Blog.

[perthuncommon]

Road trip inspiration – four roadies you can do within 2 hours of Perth!

With the temperature rising and the water beckoning, but end-of-year holidays still a little out of reach, we’ve brought the break closer with four mini days out within an hour of Perth.

No annual leave to book, no long distances to travel.  Grab your mates and get going!

Beers, BBQs, boating and infinity pools in Mandurah

[caption id="attachment_1988" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image via Eco BB Boats Facebook[/caption]

If you’ve ever been torn between wanting to relax on a boat or have a barbie, now you can do both. Start your day by hiring a sweet, bright orange donut boat at ECO BBQ Boats. Choose a six- or ten-seater, byo food and booze, and one designated driver, er, captain, to sail you around safely. Your skipper doesn’t need a boat licence, but mustn’t consume alcohol. Cruise around the canals and nearby parklands, fire up the barbie, pipe in your own music through the Bluetooth sound system, kick back and enjoy the views.

To give your captain a break – and a chance for an adult beverage – stop in to Catch 22 for post-boating drinks, and lunch if you’re still peckish. There’s a range of cafes and restaurants to choose from along Dolphin Quay.

If you don’t want to make someone a designated driver for the day and you want to kick on, make a staycation of it and stay the night at Seashells. I mean, imagine that beach-front pool at sunset!

Before you hit the road back to Perth, pop into the awesome hole-in-the-wall DPM café for your caffeine fix, breakky bagel or raw treat. If you’re feeling naughty, grab one of their ridiculous Golden Gaytime donuts while you’re there (calories consumed on roadtrips don't count!).

[caption id="attachment_1989" align="alignnone" width="2048"] Image via Seashells Mandurah Facebook[/caption]

Adventure with the Penguins @ Penguin Island

[caption id="attachment_2005" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image via Penguinisland.com[/caption]

If you want to head ‘overseas’ without spending the time or dollars, get up close and personal with some marine critters on and around stunning Penguin Island.

Forty-five minutes from Perth – and a five-minute ferry ride – you’ll find the rocky, rugged island surrounded by sparkling turquoise and soft, biscuit-coloured sand. Get up close and personal with some of the 1,200 penguins that call the island home.

You can wander around the island via boardwalk trails, stop for a swim or a snorkel, then enjoy a late afternoon picnic with killer views as the red sun sinks into blue.

Feeling adventurous and wanna learn yourself a few things? Because it’s part of the surrounding Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, you can book a wildlife cruise where you’ll see wild dolphins and rare (giant) sea lions. You can also take a sea kayaking tour, get SUPing or go kiteboarding.

[caption id="attachment_1990" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image via Penguinisland.com.au[/caption]

For the photographers and adventurers, there’s plenty of talent to explore and snap – rugged cliffs, sea caves, natural bridges and wave-cut platforms.

Make sure you grab some supplies from the ‘mainland’ or pack a picnic as there are no food/bev facilities on the island – it’s pristine and chilled like that. And of course, leave it how you found it and take your rubbish with you as there are no bins on the island. Oh, and don’t forget to check the ferry times, so you can get back home.

Swim, camp and relax @ LakeLeschenaultia

[caption id="attachment_1992" align="alignnone" width="1080"] Image via Jamilly Giles Instagram[/caption]

Also just 45 minutes' drive from Perth, you'll find Lake Leschenaultia,  a gorgeous former dam, now a recreational lake.

Pack the mother of all picnics, some robust walking shoes (if you’re into serious bushwalking), your mountain bike, the dodgy cricket set you forgot you had and your bathers. Oh, and for the closet ornithologists among you, there’s some serious birdwatching to be done.

Swim, picnic, challenge your mates to a canoe race, kick the footy, hit the trails or just crack open some coldies and chill.

If you can’t be bothered packing a picnic, you can pre-order a platter or grab a bite at Reflections café.

And, if one day is not quite enough and you really want to soak up that great outdoors feeling, camp for the night – or weekend.

*Unfortunately, you can’t take your four-legged friends on this adventure.

[caption id="attachment_1993" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Image via Trip Advisor[/caption]

Underground and underwater at Yanchep National Park and Lagoon

[caption id="attachment_1994" align="alignnone" width="1224"] Image via Trover.com[/caption]

If you like your terrain diverse, prepare to be wowed just fifty kms north of Perth’s CBD at Yanchep. Think sand dunes, walking trails, lakes, (more than 600) caves and a gorgeous blue lagoon and reef.

For a bit of home-grown paradise, Yanchep Lagoon has your classic, white-sand beach and crystal clear water – and a reef for snorkeling. For the fisherfolk, there’s plenty of places to drop your line, and, when permitted, abalone fishing.

Take a casual stroll or a more serious bushwalk at Yanchep National Park, choosing from its healthy menu of the nine bushwalks, or prove you know your stalactites from your stalagmites at the Crystal Cave. If that gets you thirsty, take a break in the beer garden.

If you prefer your meal pre-cooked, you can grab a bite at Full Flava Café, or head a little further north (10k) for a late lunch or early dinner, while you watch the sun go down at Pickled Herring. Fish and chips from their take-away menu might just be the perfect end to a cracking day.

Can’t you just smell the salty air, feel the sand between your toes and the crunch of twigs in the bush?

[caption id="attachment_1995" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Image via naturemonday.com[/caption]

So there you have it. The next time you find yourself on a Saturday morning, hangover-free – w’hoo! – grab a coffee, hit the road, and head off on an adventure

Check out other experiences and events coming up in Perth here.

The above blog post Road trip inspiration – four roadies you can do within 2 hours of Perth! was published on Perth Uncommon

[icekish90]

Australia 2017 - Western Australia

WEEK 3

08.02.2017 – Day 15

The weather seemed to be showing heavy rain for the next few days, so I thought it would be better to get as much done outdoors as I could. Krish worked in Rockingham, south of Fremantle, and offered me a lift to the town in the afternoon. I ended up driving his car from his office to Rockingham Wild Encounters, where I would have some lunch and purchase a ticket to grab a ferry ride, which was a 5 minute journey, to Penguin Island. On this island, I could see little penguins within a complex, being fed by the employees working there. There had been a problem recently with the water supply to the island due to construction work, but luckily, I visited at the right time to see these little amazing animals swimming and waddling. I also took the walking trail around the island, with breath-taking views of the Indian ocean. There is a sandbar running between the island and Rockingham, and many have used this route to walk to and from areas. There have been a few incidents where people have been ‘swepped’ away due to high tide. I can understand why it is highly not recommended to walk across. The last ferry was at 4pm, so I didn’t have much time to spend on the island. Once arriving back, I went onto Shoalwater Beach to relax and listen to some music. Before heading back to pick up Krish to go back to Fremantle, I managed to see a massive Pelican streaming through the coastal waters looking for fish to eat in the sea.

 09.02.2017 – Day 16

It was a very early start to the day as Krish, Smita and Druv had planned to catch a flight to Melbourne for their holiday break - departure time 7:00am. Using their car, I dropped them off and came back to the house via dropping off the car seat at their friend’s house. I may have been wide awake, but I thought I’d go back to sleep to catch some more sleep from the early wake up. By the time I woke up, it was lunch time and I was rather hungry. I walked into central and decided to try out the Nando’s here in WA. I think the advertisements had lured me into the restaurant. After filling myself with lunch and desert, I walked around, did some shopping, and headed back to the house. The rest of the day consisted of sorting out my CV and looking around for work available in the east coast.

 10.02.2017 – Day 17

The weather had taken a turn today as it was pouring with rain. The temperature had slightly dropped which was good, however walking outside wasn’t pleasant! Today I had planned to visit the famous Fremantle market, which is centrally located and only open between Friday and Sunday. As I walked into the market from the back entrance, I saw a wonder of different shops with the aromatic smell of fresh fruit sold right in front of me. It seemed like there was anything and everything sold within the complex, including fruit and veg stalls, healthy teas, street food, Indian garments, jewellery and much more. After spending a few hours inside, and grabbing a Chicken Katsu Curry from Aki (one of my favourite dishes) I headed back to the house to get ready for my evening plans.

I had planned to visit the Fremantle Prison, where I would be taken round on what is known as the ‘torchlight tour’, described as ‘not for the faint heart’. When arriving at the prison, the entrance was lit up and I felt a cold sense when entering to get my ticket. The tour was led by a guide who provided the group with the dark history of the building, along with funny jokes to slightly lighten up the mood. It was a unique experience for a Friday night which I enjoyed. A highly-recommended landmark to visit.

 11.02.2017 – Day 18

The weather had reverted to the sunny spells Western Australians are used to. I decided to take a train journey and head to the popular Cottesloe beach to grab some food and once again relax and enjoy the sun. There were many people visiting the beach but I managed to catch a quite area to lie down and capture the view of the sea, where people where snorkelling, swimming, surfing and fishing. In the evening, I met up with a girl I had been speaking to on a social network app, in South Perth. We met up at the Windsor bar where they were playing loud live music, with drunk people dancing to the tunes. It was good to sit outside where it was a little quieter to have a good conversation and get to know Vidya. It was a lovely night spent with her, whilst walking along the South side of the Swan River. The last train was at 2:15am, which unfortunately meant we had to finish for the night. The journey back was long, and when arriving back to the house I noticed Rusty (Krish and Smita’s Cockatoo) was chilling outside his cage in the lounge. Before heading to bed, it took me a while to get him on my hand so I could put him back in the cage. A very late night indeed.

 12.02.2017 – Day 19

A late start to the day due to getting to sleep rather late last night. I hadn’t planned sightseeing today as I wanted to get more work done on my CV and applications. However, I did head out to the busy centre to grab a healthy burger at an awesome restaurant called Grill’d. I had a Chicken Schnitzel Burger, topped with tomatoes, onions and guacamole on a seeded bun. A tasty dish to fill my appetite indeed.

 13.02.2017 – Day 20

This was my last full day in Fremantle before I planned to venture up northern Western Australia. I had some work to do today for my dad, and headed up to Joondalup to visit a client of his. For transport, I used the car as it would be easier and quicker to get to the destination. The rest of the afternoon I planned to clean up around the house and sort my bag out for yet another early morning tomorrow. I still didn’t get to bed as early as I wanted, even with a 5:00am start to the morning.

[saltyground]

SHOALWATER: UP FOR GRABS (1992)

Narrated by Peter Garrett

[saltyground]