John and I have been a lot of places within a 3-4 hour drive from Perth in Western Australia. We were looking for somewhere new and some place where it wasn’t raining. With a long list of promise of seeing some birds, we chose Beacon, Western Australia. So, we didn’t...
Back in the USA where spring is blooming, here in Western Australia it’s technically what they call autumn, but it doesn’t seem like autumn to an American. Then I saw a post in a Facebook post from Americans in Perth regarding this Orchard, and that it looked very American like...
After a sweet, lovely, calm time at Herron Point, we headed back north to make our way home, but as always, looking for a spot to see a sunset. We decided to take a dirt track to Austin Bay.
Because of Covid-19 restrictions, here in Western Australia we had regional boundaries we could not cross. So we looked to see here we could go for an outing and decided on Herron Point, south of Mandurrah. It was a lovely spot to spend some time situated along the white sandy...
I’ve been coming and living part time in WA for 7 years now. Perhaps I don’t get surprised much anymore, but often there are things that happen or you see something that makes you just pause. If you think that Aussies have a sense of humor, they most certainly do....
This page is dedicated to Western Australian Orchids I have personally seen and photographed in the wild. Orchid hunting isn’t for the faint of heart. One must be ready to: drive long distances deal with the heat deal with the cold and wind be prepared with boots in case there...
Wongan Hills is a rural town located two hours’ drive (or 185 kilometers) northeast of Perth and is the center of a prosperous grain, sheep and pig farming district. The town takes its name from the range of flat topped hills lying to the northwest. These hills are the largest...
We drove through York once in 2010, but we had never gone back. Since it’s Historic, we thought it might be a nice Sunday afternoon outing. We went to church, we ate our lunch, and then we were off. York is the oldest inland town in Western Australia, situated 97...
After riding through Guildford some time ago on our way to somewhere else. we decided to return as it looked like a lovely place for photos. Guildford was established in 1829 on the Swan River, being sited near a permanent fresh water supply. During Captain Stirling’s exploration for a suitable...
Continuing from Part 1 of our visit to the Aquarium of Western Australia
So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:21 This is only my second...
Tomorrow, if all goes to plan, Laura and I will head out for a vacation that we have waited on, to Perth, Australia. We are almost weary before we begin, as the 5 hours from Baltimore to LA, the 15 and a half hours from LA to Melbourne, and then...
Because of record-setting rains in Western Australia, the wildflowers have been predicted to have a promising spring. Even though we are still in winter, it was very much looking like spring our four-hour drive north…
The Canola fields of Western Australia, lead to wonderful and amazing orchids
The terms “State forest” and “timber reserve” refer to areas of Crown land set aside for uses including timber production, conservation and recreation. They include Crown land reserved as a State forest or timber reserve and used to grow non-native plantation species. State forests and timber reserves are managed by the Department of Environment and Conservation (“DEC”), and are the only areas where timber harvestingcan occur on DEC managed land. Timber reserves and State forests are managed identically.
How does one spend the end of the day on a three-day weekend, find a rock and climb it of course? First to say, the name Yilliminning is of Aboriginal origin, derived from rock, pool, and river of the same name nearby, and was first recorded in 1892. It originally had one...
With water even. You are saying, all lakes have water, right?Well, not in Western Australia. So on my newsfeed on Facebook, I see a headline about Tooliban Lake, the first time it’s been filled to its highest heights in 20 years, I took notice. And since we are often looking...
Our visit to Cunderdin Hill was breathtaking, a sea of pink everlasting daisies.
After our visit to Depot Hill, we decided to go back to Eneabba to see if the Queen of Sheba orchids were open.
Our next stop was Depot Hill, Cow Slips were the stars of the show.
We’ve had over a month of rain and I think we’ve come to the conclusion there are only so many errands, shopping, and gardening between the raindrops one can do before you just have to take off to the country. But where should we go? There was more wind and...
Got a good reasonFor taking the easy way out From lockdowns, restrictions, not being well, rain, and only being able to go to church if we wore a mask, John and I decided to get out of town, and head to the country. Since it wasn’t really planned, and because...
Since being in Australia longer than expected because of Covid, we find ourselves still together, and a whole year has passed and here we are – our second autumn, and once again to see the Golden Valley Tree Park. When you come from the east coast of the USA, you...
Donnybrook is a town situated between Boyanup and Kirup on the South Western Highway, 210 kilometres (130 mi) south of Perth, Western Australia. The town is the centre of apple production in Western Australia. The town is also known for its picturesque abundance of English Oak trees, as well as...
As typical in summer here in Western Australia, there are bushfires that sprout up all around us. In fact, one was big and near. When the evening cools, we like to sit on our veranda and watch the sunset. The smoke, however, gives the sky and sunset a different look....
When we go down south, I think it goes without saying we should have lunch at the Berry Farm Café. I go there for the birds, but the food isn’t bad either. The Berry Farm is one of Western Australia’s best places in the Southwest to have lunch or even...
So our rather confusing back and forth on the map, we made it to Redgate Beach, however we were quite cautious, I mean “Lives have been lost” was now in the back of our minds, if not the front. One of those vessels was the sail/steamer SS Georgette , which sunk in...
Hamelin Bay is a bay and a locality on the south-west coast of Western Australia between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste. It is named after French explorer Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin who sailed through the area in about 1801. It is south of Cape Freycinet. To the north, the beach...
So back home in the USA, if it’s too hot a lot of people will head north to cool off, so here in Australia, it has to be the opposite. One goes south. It’s a little hard to wrap my head around this concept, nevertheless, after weeks of 90 degrees...
Even though John and I like to go all around Western Australia and have our little adventures, sometimes we can be like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz: …if I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Well there is...
With gladness to get out of the house and hopes to see birds, orchids, Western Australia’s natural beauty, and whatever else it had to offer, we went for a day’s outing to Foxes Lair via Boddington. It wasn’t long we found ourselves in Boddington. The town owns its name to...
We’ve been to Coalseam Conservation Park a handful of times before, but we read that the flowers were ready to burst open up there and after about 5 rainy days straight in Perth, it was very enticing to go 4 hours north just to escape the wet and windy conditions...
John introduced me to Western Australia’s orchids over 20 years ago with the Pink Fairy Orchid. (Which still remains a favorite, and now we own one!) What he didn’t count on after we were married, that in his life partner he had created an orchid hunting monster. And why not?...
My back, hip, and knee were all out of whack, and I was in bad need of a Chiropractor, but decided to go to John Forrest carrying all my camera gear on my back and enjoy the beautiful day we had here in Perth. The things I will do to...
Out of work and there are no jobs…let’s go to King’s Park and get out of the house. Technically it’s winter here, and it’s kinda hard for a Marylander to think of going to the park on a winters day, and to see flower yet? But find flowers we did,...
Having been to one side of the Golden Valley Tree Park, and then a walk around Balingup, we returned to the Tree Park to have a look at the Australian Tree side. It was getting late, and I was tired and hungry, so we only saw a small portion of...
At this time, we realized we planned very badly for our outing and didn’t have lunch with us. We decided to take a trip into the small neighboring town. That will be the next blog 🙂 Oh, and if you’re really curious as to which trees they had represented in...
After seeing the Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs, we went to see the River Gorges. (To see the photo larger, click on it). Western Australia never ceases to take my breath away at its beauty.
On what seemed to be the most windiest day of the year, we were at Kalbarri Coastal Cliffs. To have an idea how bad the wind was, here is a video, using my phone camera, with the case’s wrist strap tied tightly around my wrist: As much as the...
After great rest in our hotel in Geraldton, feeling far from home, we were about to go two hours even more north, headed to Kalbarri National Park. As excited as I was to see the National Park, our trips are often as much about the journey as getting there, so...
