Our group of excited travelers were very keen to explore beautiful Perth. Being a 5 hour flight – it is a trek that is not done that often and so this was the golden opportunity for some of our travelers to catch up with family after many years. It was a very special, memorable and emotional time.
We flew into Perth – on the traditional Lands of Whadjuk Nation. We were very impressed with the inclusion of First Nations culture and stories, as there was loads of informative signage and Art.
On our first day we headed to Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, which is just 42km south of Perth and part of a chain of islands that boasts breathtaking marine and coastal scenery. On our boat tour we saw Sea Lions sunning themselves on the beach and the local Dolphins put on a spectacular show beside our boat. We also went for a beautiful walk on Penguin Island which is home for the largest colony of little Penguins in WA. They had the cutest waddle.
After a yummy lunch at Pengos by the Ocean, we headed further south to Mandurah which has beautiful waterways and a relaxed atmosphere. Lots of walking and a visit to the lolly shop was a must.
We finished our day at the iconic Cottesloe Surf Club which was built in 1912, and viewed the most magical sunset over the Indian Ocean.
Wednesday was another exciting day, as we headed to Rottnest Island – known to the local Aboriginal people as Wadjemup, which means ‘place of spirits’. We caught the ferry from Fremantle and arrived on the Island of the World’s finest white beaches and clearest, blue water. We were in awe. Rotto is also famous for their cute Quokkas. About 10,000 Quokkas roam freely around the Island in their natural habitat and are friendly little creatures. We even had them under our table when we were having lunch at the cafe. One of our travellers said – “she loved the Quokkas and particularly their little noses”. After a fun filled day, we finished off, with a yummy dinner at the Durty Nelly’s Irish pub – the Guinness pie was outstanding.
Thursday was another jam packed day of sightseeing. We started the day with a walk from our Rydges accommodation to Elizabeth Quay which is a beautiful waterfront precinct on the banks of the Swan River. Next we visited Kings Park and Botanical Gardens to see the beautiful spring flowers and enjoy the sweeping views of the Swan and Canning Rivers and the city skyline.
After lunch we explored, Fremantle – a maritime city, full of vibrancy, colour and culture. It’s so exciting just walking the streets of Fremantle, as it has remained virtually unchanged since the mid- 19th century. We also visited the historical Round House built 1830, which is the oldest public building in WA – purpose built as a jail. Next was the WA Shipwrecks Museum which houses hundreds of relics from ships wrecked along the treacherous coastline. Our day finished off, with another yummy meal out and lots of chatting and laughing about the highlights of our week, in Perth.
On our last day, before jumping on the plane back to Sydney we squeezed in a visit to the impressive Perth Stadium, and imagined the State of Origin game that Trusted Travel had attended a few months prior.
At the end of our week of sightseeing and exploring we were sad to say Goodbye, but beyond happy that we had made new friends, who we hope to see again on another Trusted Travel adventure.
