Fremantle my favourite place to visit when working
My job has been very good to me over the years and when on duty I would take my residents to Fremantle in West Australia on outings that included walks along the groynes (stone piers) visits to the world renowned Cicerrello;s fish n chip outlet (in days gone by I used to get FREE Fish n Chips but the store has now become very commercialized over the years and any warm sunny weekends the place is overflowing with people .The area is famous for taking the prestigious Americas Cup (yacht race) away from the USA for the first time in almost 150 yrs !! Fremantle located at the mouth of the Swan River.and serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was settled in 1829 and was declared a city in 1929,boasting a population of approximately 25,000. Fremantle is subject to weather and climate relative to seaside communities – to the point that the regular sea breeze is known as the Fremantle Doctor, as it has a cooling effect to provide relief from the summer heat. The Round House, the oldest remaining intact building in Western Australia, was built as a gaol in 1830 Probably the first building arriving convicts saw !!
Burswood Casino Perth
Perth boasts the biggest Casino in Western Australia .Pokies (One armed Bandits) are illegal in WA EXCEPT for the Casino.I go in the local RSL club in Bellevue (great nights on Fridays starting from 7pm) Altho the club struggles the Eastern States & Northern Territories RSL thrive by virtue they have Pokies (not illegal) and the return from these gambling machines is tremendous enabling the clubs to spend on great facilities like cheap subsidised drinks & meals in the clubs restaurants (members only get the cut price,non members pay more BUT membership is only $12 annually !) The Perth casino is built on reclaimed land that was once the areas rubbish tip !!Apart from the Casino a huge 5 star hotel and sports complex is included (The 18 hole golf course is excellent) and the large sports hall accommodates star attractions like Rod Stewart.Although the machines are illegal in pubs West Australians can gamble thru other outlets including Bookies (Horse racing/sporting bets) and often these agencies can be found inside pubs ! Scratch cards and the lotteries re hugely popular but astonishingly Pokies are illegal !! The mind boggles !! It is noticeable that it is winter in Perth by the showing of clouds in the photo,s (tongue in cheek) The Casino is a good night out with its night clubs,pubs,excellent eateries & first class theatre that attracts big names from all over the world (I saw We Will Rock You show TWICE & have to say that production was better than the London version I saw)
Perth suburbs farewell pics
Taking a few pictures of me local area that has been home for almost 30 yrs ! A new life awaits in far off Queensland in a couple of weeks I will get around as much as possible and add moe=re West Australian memories until we get back on the road around end of September
Me and Perth say Goodbye and Hello Hervey Bay (Blog wont allow picture uploads.will fix it when we have moved house)
we came here in late November 1982 as immigrants from the UK staying at the hostel in Mt Claremont. Shortly after Xmas we moved to Rockingham and stayed in a state housing flat for approx 6 months afore moving to the Perth suburbs.In December 1983 I started work with Disabilities Services Commission (after various name changes over the years ) and stayed in their employ for almost 30 yrs reaching retirement age,Working with the people I have over the years has been rewarding altho very challenging at times.We arrived in Perth with 2 small children that became 4 !! I was also fortunate enough to do volunteer work that has gotten me to places like Hawaii, Vanuatu,Fiji,Cocos Isles and around various states in Australia,In our first years ,trains from Perth to Fremantle (my favourite place for taking residents on outings) were discontinued BUT in 1983 Australia won the Americas cup (yes a BOAT race) that at that time had never been won by any other country in over 130 yrs !! in an exciting 4-3 victory This event re vitalized Freo and is now a major tourist spot and the train lines re=opened Whilst living in Perth I have seen the birth of the West Coast Eagles and the Dockers (Freo) AFL teams (known to locals as Ozzie Rules) My local team is Swan Districts who play in the WAFL.Perth has been a great place for me to live,sadly my second marriage ended in divorce and I have since re married (Ann) having both now retired we have joined the Grey Nomads and in one year we have navigated around Australia in our Motor home clocking up over 25,000 kms.On our travels we stayed at Hervey Bay in Queensland and north of Brisbane and fell in love with the place so much we are moving there .and that will give us a good starting point for future trips (the life has introduced us to some fabulous people met on our travels) I have lived mostly in the Eastern regions of Lockridge & Caversham’worked with a lot of good people and enjoyed a mainly lucky life .Beaches are a little too crowded here for me in Perth (pop around 1.5 million and I’m sure all used the same beaches as I did and at the same time !!) and quite a distance from my Caversham home .Our new location in Hervey Bay is 1 km from the Coral Sea Looking forward to many more travels and Blog entries (slowed down because of house selling/buying/re=locating) Tasmania still on the cards,boat is booked for end of November.Heres to the good times ahead …..
Queensland Hervey Bay Variety bash.
These Motors are incredible and each one has been designed and moderated for the harsh Queensland outback bush drive all in the name of charity !! These people put their own time and effort in over a 10 day drive thru some of the toughest country Australia has to offer !! They set off from the Hervey Bay RSL club and we were privileged to get a “pre” look at the cars being prepared for tomorrows bash (organised by the variety club of Australia) The club itself sold items at very reasonable prices (and Oh dear I even bought a John Williamson CD ! BUT it was only $5 !!) and profits from the sale also go into the Variety Bash Club Coffers My favourite car was one being driven by 2 lunatic males dressed as nuns !! All people involved in this event deserve all the recognition possible by doing this drive in their own time and their own cost IF you see these crazy mad people throw a few dollars their way and they will pass it on to the Childrens fund that they support .This is our last day in Hervey Bay due to us going to Perth (Hervey Bay to Sydney flight was very bumpy and we landed in 90 km headwinds,people on board were so relieved at landing safely they gave the pilot a terrific and very well deserved round of applause !!) for a couple of weeks in order to pack our house furniture away and say goodbye to our friends BUT they will all be made very welcome if passing thru our new designated home town !! Hopefully next blogs will come from Perth and will include more great pics stay tuned ……
Annie goes to School
We have just completed a course on basics for the DSLR Camera & I have to say Ann has acquired more knowledge than me !!! Altho the course offered a so called simple look at using cameras my mind boggled almost immediately ! and will take a while for the info to sink in !! Ann has taken a few pics using her new skills on how to set shutter speed use the “f” function and adjust the ISO ( Its no use asking me to explain I’m a pensioner !!) So all these blog pics today (with the exception of the 3 ” beetle ) are Anns. Later we went to lunch at the RSL and was privileged once again to be at the scene of yet another great occasion (The Queensland Variety Bash Cars) and next blog will show novel cars that are used in the event
The new House in Urangan Hervey Bay 2 Kms from the Coral Sea
We have settled down for a short while before our epic journey continues towards Tasmania. House selling/buying has interrupted procedings BUT normal service will be resumed ASAP. The Queensland Gvt are doing a very special deal right now by giving buyers of new houses a $10000 rebate in the hope the building trade will stimulate more employment by this incentive .The firm we are buying from also reduced their house price by $20000 and also offer $3000 cashback For first home buyers add yet another $10000! (that doesnt include me !) SO the ORIGINAL house price was $329000 ( 4 bed 2x bath) and we have it for $296000 ! an absolute bargain in a Cul de Sac ( says my bros in law who is a retired house selling agent) the extra $10000 is valid till Jan 31/2012 SO our timing couldnt be better !!Anyone passing this way call in and say hello (Cheap advert for REMAX in Perth who have been great throughout the selling process )
The Whale in action ~!!
Wasnt altogether happy with some of the pics taken BUT just as we were leavin…..Humpbacks are so called because they arch their backs before diving .Blogs might be a little thin for a while because of selling and buying houses Stay tuned
Hervey Bay Whales
From late July to early November, Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia is privileged to have magnificent Humpback whales grace it’s calm and crystal clear waters, where they feed and raise their young and we were lucky enough to witness this event We took the tourist boat into the Bay (about one hours sailing) and just witness these monster fish playing was awesome One whale swam alongside the boat and was only a few inches below the surface Other sea animals in the area included tortoise/dugongs and dolphins !! The whole area was turned into a massive aquatic playground !! I was lucky enough to capture ONE lase brilliant pic afore leaving SO good it merits a blog on its own !!!
Goodbye Perth hello Hervey Bay
We have sold our property in Perth and involvement has caused me to miss out on doing the Blog ! Now we will be full on looking for suitable premises here in Hervey Bay.Tonight me and Ann went to a camera workshop and learnt a lot about my Nikon !! There is SO much detail involved required for taking photos !! We complete the course next week and will be fully aware of what cameras can do (yeah right!) Tomorrow we venture out into the Coral Sea (yes on a boat )where there are lots of migrating Whales taking a break in the serenely calm waters within Hervey Bay. Hopefully our new skills will bring some great pictures to this Blog. This is an old picture taken in the Hippy town of Nimbin where marijuana is legal and I just loved the town !! coz I havent filmed too much with all the excitement of house selling !! More soon…..
was great fun too !!
Watch me play Didgeridoo
Geoffs Life After Work ! 