Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 49 – Herdsman Lake, Thrombolites and a Giant

August 29, 2023

Herdsman Lake is a natural wetland that, despite human modification is a valuable urban habitat for wildlife. Tiger snakes are commonly seen in summer. Habitats include dense wetland rushes, fragments of remnant paperbark and flooded gum woodlands and well as maintained open grass parklands. Herdsman Lake contains a wetland dominated by Bulrush (Typha orientalis) and … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 49 – Herdsman Lake, Thrombolites and a Giant

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 48 – Perth

August 28, 2023

We returned to John Forrest National Park at a different access point. Flowers along the Railway Reserves Heritage Trail The Railway Reserves Heritage Trail leads into a cutting… …and into the 340 metre tunnel designed by Chief Engineer CY O’Connor in 1895. The tunnel was blasted with explosives. The roof was unstable so was bricked … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 48 – Perth

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 47 – Wireless Hill and Fremantle

August 27, 2023

On the way to Fremantle is Wireless Hill Park. It has a reputation for a very good range of wildflowers in spring. Red and green kangaroo paws are prolific. It is one of the few places near Perth where there is usually a good crop of the smaller cat’s paws.  Brown honeyeaters were quickly going … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 47 – Wireless Hill and Fremantle

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 46 – Kaarakin and John Forrest National Park

August 26, 2023

Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre. Sick and injured cockatoos are rehabilitated here and released once they reach beak performance. Kaarakin is based on the Noongar word “kaarak” which means “black cockatoo.” Kaarakin was developed on the site of an old wildlife park and has inherited a few animals that cannot be released into the wild … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 46 – Kaarakin and John Forrest National Park

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 45 – Kings Park

August 25, 2023

We have booked in for 6 nights at Northbridge on the northern edge of the city to explore Perth. The map above shows some of our intended destinations during this time. Kings Park is home to the spectacular Western Australian Botanic Garden, which displays over 3,000 species of the State’s unique flora. Two thirds of … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 45 – Kings Park

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 44 – Rotto

August 24, 2023

In Queensland we tend to abbreviate place names with a “y” or “ie” – Brisbane becomes Brissie, Rockhampton “Rocky”, Bundaberg “Bundy” and Gold Coast “Goldy”. In the west “o” is the go. Geraldton becomes “Gero”, Fremantle “Freo” and Rottnest Island “Rotto”. It was an early start to catch the Rottnest Fast Ferry from Hillarys Boast … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 44 – Rotto

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 43 – Toodyay

August 23, 2023

Before I commence today’s blog – I have identified this beautiful insect as the Green Clerid Beetle (Eleale aulicodes) – a real gem of the kwongan heath. Thanks to GJ for the messages and interest. Toodyay’s historic main street – Stirling Terrace has many fine old buildings. Toodyay is derived from the Noongar work ‘Duidgee’ … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 43 – Toodyay

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 42 – Kwongan in National Parks

August 22, 2023

We returned to Lesueur National Park and did the road loop through the park and the Gairdner Trail that circles a long rocky hill with some different species of wildflowers. Kingia in the morning light The Northern Queen of Sheba Orchid (Thelymitra pulcherrima) is listed on WA’s Declared Rare and Priority Flora List. We were … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 42 – Kwongan in National Parks

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 41 – Lesueur National Park

August 21, 2023

Lesueur National Park is home to over 900 plant species – 10 percent of Western Australia’s known flora. There is as much biodiversity here as in the Amazon rainforest. We are now in the kwongan – a Noongar term for the sandplains with low bushy heath. The Noongar are Indigenous Australian peoples who live in the south-west … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 41 – Lesueur National Park

Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 40 – Nambung National Park

August 20, 2023

Cervantes is a small seaside town with fishing as its major industry. Lobsters are caught off the coast here. I once stopped by a roadside lobster stand that said “lobster tails $20”. I paid my $20 and the owner of the stand says… “Once upon a time there was this lobster……” Known as the Bobtail … More Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 40 – Nambung National Park