Super Service in Subiaco

After a night at the Christian Convention Centre where our caravan was being stored for $3 a night we were definitely ready to spend some time at our friends place. Mel, Mark and Ruby lived in Subiaco which is a very trendy, inner city suburb of Perth, close to everything. The kids were so excited when they saw the size of their house, the TV, foxtel and a room to sleep in that was bigger than the whole caravan.

They were incredibly hospitable and from the moment we arrived we felt very at home. We had the whole long weekend to spend together before we had to leave for Melbourne and they had the weekend planned for us.

Their house was directly opposite Kings Park, an open parkland with both manicured gardens and walks as well as natural bushland. Josh and I took Raffy the dog for a walk in the morning. A fantastic park to have at your backdoor.

Mel is a hairdresser from home but is also very into self –development and a healthy lifestyle. The house always smelt amazing with incense, frankincense or oils burning throughout the day. Mark is a director of a large concrete company in Perth as well as a keen sailor and boatie. His latest venture was building some high class motor boats in China at present. They were really interesting and fun people to be around and were wonderful to our kids too.

 

Our Ruby was happy to be playing barbies and dress ups with their Ruby, Oscar single handedly commandeered the TV remote and Jem just happy to get his lego out and play. Especially happy as Mark had recently come back from China the day before with the complete Star Wars DVD collection. What more could he want? Josh and I on the other hand were pleased to have some adult conversation and company. We were all very content!

Fremantle was next on our itinerary and a drive along the coast through Perth’s beachside suburbs. A stop for a GOOD coffee and a run around on the beach for Raffy the Highland Terrier and we were off again to the well- known Fremantle markets.  Fremantle has a lot of history surrounding it with an old gaol, cobblestone paths and historic workers cottages. Today however, it is a very busy port and an increasingly trendy alternate community.

The streets were lined with entertainers, pubs were full of young people and buskers singing their hearts out along the cobblestone paths. There was a buzz of activity all around. Oscar was keen to sample the Indian food at the markets, Trace, Mel and Rubes keen to look at everything the markets had to offer and Jem as usual ready to go home and play with lego.  As we walked to the markets, the kids were enticed by some rides in the local park, the bungy ride catching their eye. So, true to our word they all had a go on it. Jem enjoying his first experience.

 

 

 

After a stop at the local fish monger for some seafood we were off home for a dinner feast, relaxation and more Star Wars.

Public holiday Monday was spent walking through Kings Park and the gardens, viewing the cityscape and playing on the grass with the kids, along with what seemed like most of the population of Perth. Mark is a bit of a chef at heart and likes to have a say in what is happening in the kitchen. He has a pizza oven in the courtyard which we were lucky enough to experience. Well we thought we were.

 

By early morning we were woken with Rubes coming down two sets of stairs, having vomited on both landings, soon to be woken by Jem vomiting and shortly after Oscar. It was going to be a long night. Trace wasn’t feeling great either but an injection from Josh kept her going to care for the others. Coming out both ends, it was not pleasant and we were thankful that we had two bathrooms and a whole section of the house dedicated to our misery.  

Mel, Mark and Ruby were absolutely wonderful to us and even though we had only known them for only 5 days before our visit, it was as if we had known them for years when we left Perth. They were incredibly generous to open their house to us and make us feel so welcome. What's more they wanted Trace and the kids to stay with them again when they returned from Melbourne without Josh for a few days.

Besides three sick children our other problem was that we were leaving for Melbourne that day in the late afternoon. Josh was on the phone to find out if we could change tickets, only to find out that we had until midday to make a decision. Luckily the kids picked up throughout the day and with no food, water and a bit of sleep they managed to get through the four hour flight to Melbourne and straight to bed at Debs house at midnight. Thank goodness!

 

 

 

 

Good food, some friends and good fun ………….Margaret River

After leaving the beauty of the Shannon National Park, the benchmark was set for the next few weeks. We’d heard so much about Margaret River and were not disappointed. Our accommodation was to be on a working sheep station that on the side catered for caravans and campers. The drive was long, through some beautiful Karri forest, amazingly green pastures, and well known vineyards. As we drove down the long driveway into the farm, we were met by hundreds of sheep, rolling green hills and friendly faces from the family who owned it.

We parked the caravan in a location facing north, with a great view and of course all 2,000 sheep surrounding us. Within minutes the kids had met a few other children and were soon off bike riding. It was truly a beautiful location. As we set up in the usual way, a friendly and somewhat confident goat called Tex came to make our acquaintance. Little did we know that he was going to annoy us for the rest of our visit and eat through our break safe system on the caravan.

It was going to be a busy time in Margaret River. There was so much to do, taste and drink. Where were we to start. “Cow town”, otherwise known as Cowaramup, was a small town north of Margaret River that had a unique and quirky main street that the kids enjoyed seeing. Well actually, it was probably more the lolly shop there that had great free tastings and demonstrations on how to make honeycomb that they really enjoyed.

A visit to the amazing maze was next on the agenda and although incredibly expensive it was still a lot of fun. Luckily for us Josh was with us and we were actually able to finish the maze and get out. Unlike previous visits to mazes where we have had to use the emergency exit. Navigation, not being one of Trace’s strong points.

The coastline along the Margaret River region is renowned for great fishing and surfing. Both of which we were all keen to do in good time. Firstly though a scenic drive south took us to Cape Leuwin Lighthouse to spot some whales, view the meeting of the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean and a quick lunch stop at a well found lookout. Josh also gave us a quick look at his crown jewels on a somewhat unusual run through the car park. (sorry no piccies)

We left the retirement capital of the South West region and drove to one of many spectacular underground cave systems found on the West Coast-the Jewel Caves. The largest cave in Western Australia with 4 chambers and the longest straw stalactites found in the world, it was truly a magical wonderland. The kids let their imaginations run wild finding all kinds of amazing calcium structures, from fairies to bats to forest vines. It was nature at its best.

Davo had told us about a Birds of Prey display that was supposed to be brilliant, so off we went to the visitor centre to find out more. We drove out to the bird rehabilitation centre where we were able to get up close to many different types of raptors, some of which were injured and never to be released. As we made our way to the bird show Trace could hear in the trees far away someone calling. Mum, Dad ….where are you? After panicking slightly we realised we had left Jem somewhere on the path looking at birds and quickly ran to find him. Luckily it was a pretty small place and all was ok. Not too bad in 4 months to only have lost him once!

Entrance to the centre included a bird show and handling which was really very informative and a thrill too. A surprise to both of us that the largest of our Australian Raptors the Wedgetail Eagle, wasn’t even protected in some states and that farmers were able to shoot them quite freely. Shocking really! Rubes was slightly apprehensive as usual to hold the Bramini Kite, but if Jem could do it so could she!

On a beautiful day and only four months of nagging to go horse riding, Trace finally took them. Oscar was keen to show his skills as a professional rider, having ridden once before when he was 5 years old, Rubes excited for her very first time riding and Trace, well, she was comfy back in the saddle after many earlier childhood years riding. A one hour ride quickly turned into one and half hours as Rubes fell in love with riding. Over green rolling hills, through magnificent gum tree forests and through small creek beds we rode, like something out of Man from Snowy River. Jem and Josh enjoying some boy time in the local pool and a milkshake in town.

It was getting tiring drinking local wines and sampling local produce so a couple of days just lazing around and exploring the rolling hills of the sheep station was in order. Each afternoon around 4 o’clock the kids collected eggs from the chickens. A highlight of the day and one which we had to make sure we were back for. Another exciting farm chore was testing the ewes to see if they were pregnant. Every day they would be mustered in and their teats felt. Rubes and Oscar had the job of helping sort those that were and weren’t pregnant. If only it was that easy!

Saturdays in Margaret River is market day and a great opportunity to get some local produce. All of the kids were keen to try just about everything and some things more times than once. Oscar and Jem were told a few times that they had eaten enough and to move away. Slightly embarrassing but great that they want to try stuff. From cheeses, breads, dips, pastries, sausages and smoothies, they loved it all. Our shopping basket was incredibly full by the end of our visit.

We met another lovely family there who had 2 kids whom Ruby and Jem befriended. Ruby and Charlotte became good friends and enjoyed playing with Barbies and riding their bikes and Jem and Jake enjoyed playing star wars and watching movies together. Luckily for us, their dad was an auto mechanic and his skills came in use when the goat so kindly nibbled through our wires on the caravan.

The Margaret River area is home to fields and fields of sheep, many of which were about to lamb. We were lucky enough to watch a shearing and feed some baby lambs at a local shearing shed. All hands on deck as Ruby and Oscar helped the shearer sweep, clean and herd the sheep in for shearing. Jem just happy to bottle feed the lambs.

One week quickly turned into two weeks, a few more visits to the wineries, an obligatory tasting at the local cheese and chocolate factories and a drive north to see the massive surf in Yallingup and Dunsborough. Luckily or unluckily for us we really need to get to Perth so that we could fly out for a quick visit to Melbourne to see our new cousin and nephew Ari. 

We were on our way to Perth to stay with friends that we had met in Orleans Bay. We were slightly apprehensive about staying there for such a long time but they insisted which was very generous. The kids were very excited to stay in a house for a while. If only they knew what was too come!