Welcome to part 3 of our Australian trip…WA is so diverse, vast and very beautiful…back in Baldavis, Perth for the week I was happy to discover that walking is easy here as the walking routes run alongside the roads separated only by trees and shrubs…very well thought out…
The Banksia Prionotes is a striking bush stroke small tree and one which I snapped on my walk as the flowers are so striking…
- Banksia Prionotes
- Close up of Banksia Flower
Commonly known as acorn banksia or orange banksia, It is native to the southwest of Western Australia and can reach up to 10 m in height. It can be much smaller in more exposed areas or in the north of its range.
Banksias are a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings, which makes sense considering they’ve become a popular wedding flower. These flowers are also ancient––the earliest fossil record of one being more than 50 million years old!…
It was lovely although nippy for me-smile- well it is autumn here and nearly winter to see the different flowers and a treat to walk around shops with so much to offer that I used to eat I was like a kid in a sweet shop…I did however sneak some parsnips and swede into my suitcase…they mind what you bring into Australia although they have no problem with what you take out..even between individual states or provinces there are strict rules on what you can take out for example my daughter wanted to buy some honey from another state and she was not allowed…the rules are very strict for a reason but it keep outside diseases out…
It was then back for the weekend to Dongarra where Donna had planned a trip further up North to Kalbarri…Situated where the Murchison River meets the Indian Ocean, the town of Kalbarri is surrounded by the soaring inland and coastal gorges of Kalbarri National Park, protected swimming bays like the Blue Holes, superb walking trails, and over 1000 species of wildflowers.
The scenery here is breathtaking…on the drive to Kalbarri we stopped at the Pink Lake, Port Gregory…known as Hutt Lagoon photo shoots including Lancôme’s Life is Beautiful campaign and Myer’s Jennifer Hawkins Summer collection have been shot here…I can understand why as it is very beautiful and if the sun is in the correct position it is very pink…
- Hutt Lagoon , Port Gregory
- Donna and Moi
- Donna and Moi
- Donna and Moi
The pink hue is created by the presence of carotenoid-producing algae, Dunaliella salina, which is a source of beta-carotene; a food-colouring agent; and a source of Vitamin A…isn’t nature wonderful…?
It was then another drive to our destination for the weekend after the men stopped of for another pie…
Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia.
The Kalbarri Skywalk offers breathtaking views of the Murchison River gorge and its spectacular surrounding landscape…it also and not before time in my mind acknowledges that the Aboriginal people are the traditional owners of Kalbarri National Park…
There is a beautiful gallery here with lots of information surrounding the treatment of the Aborigines and looking at the images and reading the text was heartbreaking…I’ll stop here with my thoughts as this post is not the time or place and Australia is not the only country who should be ashamed of the treatment of indigenous peoples.
- Kangaroos
- Ostriches are native here
- group snapshot
- View from the Skywalk
- View from Skwalk
- Some of the flora
While the drop may not be as slightly terrifying as what you can experience from the skywalk in the Grand Canyon, the larger of the two skywalks extends an impressive 25 metres over the edge of the gorge, making one feel like they are walking out over nothing…we then carried on to the beautiful natures window …Nature’s Window is accessed via an easy 1km return walk…
The Natures Window Walk Trail is a picturesque, moderate, one-kilometre return walk beginning with a flight of stairs from the lookout at the carpark descending down to Natures Window, a wind-eroded opening in the layered sandstone that frames a view of the mighty Murchison River.
- Natures Window
- View over the gorge
- View from Natures Window
When viewed from the right angle, the wind-eroded opening in the sandstone frames the Murchison River in the gorge below perfectly.
It was then back to Dongarra for another wonderful crayfish dinner before we had to head back to Perth for the last few days of our holiday which has been fabulous…but before that, we were lucky to get another trip on the boat to pull some more crays…
Where I was treated to another freshly landed cray…my last one cooked on the boat until I return again…Time to head back to Perth where I have some last-minute shopping to do and a visit to Penguin Island at Shoalwater Bay but that’s for another day…
I hope you have enjoyed this virtual tour of WA…X