Thurs, 15th Dec, 2016 Ross & Lara’s, Wattle Grove, WA (exploring King’s Park)

Watched Sunrise – another person wins $50,000. I keep entering hoping for the call, which would be at 5.30 in the morning but for $10,000 plus I don’t mind being woken up!! Someone in Mandurah won $10 million dollars on the Lotto – imagine that much money!!

Packed our lunches and drove over to Welshpool Train Station again for a ride into the City. Checked at the main office in the City Station as to the train times for Sunday night when we come in for Carol by Candlelight.

Into Forrest Place, the Bush Christmas display is all gone. A chap was checking the fountain’s water quality but a young boy was ready and waiting to play in the water.

Found an interesting plaque in the mall – just what we need – a coffee.

Continued down to Elizabeth Quay and had a cuppa overlooking the water. Back up St Georges Terrace to head to Kings Park. Checked out the quaint building. It looks like a church but was Perth  Boys’ School, built in 1854. It was the first purpose built Government school in WA. It was designed to look like a church so as to impose a sense of duty, attentiveness and obedience on its students. Over more than 160 years it has had just three uses – a centre for education, offices of the National Trust and a café for city workers.

Continuing down the road we walked over a plaque for each year with a different name of someone important in that time – Kalgoorlie prospector, Patrick Hannan, 1893.

Across the pedestrian bridge over the Mitchell Freeway.

Up Mount Street – yes we were climbing a mount, Mount Eliza. It went straight up!! Photos don’t do it justice.

Into King’s Park – lots of information. Opened in 1965. Don’t think we will be covering the 400 hectares today.

Not sure about the Regulations though. 32 (3) Throwing a missile without permission!!

Up Fraser Avenue lined with trees planted in 1929 by different people. There is a plaque for each tree.

Great war memorial to remember those who died in South Africa war, 1899-1902.

A 4.7 Gun at Ladysmith – the Naval Brigade engaged in working a 4.7 gun behind a bomb-proof shelter.

A night attack upon a Boer convoy – (after R. Caton Woodville).

Dispersing train wreckers – Mounted Australians dispersing Boers who have wrecked a train near Bloemfontein.

Australians entering Pretoria – Australian Mounted Infantry passing before Lord Roberts and staff.

Slingersfontein – Major Moor refusing to surrender to the Boer Commander at Slingersfontein.

Majuba Day. Paardeberg – The last attack on General Gronje’s position in the river of Majuba Day.

Interesting tree.

First lookout is to remember those who died in the Bali bombing.

Great spot for a selfie.

Top view over the city, Swan River and South Perth. The two tallest buildings are Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton.

Nice black boy with lots of Kangaroo Paw and Banksias in this memorial garden.

Further along was the site of the rifle range. Not sure if they mean it was up here on the ridge or below by the water.

Floating restaurant looks interesting.

Queen Victoria.

Another shot of the city.

Now isn’t that interesting – as Steve would say ‘poetic licence’. The avenue trees were originally planted in 1898 but they died and they replanted in 1929. They died too so they had to get gums from the East Coast in 1938. Maybe they should have this sign at the other end of the avenue too.

Lovely wishing well area.

Huge war memorial area.

Nearby was a gum planted by the Queen in 1954 – growing well.

Walked down to the memorial area. 

On the handrail was a sign about the bluff below us – named Anzac Bluff.

Some history of Mt Eliza Escarpment.

Further around we look down on the Mitchell Freeway crossing over the Swan River and around further as the river heads to the ocean. Below is where we drove on Mount Bay Road the first time we came into the City.

Lunch in the Jarrah Pavilion. Very still today and it was to be a top of 32 degrees. It feels hot but there is no humidity so it is comfortable to walk around in the sun.

Continued around the point. Silver Princess is fascinating. We thought someone had sprayed them silver.

There was a big Karri log – must be different to our Kauri logs up home. Sadly it is mulch now – bit like the big one Grandad had protected in Millaa many years ago – it rotted and fell down and now there are big slabs of it in Millaa at the end of Brotherton Lane.

The name Wittenoom caught my eye – name of the pastoralist who made the bequest in 1962. Wonder if Wittenoom Gorge is named after him too.

Lots of colour around as we enter the Botanic Garden section.

Saw lots of these between Marble Bar and Meekatharra.

The 750 year old Boab which had a long journey to get here from up past Halls Creek in 2008.

It is growing – according as the scars it incurred are being healed.

A bit of history.

The Canning River flows into the Swan River on the other side.

Lots of other information along the way too.

The Tuart is the largest tree of the Swan Coastal Plain.

Mt Eliza Lookout – great signs. I couldn’t get the same panoramic view.

The last one was in the wrong position.

Steve commented that this guy’s run-about was the size of our old boat!!

Birds and trees.

Headed over the bridge. Info said an elevated glass bridge so I thought we could see below but the glass is just on the sides!! Interesting too – there was a sign saying ‘no wedding photos to be taken on the bridge’ – what a shame.

View over the Swan Brewery and the river.

Across to the other side – more info to read.

Another shot over the brewery and the bridge.

The big trees of the South-West.

These Jarrah are very skinny – only planted in the mid 1990s. The old trees were logged severely in the 1850s.

Marri.

At the bottom of the ‘creek’ which resembles a creek on the Darling Scarp – like the Lesmurdie Falls we saw the other day.

Creek animals.

The Pioneer Womens Memorial – not working at the moment. Looks like there was or is going to be a concert or something here.

A wall of limestone blocks has been carved to depict aboriginal women.

In a South African garden there was lots of Aloe Vera – needed a bit to put on Steve’s scar (which has healed very nicely).

As well as a memorial the Kokoda Track here is used as a daily exercise run – like our Red and Blue Arrow tracks at home.

A huge Red Cedar – though Steve said it is different to ours at home.

Back past the War Memorial we found more info about the Kokoda Track.

Lovely old car waiting for someone special.

Back down the avenue – check out the size of this fig. Presume it is a Moreton Bay one though there isn’t a sign for it. Just lots of squashed figs on the walkway.

At the top of Mount Street, looking down – still doesn’t look as steep as it was. They need good handbrakes on the cars here.

My favourite car – a Lambo.

To the top of Jacob’s Ladder – no info as to why it is here but it is well used by the fitness freaks.

Going down!!

A nice big fig at the bottom. The restaurant at the bottom is called Health Freak – had a nice steak dinner for $12 too but it had a big place of sweet potato fries – that’s not so healthy.

Walked back along Mount Bay Road, under the freeway and around to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station. Got on the free CAT bus – there are four routes. Chose the Green route. All aboard – just us to start.

Snapped a shot of The Cloisters. It was designed to house Bishop Hale’s School. The ‘Good Bishop’ financed and built this school in 1858 and was responsible for education many sons of the colonial elite, including Alexander and John Forrest. The graduates from this school formed the core of the governing group in WA to the turn of the century and beyond, reinforcing the ties between the Anglican Church and the powerful residents of St Georges Terrace. The school closed at this site in 1872, moving to a number of different city locations until 1961, when it moved to its current campus in the suburb of Wembley Downs. Today the school is known as Hale School.

Cute Taxi – its car badge read London Taxi Company.

Passed the Barracks Archway. This is the ‘top end’ of the St Georges Terrace. It is all that remains of the Pensioner Barracks which were completed in 1866 to house the Pensioner Guards, ex-soldiers employed to guard the convicts. Although convict transportation ended in 1868, some Pensioner Guards remained in the Barracks until it was taken over by the Public Works Department. Public protest stopped the Barracks from being demolished in 1962 to clear the view for the parliamentarians at the new Parliament House, but the accommodation wings were eventually removed to make way for Kwinana Freeway in 1966, with the Arch preserved as a compromise to the public.

Nice way of travelling and guess what, it went right up to the front of Kings Park – oops. We needed the exercise!! Snapped photos of old buildings along the way to Leederville.

Changed onto the next bus to leave from here then got off at a park to change to the Yellow Bus. Picked up a few more people – very noisy in here now.

Steve spotted the snake eating its tail.

A few more buildings as we head down Wellington Street towards the Railway Station. The one I took a photo of last time was the Royal Hotel, established in 1882. I knew it was an oldie.

Continued down Wellington Street – ornate posts.

Passed the Royal Hospital then the WACCA as we headed to Claisebrook. Can’t find any info on what these building were.

Changed drivers then back to Forrest Place for a cuppa. But when we went to order we saw ‘Stairway to Heaven’ ice cream and changed our minds. It wasn’t as good as the ones we had in Hobart though but still pretty good.

Across to Perth Train Station for the ride home to Welshpool. Off we got and the train continued on to Thornlie. Only cost us $1.20 each way so much easier travelling by train into the city.

Back by 5pm for a drink and rest the feet. Except for the icecream it was a good walking day!!

Nice evening temperature – not needing any blankets now.