Perth, Australia

At the end of September we flew to Perth in Western Australia for a short vacation.  After arriving at Perth International Airport we collected our rental car and started our journey south to the port-city of Albany.  

Albany is situated in the Great Southern region of Western Australia and it is 418 kms south east of Perth.  We made a few stops along the way and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.  We spent one night in Albany, one night in Margaret River and the third night back in Perth.

Castle Rock 

Castle Rock is located in the Porongurup National Park and is part of the Porongurup Range, a 12 kilometre-long range that lies 48 kms north of Albany.  The range's distinctive granite domes are the remains of the ancient Prongurup pluton, a massive bubble of molten rock that rose from deep in the Earth's core and pushed upwards into the overlying base rock of the continent.  

We decided to do this 4.4 km hike to the top of Caste Rock.  In Australia, trails are graded according to difficulty and this was a grade 5 out of 6.  It was upslope for most of the way through jarrah and marry forest, and the terrain became more rocky and uneven as we got closer to the top.  

At the top we can across the intriguing Balancing Rock and the amazing surrounding views.  

Summit of Castle Rock

To reach the summit of Castle Rock, visitors have to go another 100 metres scrambling over rocks and climbing a ladder.  David decided he would climb to the summit and he got some amazing views from up there. 

Albany Hospital

Unfortunately about a third of the way down Castle Rock, I lost my footing on a loose rock and injured myself.  As a result we had to go to the emergency department at the Albany Hospital where the doctor and nurses were really great.  The doctor sent me for an x-ray and it confirmed that I had fractured my ankle bone.  I was given painkillers, a moon boot and crutches, and I was told to keep the weight off the foot for 4-6 weeks (was also advised to see an Orthopedic surgeon on my return to Singapore).  What a set-back, but we tried not to let this spoil the rest of our vacation.

Convoy Walk and Coastal Defences

The next day we drove from Albany to Margaret River and stopped at some interesting places along the way like the Convoy Walk and Coastal Defences.

Margaret River

Margaret River is well-known for its wine, but it also has some spectacular scenery.  We stayed overnight in Margaret River and did some exploring around the town.  We visited the Margaret River Farmer's Market (although we didn't stay too long because it was hard for me to walk and it started raining) some wineries and took in the amazing coastal scenery.  

Yallingup Reef

Yallingup Reef is a best known as a fantastic surf break, but the sheltered lagoons are also great for snorkelling.  In fact it is known as one of the best snorkelling spots in the Margaret River region.  

Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park

This national park is located 267 kms south of Perth.  The rugged coastline is spectacular and we got some amazing views here.  

Eagle Bay Olives

On our way back to Perth we stopped in at this olive grove and farm shop.  Here we were able to sample different types of delicious olive oil, olives and tapenades.

Maylene and  Family

On our way back to Perth, we dropped in at Maylene and Henry's house for a visit.  Maylene and I are old school friends.  The last time we saw Maylene, Henry and their sons was about six years ago when they came to Singapore for a visit.  It was great seeing them again.

Natalie and Family

On our last day in Perth we met up with my cousin Natalie, her partner Carlos and her children Justin and Kirsten.  The last time I saw Natalie was over 20 years ago in South Africa and so it was a wonderful reunion and it was great to meet Carlos, Justin and Kirsten.