Serpentine National Park

When I left Colorado, I left with it my hiking boots and other remnants of mountain living. Never did I imagine I’d need them in Perth where flips flops (or even your bare feet) are the favored footwear.

As it turns out, they may have come in handy.  Sitting quietly in the shadow of Perth’s spectacular beaches, an hour east of Perth, lays the Darling Range or Perth Hills as they are more commonly called. Their low-profile provides a quieter way of life nestled in the trees where kangaroos trim your lawns and charming antique shops and bed and breakfasts are dotted along the way.

Friday saw our first real rainfall in several months – washing away the dry heat of a Perth summer and ringing in a beautiful autumn weekend. Yesterday was the perfect day for a hike. Thanks to some assistance from toptrails.com.au we decided upon Kitty’s Gorge in Serpentine National Park, 45 minutes southeast of Perth in "the Hills".

Kitty's Gorge is a 14km round trip hike originating in the historic town of Jarrahdale (named after the Jarrah tree) and ending at Serpentine Falls which is open to the public (at $11) for some good old fashioned waterhole swimming.

Kitty’s Gorge follows the Gooralong Brook which is mostly dry this time of year but I imagine quite beautiful in the spring after the winter rain. We walked through a forest filled with tall lanky Jarrah trees, big bushy grass trees, ferns, palms, and Marri trees - a member of the eucalypt family whose fruit is referred to as “honky nuts”. I like to think of it as the acorn of WA. We also encountered a pine forest which is not native to the area. Pine forests are often planted for the use of their wood. This group of trees would have been plated years before it became a national park and is now a part of the scenery.

Noisy black Cockatoos and a few cheeky Kangaroos entertained us along the way. White Cockatoos and pink and grey Cockatoos are common (pests actually) in Perth but these were my first black Cockatoos.

We wrapped things up with lunch at the Jarrahdale General Store where I rated the best BLT in Perth. I was so excited about it that I finished it off with scones with jam and cream and destroyed any benefit gained from my long hike.

Kitty's Gorge - Serpentine NP

grass tree

Serpentine NP

"Honky nuts"

Marri Tree

fern

planted pine forest

field of clovers

black Cockatoo - can you see the red in his tail?

Serpentine NP



Serpentine Falls



Kitty's Gorge

a native Holly

Fremantle



The port city of Fremantle is mysterious, unexpected, historical, eclectic, and dark yet delightful. It’s a place where creative types, backpacking travelers, the outlandish, and locals converge. It’s also the home of my favorite old church with sunshine colored doors, my favorite Italian restaurant, my favorite Asian food court, my favorite gelato and finally (deep breath) my favorite organic, rice bran oil, no trans fat, low saturated fat, GMO free, cinnamon sugar doughnuts - surprisingly mouth watering and thankfully only available on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday when the Fremantle Markets are open.

Fremantle IS my favorite corner of Perth. Located at the mouth of the Swan River, 19 kilometers west of the city, Fremantle has a vibrant urban appeal that in many ways Perth lacks.

Fremantle was founded in 1825 as a part of the Swan River Colony and the facades of many of the buildings still display their 19th century charm. Equally old churches appear to flag the ends of Fremantle’s main streets but churches aren’t the only reminder of the days of the Swan River Colony.

Sitting high on a hill alongside the Indian Ocean is the Round house – an eight cell prison and the oldest standing building in WA and first permanent building of the Swan River Colony. At the other end of town sits the much larger Fremantle Prison built in the 1850’s. Today it operates as a popular tourist attraction. Fremantle is a glorious example of Australia’s British convict history which adds to the intrigue and mysticism surrounding the city.

Although the Fremantle of the 1800’s still lingers like a tenacious ghost, the city streets of today are alive with trendy cafes, restaurants, and shops. The smell of coffee fills the morning streets while the scent of garlic and wood fire ovens will guide you to one of the areas many Italian restaurants during the days and nights.

But there’s also a seedy side to Fremantle. In between the charming shops and colorful cafes are tattoo parlors, questionable adult shops, fortune tellers, new age stores filled with promises of a better future, and an abundance of souvenir shops. Along the wharf sits large abandoned warehouses with no signs of rehabilitation. In Fremantle, anything goes and it’s this mix of new and old, sordid and sophisticated that gives Fremantle its personality.

The town itself is only half the equation. Every day ships from all over the world dock in Fremantle’s Harbor. We are fortunate to live just outside “Freo’s” doorstep and every time Shane and I pass the docks on our way to the beach one of us comments on the enormity of a standing ship as if it were the first time we had seen such a thing.

It’s not only cargo ships that grace Fremantle’s shores but yachts and fishing boats of all sizes can be viewed from Fisherman’s Wharf over a meal of fish and chips from one of the many seafood restaurants. Next door sits the Maritime Museum filled with stories of sunken ships and the history of WA’s first explorers.

A day in Fremantle would be at the top of my list for anyone visiting Perth. Friday through Sunday the Fremantle Markets are open which sell everything from produce to patchouli and my favorite organic, rice bran oil, no trans fat, low saturated fat, GMO free, cinnamon sugar doughnuts.

remains of the past

Maritime Museum

Scots Presbyterian

Fremantle Markets

Town Hall

Cafes on South Terrace

old warehouse

Wharf

High Street with the Round House prison at the end

an old facade disguising a parking lot

Round House prison

High Street from the Round House

Fisherman's Wharf