Perth + Margaret River

In early March, Tom returned from LA with COVID; untimely given the arrival of our next set of visitors, good friends Dani and Kyle from Portland. Fortunately, they were flexible with their plans, and travelled to the Great Ocean Road and Sydney while Tom recovered. Reunited at last, we enjoyed their company and showing them around Melbourne. They loved the city's coffee, art, and wildlife--birds and flying fox bats included! Fall was in the air, despite a few more 100-degree days. 

Carlton vs. Richmond AFL game

WA is Australia's largest state, covering nearly one-third of the country. It is known for beautiful beaches, diverse wildlife, and world-class wineries. Despite its size, WA contains only 11% of the country's population, with the vast majority located in the southwest corner. The economy is export-oriented, relying on mining, oil, and gas. 

8-12 March

Dani, Kyle, Tom and I left on Friday morning for a four-hour flight to Perth. WA does not observe daylight savings, so Perth is three hours behind Melbourne this time of year.

Our group of four became six when Tom and Katie picked us up from the airport. Tom and Kyle's dad met 50 years ago in Adelaide, and their families have stayed close friends ever since. Tom met his partner Katie while they worked as engineers at a gold mine in Alaska. They have since moved to Perth to be closer to Tom's family, although Katie spends half of her time several hours away at the Super Pit gold mine in Kalgoorlie.

From the airport, we drove three hours south along the coast to Margaret River--a locals destination for outdoor adventure, epic surf, serene beaches, and top-notch wines. We stopped for lunch at Beerfarm and a natural wine tasting at Wash & Sons. At golden hour, we took a stroll at Redgate Beach. Dinner in town at Swings & Roundabouts.

On Saturday morning, we took a "cold plunge" at Gnarabup Beach, followed by brekky at White Elephant Cafe. The monstrous swells at Surfers Point attract the best surfers in the world as part of the professional world surfing circuit. June through December beckons whale watchers, while shoulder season winds call to kiteboarders and windsurfers.

Afterwards, Tom and Katie drove us on a 4x4 road through Boranup Karri Forest. With sunlight streaming onto their pale trunks, karri trees tower over 60 m high. The forest is part of Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, and is known for its spring wildflowers that colour the valley.

 

Over 100 limestone caves lay beneath the surface of the Leeuwin Naturaliste Ridge. Mammoth Cave offers a self-guided audio tour that highlights ancient fossil remains of long-extinct animals. Cave formations called stalagmites and stalactites are icicle-shaped deposits form when water dissolves overlying limestone, then re-deposits calcium carbonate along the ceilings or floors of the cave.

 

The path leading out of the cave winds though a beautiful marri forest. Here I saw my first grass tree--slow-growing, hardy trees that thrive in nutrient-poor soils and respond to wildfire by flowering profusely.

  

That afternoon, we shared a wine tasting at Grace Farm and an exceptional dinner at Rústico at Hay Shed Hill--a rustic vineyard restaurant serving award-winning tapas and wines.

 

On Sunday, we checked out of the bnb and travelled north towards Perth, making a few stops along the way. Injidup Natural Spa is a popular swimming hole. The natural pool sits on the edge of the turbulent Indian Ocean. Waves crash over the rocks to form a small waterfall, with some other tidal pools nearby.

Next, we stopped for a dip at Smiths Beach. The long stretch of powdered white sand is an oasis for swim, surf, and west coast sunsets.

Capital of WA, Perth is located where the Swan River meets the coast. Sandy beaches line its suburbs, along with scenic parks and a thriving arts scene. The desert climate and active community (especially in the mornings) reminds me of southern California. 

Tom and Katie live in the northern suburb of Doubleview, which is close to Scarborough Beach. That evening, they hosted a family dinner with Tom's parents, brother, and sister-in-law. The family atmosphere was very warm and inviting, and I enjoyed listening to stories from Tom and Kyle's long history.

We spent Monday on Rottnest Island (Wadjemup). Located just 20 km off the coast of Perth, Rotto is a protected nature reserve with unique flora and fauna, including the island’s most famous resident, the quokka. It's a 45-minute ferry ride from Hillarys Boat Harbour. Several open water swim events are organised from the mainland to the island. In fact, Tom and Katie were training for the annual Port to Pub event scheduled the following week! 

  

From the Island Jetty, we hired bikes to cycle a 12-km loop around the eastern half of the small island. 

Highlights on the south coast are the shipwreck at Henrietta Rocks and beaches at Salmon Bay and Parker Point.

Along the north coast, Tom spotted stingrays and a dolphin pod riding the waves. We snorkelled in the pristine waters of the Basin. 

Rotto truly is a little pocket of paradise.

  

On Tuesday before our flight, Katie took us to Cottesloe Beach, which was hosting the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition. Out of the major Aussie cities, Perth definitely gets "best beaches." I am excited to explore more of WA in the future!

Welcome Louie Cat

Near the end of my parents' visit, Louie Cat landed in Australia! 10 days later, 25 February, he was cleared to leave the quarantine facility. It had been 209 days (6 months and 25 days) since we parted in Portland. My understanding of the strict importation is due to the fact that Australia is rabies-free.

Tom was in LA for his grandma's funeral, so Amanda kindly accompanied me for the long-awaited reunion. I didn't know what to expect, but the pick-up procedure was slow and anti-climactic. On the drive home, Louie seemed very sluggish and depressed--jet lag? Once we got home, however, he immediately perked up and army-crawled to find a place to hide. He spent 10 minutes under the bed, then slowly emerged with curious sniffs. Soon after, he was confidently marching around the house yelling. 

Apart from some normal skittishness, I was surprised by how quickly he settled in. And he remembered us! I feared that the trauma might erase us from his memory, but I was amazed by his resilience in sliding back into the quirky rhythms of Louie Cat. My biggest relief was confirming that Louie is as bonded to me as I am to him. Thank you Kim and Chris for caring for him!

 

 

That same weekend was the Animal Rights Forum--a grass roots conference held to educate and connect Australian animal advocates. The forum was held at Melbourne Town Hall during the last weekend of February. More than 30 speakers, both domestic and international, covered all aspects of animal protection. Vegan Australia used the expo to promote our membership program and newest campaign. The inaugural Animal Justice Awards were held to recognise outstanding individuals within the movement. Vegan Australia's founder was nominated for the Peter Singer Award for Lifetime Achievement. Overall, the forum helped me better understand Vegan Australia's place--and my own--in the animal protection space.