Near the jetty was a lone duck…
It however wasn’t the only one. The rest of the group were swimming on the other side of the dam. I guess some choose to be alone.
All posts by Sandra Graham
Stonebarn – Part 5
Out on the lawn we found a gaggle of guinea fowl feeding. They’re strange looking creatures – fat and awkward. But it seems they have sense enough – since are still alive and kicking they have (so far) outwitted the local foxes. Conversely, the owners can’t keep chickens here because they are very vulnerable.
Stonebarn – Part 4
We head outside now, to the dam below the house. It’s loaded with trout, but unfortunately we didn’t fish while we were there.
Stonebarn – Part 3
There were some lovely flower arrangements there. This is my favourite – looks like natives to me.
Stonebarn – Part 2
Inside is as pleasant as the outside. High ceilings, lots of local wood, modern country styling. I like how the house is open plan, yet you can close off sections to create intimate spaces. We were the only guests, so it was like we were lords of the manor, as such.
Stonebarn – Part 1
Our destination that day was actually the Southern Forests, about 30km from Pemberton. We stayed at Stonebarn, a boutique B&B in the middle of the karri/marri forest. The barn itself was made from local stone (ironstone, BB told me) and wood, in the French style.
Harvey – Part 3
One last look at the Stirling Cottage garden. These flowers were rather pretty, and may even be indigenous to the area. I say ‘may’ because I only suspect. SW WA has such diverse flora and fauna.
Harvey – Part 2
Stirling Cottage is by the shady Harvey River, and has a wonderful garden and orchard. A few tulips were out while we were there, but I suspect the best was yet to come.
Harvey – Part 1
Two hours south west of Perth is the little town of Harvey. It is a pastural centre, particularly known for its dairy. But its other claim to fame is that May Gibbs, the creator of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, lived there briefly as a child, along with her family, in Stirling Cottage. It was this experience that she later drew on to create her vivid characters.
The original cottage no longer stands, but in the 1990’s, the locals built a replica, which currently houses a lovely cafe.
Perth
BB and I got married at the end of August. We had decided early on that we wanted to keep our honeymoon local (well, within Australia or NZ), and after some debate decided on south west Western Australia. Margaret River was a well-known wine and beer area, and I had heard about the beautiful trees of the Southern forests from family and friends.
But those areas are actually a good day’s drive away from Perth, where we started from. Perth is a funny little city – quite compact and easy to get around. Well, it seemed like it compared to Sydney. We stayed by Scarborough Beach on the city’s north side. Looking south, you can see all the way down to the docks at Fremantle.
Static and Silence 