We arrived in Perth on 11th March. Perth is a tiny but beautifully formed city, with contrasts of old - well, Victorian - and new buildings. It is by the Swan river and has a stunning outlook. And it was warm (30 degrees) and sunny. As you may guess, we are impressed. We were able to sit out in a pavement cafe eating the local fish and chilled white wine, relaxing after walking round the streets, seeing the sights, including a copy of the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens!

  

Below: Peter Pan, the Mint and the Theatre Royal

  

We found some very good restuarants and began trying out Australian wine...

We took the ferry to Fremantle (an hour and a half) and explored the oldest building in Western Australia (1830!!), which was a gaol. Freo, as they call it, too, has its charms.

 

We returned by train (20 mins).

We walked to the King's Park botanical gardens - a smaller version of Kew but with some very unusual Australian plants, including these amazing Banksias. The birds, too were very exotic and colourful.