Now before you assume that I’ve been drinking with that title, trust me, it will make sense by the end of this instalment…
Our last blog ended in windy Augusta, where we overnighted before heading north for sunnier skies. Not more than 40 minutes up the road, the sun was shining in Margaret River. And so we made the most of it – visiting some fantastic wineries and getting lost in a maze with the kids (no really, the maze was hard… although the alcohol didn’t help).
Parking Zizi in Dunsborough, we then spent a relaxing couple of days in Smiths Beach Resort. The beaches around here – Smiths and Yallingup – are stunning. Turquoise green with great surf. Just keep your eyes peeled for sharks. Minor detail.
From Dunsborough we had a day to check out Busselton. Busselton has the largest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere – about 1800m. You catch a little train out to the end and then descend some stairs to explore what lives below in an Oceanarium. Divided into several platforms, the tour takes you from the tidal zone to the sea floor - offering vignettes of sea life through massive portholes. We saw shoals of anchovies and schools of taylor and salmon swirling beneath. A great way to monetize the jetty (the fees fund repairs), and educate the public about the importance of the health of the bay.
Leaving Busselton we drove up through Mandurah and into Perth. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed taking in the views of the Swan River from parkland near our hotel. Zizi was due for a service, so we had dropped her in Mandurah. And, there might have been some other logic to her pit stop… Anthony had organized a side trip to the Maldives as an early celebration of my 40th birthday.
I’ve always wanted to visit the Maldives, but it’s just such a slog from Sydney. From Perth however, well that’s a more manageable proposition! And so…off we go for a little luxury in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Augusta and Margaret River
Smiths Beach and Yallingup
Busselton
