Easter Monday 9^th April, 2012

This morning our way led to the 300 souls village Hyden. I made a short visit at the Peoples Scape Sculptures which are metal sculptures showing people by some kind of activity. Then we drove to the Wave Rock, a 110 m long and 14 m high rock wave. The weather eroded the wave out of the rock. Nice to watch it, but not spectacular. Then we walked the Hyden Rock Walk to see other rock formations. On the hike we saw from time to time Rock Dwelling Dragons (a kind of small lizards) rush away. Then I saw sandalwood which is cultivated here in the region. We got to Hippo's Yawn as I read the plan wrongly. The rock really looked like a hippopotamus with open mouth. After this short hike we drove to the Humps, a nearby rock hill. Here we visited Mulka's Cave, a cave with rock paintings and hand prints from Aboriginals. Then we made two short hikes. The Kalari Trail went at the top of he Humps and beside some more rocks we had a amazing look over the wide Australian country. Again and again I am fascinated by the width of Australia. Back at the bottom we decided to walk also the Gnamma Trail. It lead through the bush and then back to the carpark. It was not as beautiful as the first hike. Then we drove to Hyden and then to Kulin. A bit out of Kulin we saw a few horses made by scrap metal. Here it is a kind of contest between the farmers who creates the most original horse. After a short break in Kulin where we saw an Oldtimer museum from the outside we continued to Wickepin. A bit outside we saw a sign to the camping of Yealering. We decided to go there and, as yesterday, had to pay in the hotel.

Thursday 29^th March, 2012

After taking breakfast together we departed for Fremantle. The locals call Fremantle Freo. The train brought us in 30 minutes to the destination. We left the luggage in a backpacker which until lately has been a youth hostel. A short look made me clear that it is not the cleanest house. But it will be OK for two nights it. Freo has many old houses from the Victorian time. We walked through the town without destination and looked around. We went to the old prison and had a look at the exhibition. We did not want to make a tour today. In the late afternoon we went along the shore to the harbour. On the harbour entrance there is a light house on each side. We observed two tugboats leaving the harbour and Dominik thought that they would accompany a ship in to the harbour. We continued walking as this would probably not be that soon. Later we we could see how a war ship was tugged into the harbour. Freo has a big container harbour. It got fresher and fresher as the the sun slowly was about to set and we were glad about long clothes. At the shore promenade we enjoyed fish and chips and the evening atmosphere.

Wednesday 7^th March, 2012

In the morning I went into the West Australia Museum to avoid the sun. There are three different exhibitions: the first one is about mammals and their development, the second one about the history of the aborigines and the third one showed crystals from all over the world. There was many interesting things to see and to learn. Shortly after noon I went to the airport. Here I met Sandra which will join me for the next four weeks at the west coast. In the evening we made together a short walk to Northbridge and enjoyed the many lights in the night.

Monday 27^th February, 2012

In the morning I went to Taroona to visit the Shot Tower. This sandstone tower was once used to manufacture gun bullets. As reward for the many steps I could enjoy the view to the sea and the surrounding landscape. My next destination was MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art. Everybody I met was enthusiastic about this museum. I inspected the different objects until late afternoon. Some of them were even from Swiss artists. As I still had some time, I went to the Alpenrail. Here a Swiss made his dream true and created a paradise for his model railway. The railway is laid out in front of the scenery of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau (the three main mountains of the Bernese Alps). I learned that the father of the owner emigrated in the sixties to Australia. Back in Hobart I brought my car back, now I can sleep longer tomorrow.

Friday 24^th February, 2012

Punctually at um 8:30am I entered the time machine which brought me to the year 1830. Tasmania was still called Van Diemen's Land and in Port Arthur logger camps were build where convicts had to work. Starting 1833 repeat offenders from all Australia were moved here. At 1840 more than 2000 convicts, soldiers and civil employees lived in Port Arthur. After the transport of convicts to Van Diemen's Land ended in 1853, mainly convicts with psychical or physical illnesses stayed here. 1877 the camp was closed and many building abolished or destroyed by bush fires. A few houses got sold and a small town named Carnarvon developed. The stories told about this place led to the first tourists coming at around 1920 to see the ruins. Hotels and shops opened in the area and the place got renamed again to Port Arthur. End of April 1996 another tragic chapter was added to this historical place. A spree killer shot 35 people and another 19 got hurt. Next to the ruin at the place of the massacre there is a water filled block. I examined the compound in detail and is it was imposing what all happened here. After the visiting all the buildings I drove towards Remarkable Cave. According to two maps there should be a gravel road, but it was paved until the end. What did I learn: do not always believe the map! I wend down to the caves and could see how a bit of water flushed back and forth. It was beautiful, even if it just was low tide. Then I continued to White Beach. Here I made a long walk along the beach and enjoyed the turquoise water. I visited the coal mines as I did not yet have enough Tasmanian history. Here the convicts had to mine coal and also here there were ruins to visit. On the way to the mines I saw an old friend: a black and yellow bird. As I later learned this is a cockatoo. Konrad and I saw already one in the Wilson Promontory National Park. My way led to Taranna. Here is the first animal park in Australia to give the visitors an understanding of the Tasmanian devil. As I reached the park the local birds got introduced. Soon the eastern quolls got fed. Eastern quolls look like cats, but are related to the Tasmanian devil. It was funny how fast they found their hidden food. There was still some time until the feeding of the Tasmanian devils which I was waiting for. The park also has kangaroos and wallabies, but those I did not visit as I like them more outside in the wild. The feeding was rough, they get the meat and fought about their food. That is the reason for their name.