Fremantle
Well, bits of it.
On the first full day we all drove down to Mandurah where I took the pelican photos you saw last Sunday.
On the Sunday, R and V went to the football. They had to of course, the Fremantle Dockers were playing. And they won.
I was invited to go along, but opted instead to wander around Fremantle and catch the bus back to their home when I got tired.
I found the market stalls in the old storage sheds down by the docks and had a great time choosing a gift or two for R and V, a "thank you for having me" type of thing.
What did I buy?
a backscratcher. Two actually. One for each of them.
With an attached clip to hook into your pocket. So you can always scratch that itch.
I know what you're thinking...it looks a little short.
Check this out>>
it's telescopic!
Ta Da!!
It opens from 16cm to 50cm. Long enough for anyone's back.
Well, maybe not for King Kong, he'll have to keep using The Empire State Building.
I took a few photos of older buildings near the docks, they're beautifully kept.
See for yourself....
I don't know what this building is, but I like the colour against that beautiful blue sky.
And it's 123 years old. Not showing its age at all.
another unknown, but again, beautifully cared for.
a third unknown.
The Chamber of Commerce. It's so clean!
(I should email these to the Adelaide City Council....)
Look at this fabulous door and surrounds. Nothing rusty or dusty about it.
It belongs to the above Chamber of Commerce.
Dock Buildings. Again, beautifully kept.
Customs House.
The old No 2 Fire Station, now converted for use as a Backpackers Hostel.
It's the cleanest and prettiest Backpackers I've ever seen!
It's 104 years old and still looks brand new.
The building, not the plaque.
On the first full day we all drove down to Mandurah where I took the pelican photos you saw last Sunday.
On the Sunday, R and V went to the football. They had to of course, the Fremantle Dockers were playing. And they won.
I was invited to go along, but opted instead to wander around Fremantle and catch the bus back to their home when I got tired.
I found the market stalls in the old storage sheds down by the docks and had a great time choosing a gift or two for R and V, a "thank you for having me" type of thing.
What did I buy?
With an attached clip to hook into your pocket. So you can always scratch that itch.
I know what you're thinking...it looks a little short.
Check this out>>
It opens from 16cm to 50cm. Long enough for anyone's back.
Well, maybe not for King Kong, he'll have to keep using The Empire State Building.
I took a few photos of older buildings near the docks, they're beautifully kept.
See for yourself....
And it's 123 years old. Not showing its age at all.
(I should email these to the Adelaide City Council....)
It belongs to the above Chamber of Commerce.
It's the cleanest and prettiest Backpackers I've ever seen!
The building, not the plaque.
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Ahhh Fremantle - "Freo" to us locals. An old haunting ground of hubby and mine.
ReplyDeleteIt is one of the places I do miss, now that we live on the other side of the country.
It has a certain special "air" about it doesn't it?
An aged, graceful - yet very funky - vibe.
As a child, I remember it as a grimy port city with mostly storage yards and warehouses and pubs. It used to be very run down and unkempt.
Fremantle hosted the defence of the America's Cup in '87, which contributed greatly to the upgrading of the city. It was a city that was slowly developing into a grander place anyway, but the cup hastened the process - by at least seven or eight years. The upgrade times were astonishing!
So many international visitors would be arriving there and the city received a lot of private and public money to beautify and restore.
It continued to boom and became, "the place to be". Real estate prices went through the roof!
Oh, I wish I'd invested in a little terrace house back when they were shabby hovels, sigh. :)
And, the castellated "facade" in your sixth photo, is the Barracks Arch, looking west up the top of St Georges Tce - in front of Perth's Parliament House.
I loved staring at it on the way to King's Park excursions as a child, and later when I worked in the city.
I'm very fond of it. Fascinating history.
Briefly... it's all that remains of the old Retired Pensioner Guard building(c 1863). The task of keeping 10,000 odd convicts, sent to colonial Perth between 1850 and 1868 in line, was up to the Pensioner Force - retired/veteran soldiers.
The Barracks later became a government works department.
The whole building was demolished in the 60's to make way for a freeway as Perth expanded.
The arch itself narrowly avoided being torn down, there was much public outcry and debate on the subject. But motion to demolish it was defeated in 1966, and so it has remained, thankfully.
Thank you for the pictorial trips down memory lane River.
It is certainly a well kept area.
ReplyDeleteLoved the pics of our Freo but Vicki beat me to it describing what was what. Those old buildings are truly beautiful. I feel Fremantle is somewhat in decline these days. Lots of controversy about what should happen when and where. Haven't been there for a couple of years and yet we live only a couple of miles away.
ReplyDeleteI remember the Old Barracks in its entirety before it was demolished and there was one helluva protest about it being pulled down but progress must.....
Incidentally, through her father's side of the family, my daughter has a Pensioner Guard in her ancestry as well as two convicts. One convicted of stealing a sheep and the other of burglary. They both became very respectable citizens of Western Australia. I went with her to the old Fremantle Gaol a few years back to a ceremony where she and others were presented with certificates of their heritage.
I have always regretted the number of beautiful old building that were demolished in Perth city to make way for modern architecture which to me is not at all noteworthy.
I doubt Freo would be looking as good as it is if it hadn't been for the America's Cup. It had been looking rather grotty before then.
I can remember, back in the 1950s, it was quite an adventure going to Fremantle if you lived north of Perth and yet it was only about 15 miles. Things were so different back then.
P.S. Meant to say I love the back scratcher and it extends to such a good length too. A very thoughtful gift.
ReplyDeleteI think I might prefer Fremantle to Perth. It just looks so interesting and historic.
ReplyDeleteI would have much rather wandered around with you than watch a soccer match. Lots of terrific-looking buildings to see. (And maybe even another pelican or two.)
ReplyDeleteTotally neat back scratchers!
I have never been to WA but they do look after their buildings everything looks cared for and clean.
ReplyDeleteBut a back scratcher, looks a bit severe what's wrong with a door frame much softer.
Merle...........
Vicki; thanks for the info. I have more memories to come for you and for Mimsie too.
ReplyDeleteDelores; there are grubby areas, but these touristy areas are very nice.
Mimsie; Only a couple of miles away? If I'd known that I'd have got your address and dropped in for a visit. I had a free day.
Andrew; I didn't see any of Perth apart from King's Park and the airport. and I only saw a small part of King's Park. It's so huge!
Susan; soccer and football are two completely different games. Soccer is European football. This game was Aussie Rules football. Maybe there is a youtube you can find to get a look at it.
Merlesworld; a door frame doesn't always get just the right spot. I have a bamboo backscratcher that I've had for 20 years, it almost qualifies as my most precious item. Almost. The parts of WA I've seen have been very nice, eventually I'm sure I'll see the down-at-heel bits too.
Love the quokkas, visited there years ago now. I did comment on that post but it didnt stick.
ReplyDeleteIve had visitors from hell for the last 11 days (felt like 11 months) so I have much catching up to do
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ReplyDeleteI want that front door and the windows and I think I'll have the columns as well.
ReplyDeleteLove the buildings, they have character instead of looking like concrete blocks.
Kymbo Whitford; 11 days is too long to impose on others, unless you invited them. Leave the yellow pages open at the accommodation pages next time.
ReplyDeleteJahTeh; that door is magnificent isn't it? I've just seen a similar door on a house for sale here in Adelaide. I look at houses the way you look at jewellery. Those buildings certainly do have character and charm too. concrete blocks are just too modern and bland.
Every building is magnificent. A lot of pride here, public and private.
ReplyDeleteJoanne Noragon; they're lovely aren't they? and stand out so well against that gorgeous blue sky.
ReplyDeleteThose backscratchers are AWESOME!! Look forward to seeing all your holiday pix - I've been to Perth as a child which I don't really remember, but only for work as an adult - when I didn't get to see very much!
ReplyDeleteRed Nomad OZ; a backscratcher that fits in your pocket is always handy. I love my bamboo one, but it isn't telescopic.
ReplyDelete