Busselton

Posted on September 19, 2017 by kathy

After a day spent savouring the digestible delights of Margaret River, and a peaceful amble through a magnificent Karri forest, we thought there wasn’t much else we could do to top off a wonderful day. We were wrong. We arrived in Busselton as the sun was setting, casting an eerie light to the east. The longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere, Busselton Jetty stretches almost two kilometres out to sea.

1a.Busselton jetty

Construction began in 1853 and the jetty was gradually extended until the 1960s. Closed to shipping in 1972, a period of neglect ensued, along with damage by a cyclone in 1978 and a fire in 1999. The jetty has since been restored and the Underwater Observatory at the end is on the list of things to see next time.

1.Busselton jetty

Toward the west, the descending sun was creating a spectacle.

2.Busselton

We were the only ones on the sheltered beach, the calm waters of Geographe Bay gently lapping at the shore. The changing palette was mesmerising as Sol slipped below the horizon.

3.Busselton 4.Busselton 5.Busselton 6.Busselton

A perfect end to a glorious day.

7.Busselton

degustation decadence

Posted on September 8, 2017 by kathy

One of our favourite restaurants in the whole world (no, I’m not exaggerating), is right here in Burnie. Each time we visit Bayviews, I peruse the menu closely and, for quite some time, have coveted the degustation menu. There is a choice of a 6 course or 9 course menu and the option with each to have matching wines. On a recent inclement Saturday, we indulged, with a friend, in a long, leisurely lunch. We opted for the 6 course menu, accompanied by a bottle of the wonderful Josef Chromy Pinot Gris 2016. As usual, the view was spectacular

1.Bass Strait

and the ambience restful.

2.inside restaurant

We started with lightly fried southern calamari seasoned with a blend of herbs, citrus zest, black pepper and coriander seeds and served with a romesco sauce and fresh mix of local herbs, bean shoots and roasted peanuts.

3.calamari

The pan roasted Rannoch Farm quail, from southern Tasmanian, was served with a light corn veloute, crispy chorizo and a celeriac and red radish remoulade (try saying that after a couple of wines).

4.quail

Sourced from Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of Tasmania, the Atlantic salmon was paired with a fragrant yellow curry and topped with cuttlefish from Northern Tasmania, thinly sliced and shallow fried.

5.salmon

We were surprised to see some intrepid souls braving the water in pursuit of the perfect wave.

6.surfers

We weren’t distracted for too long as the fourth course was served. Slowly poached for five hours in a stock of spices, fresh herbs and aromatic vegetables, the chicken was incredibly tender. Sliced and served in the poaching broth and finished with a fragrant herb and pickled daikon salad, the flavours were exquisite.

7.chicken

The tamarillo sorbet palate cleanser was a lovely shade of pink.

8.tamarillo sorbet

The main course of the degustation is usually slow cooked Tasmanian midlands venison shoulder. The shoulder was unavailable, instead we had venison backstrap cooked medium, served with braised red cabbage, smoked plums, white onion puree and water chestnuts.

9.venison

Outside, the clouds had dispersed and the surfers were still keen in their pursuit.

10.beach

Inside, we had made it to dessert. Peanut praline semi freddo consisting of a light sabayon base combined with a caramel and peanut flavoured cream, served with a light chocolate mousse on coffee soil.

11.dessert

Our lovely friend summed it up beautifully…. “It’s like eating poetry”.

Boranup Forest

Posted on August 28, 2017 by kathy

After a day of indulging in the digestible delights of the Margaret River region, it was time to walk off some of the damage. Boranup Karri Forest was the perfect destination. It is possible to drive through the forest but calories are not burned that way. We parked the car

1.Boranup Karri forest

and choosing a walking track,

2.Boranup Karri forest

we were soon surrounded by towering Karri trees.

3.Karri forest 4.Karri trees

The Karri is a eucalypt, native to south western Australia, with a light coloured trunk that turns brown before it is shed.

5.Karri tree

The leaves are dark green on top and lighter underneath, hence the botanical name Eucalyptus diversicolor. The third tallest tree species in the world, mature trees branch only from the top third of the trunk.

6.Karri trees

At ground level, there were cosy homes for the wildlife

7.Karri tree

and a few early wildflowers added colour to the forest.

It’s hard to believe these magnificent trees are little more than 100 years old. The area was extensively logged between 1884 and 1913, the long, straight timber widely used in the building industry.

12.Karri forest

Hopefully, these trees will be left in the forest for future generations to enjoy.

13.Karri forest

Voyager Estate

Posted on August 7, 2017 by kathy

After visiting some of the boutique wineries in the Margaret River region, we thought it only fair to experience one of the more substantial enterprises.

1.entrance

The word that springs to mind when I recall our visit to Voyager Estate is ‘immaculate’.

2.Voyager Estate

Established in 1978, the regimented vines were patiently awaiting their spring foliage.

3.Vineyard

At the end of the long driveway, we parked the car

4.Voyager Estate

and made our way along the perfectly paved paths edging manicured lawns.

5.Voyager Estate 6.Voyager Estate

The gardens and buildings were inspired by the Cape Dutch farmsteads of South Africa. The colourful plantings complemented the stark white buildings beautifully.

As we neared our objective, the flawless approach

10.Voyager Estate 11.Voyager Estate

was lined with some intricate examples of topiary.

12.topiary hedges

We finally reached the Cellar Door

13.Cellar Door

and entered the inner sanctum.

14.entrance

The hallway leading to the restaurant was pristine (as were the bathrooms).

15.hallway

Private tasting sessions are offered in ‘Michael’s Room’, named after the late mining magnate, Michael Wright, who bought the estate in 1991.

16.Michael's Room

We settled for a few samples at the tasting counter and, of course, a purchase or two.

17.departing

Taronga Zoo

Posted on August 2, 2017 by kathy

On a warm December day in Sydney, we caught the ferry from Circular Quay to spend the day at Taronga Zoo. Officially opened in 1916, the zoo was based on the bar-less exhibits seen at Hamburg Zoo on a visit to Germany by the Secretary of the zoo in 1908. The 69 acre site is home to over 4,000 animals of 350 species and is a wonderful place to spend a leisurely day. The first animal we encountered was the gorgeous red panda. The deep rust-red colour contrasts beautifully with cream facial markings, the large claws a bonus when it comes to tree climbing.

These two were enjoying a nap in the humid heat, dreaming of their ancestors in south-east Asia. Binturongs have been described as a bear-cat and as tree dwellers with long bushy tails, it’s hard to believe they are distantly related to meerkats. Apparently, they have a strong odour of a cross between burnt popcorn and corn chips. We didn’t get close enough to find out.

The Java Finch seemed to be enjoying the steamy atmosphere in the waterbird exhibit.

Usually a white bird, the Cattle Egret is seen on the backs of cattle making a meal of ticks and flies. The orange brown breeding plumage becomes bright red at the height of the season. Interestingly, a group of egrets is known as a “skewer”.

9.cattle egret

The smallest known ibis in Australia, the Glossy Ibis was showing the magnificent colours of breeding plumage.

10.glossy ibis

The Asian elephant breeding program has been very successful at Taronga. The keepers led them out for their daily exercise, giving them wooden “toys” to play with.

11.Asian elephants

15.Asian elephants

The Sumatran Tiger and Snow Leopard were on alert

16.Sumatran Tiger 17.Snow Leopard

but there were others who had given in to the somnolent, steamy atmosphere.

18.lioness 19.bear 20.tapir

I have always had a soft spot for hippos and the baby pygmy hippo stole my heart.

The meerkats were entertaining, as usual, I could watch them for hours. The dark patches around their eyes act as sunglasses to lessen the glare of the desert.