Perth to Sydney by Rail

This post will include lots and lots of photos….. First, some flowers and birds along the way; don’t know all of the names, but pretty nonetheless.

Here’s a caged bird of a different feather…… near a mighty fig tree in Perth.

Southwestern Australia encompasses the area from Perth south through the wine lands of the Margaret River to the far point of Cape Leeuwin and across to Albany and the Stirling Ranges.

One more bird photo…. Australian ring neck parrots at a bed and breakfast…..

There are three places in this part of the world that provoke the same response from almost everybody when they are mentioned. That comment is, “Oh, it’s beautiful there!” The places are Tasmania, the South Island of New Zealand…. And the Margaret River area south of Perth.

It is beautiful there.

And at this time (winter), there aren’t too many other people. We didn’t see another soul – not even the proprietor – when we visited this wooden sculpture park situated on a bluff next to the ocean.

Cape Leeuwin is the farthest southwest point in Australia – from here, Africa is just across the ocean to the west and Antarctica is to the south.

The nearby town of Augusta was the site of (arguably) the best meal of the trip so far….. a large mug of fresh coffee with a gorgeous turmeric-toned savory scone warm from the oven. OMG, that was good.

Google Earth had an intriguing view of jewel-like lakes just north of the Stirling Ranges.

Unfortunately, few of the lakes could be seen from ground level, except for this not-so-spectacular pink one.

There were, however, vast fields of brilliant canola.

The farmers in the area appear to be not too fond of the wallabies who pilfer from their crops…. Lots of bones and carcasses on the side of the road….. and a warning for those who are tempted.

On the way back to Perth, we just had to stop for a photo op with the giant ram in Wagin.

Perth was the jumping-off point for our last crossing of the Australian continent….. on board the Indian Pacific train to Sydney.

The train crosses the continent in four days, accommodations quite comfortable.

Brief stops include Kalgoorlie, the site of a giant pit where gold is mined day and night.

Cook, a ghost town that marks a section of track that is the longest straight segment of railway in the world, 478 kilometers.

Cook also boasts a persistent population of flies…

A few hours along the way in Adelaide, with its vibrant market….

Another short stop in the magnificent Blue Mountains…..

With his eye for color, Henry made note of some remarkable graffiti on rail cars….

And made a colorful friend in the bar car!

We finally ended up in Sydney, where we cruised around the extensive bay with friends Stephanie and Warren, who we met on the expedition voyage along the west coast.

Henry and Warren giving some fashion tips to an aboriginal street performer…..

To cap off our time in Sydney…. A ride to the airport in an Uber car with a curved glass roof! (Easy to impress us simple country folk.)

Having crossed Australia by air, sea and rail, we head next to Tasmania.