Perth Birds Walkabout Part One
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- Written by: Keith Lightbody
Perth has many interesting native birds right on the doorstep. You can walk to some of the locations mentioned below or catch a free Central Area Transit (CAT) bus*.
John Oldham Park - a series of lakes near the Narrows Bridge interchange. Hundreds of birds breed or visit here including cormorants, ducks, darters, coots, grebes, swamp hens, egrets, herons and black swans. A pair of black swans regularly breed here when conditions are favourable. Amazingly they often take the growing cygnets safely across 4 lanes of traffic to feed in the Swan River. Directions: get off the free Blue CAT bus at stop #19: Mount Hospital.
Kings Park - an internationally renowned bush treasure with a huge range of flora and birds - magic in spring but worth a visit all year round. Just some of the birds here include parrots, cockatoos, pardalotes, wattlebirds, honey eaters, wagtails, bronzewings, swallows, kingfishers and kookaburras. Birds Australia has a complete list of birds in their online guides** - including for Kings Park. On hot summer days it is best to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon when it is cooler.
Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre - Visit Japan Right Here in WA
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- Written by: Melissa Luyke
It may not seem likely from the outside, but stepping inside the ground floor of 20 Kalinda Drive, the site of the former City Beach High School, visitors are immediately whisked away to a little piece of Japan. With tatami mats, shoji screens, Japanese dolls, and sake barrels on view, it is easy to believe that the Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre office is actually located somewhere in downtown Kobe rather than coastal Perth.
Established in 1992 to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the thriving Sister-State relationship between Hyogo Prefecture and Western Australia, the Cultural Centre is fully funded by Hyogo Prefectural Government in an aim to promote awareness of the Sister State relationship, act as a bridge of communication between Hyogo and WA, and support Japanese language and culture education in WA.
Perth Walkabout January Monthly Wrap
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- Written by: Nita Teoh
The Perth Walkabout Monthly Wrap is published at the start of each month to provide a snapshot of articles that hit the headlines in the last 4 weeks.
Here is Perth Walkabout's Monthly Wrap for the month of January:
Kununurra – The Last Frontier in WA
Closer to Darwin than its own capital Perth 3000km away, Kununurra is often described as the last frontier.
Situated at the heart of the East Kimberley in northern West Australia, Kununurra is a green oasis in the red dirt that in the local Aboriginal language means “the meeting of the big waters.”
My family and I were lucky enough to live there for three months in the mild season before the wet a few years ago. It is hot all year round with two distinct seasons; the wet (November – January) and the dry. Many roads are closed during the wet season so it is best to travel in the dry and plan ahead.
Public Outdoor Ping Pong (POPP) in Perth
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- Written by: John Durey
Public Outdoor Ping Pong is POPP. We make outdoor ping pong tables from 700kg of steel and we get local artists to do their artwork.
Each table is a non-porous steel canvas and we encourage the artist to do whatever they feel would be most daring. There are no briefs or limitations. Sean Morris illustrated a beast with a severed head and severed limbs and Jae Criddle trapped a man with wings, or a pheasant on his back - depending on the angle.
The tables then end up in public - parks, open spaces, town squares. People kind of look at them at first, ponder the artwork and sometimes they work out that they can play ping pong on them, too.
Marry the Night in Fremantle
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- Written by: Kat Tate
When the cafés close and the sun sets, the harbour hub of Fremantle comes alive with a smorgasbord of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs serving up a feast of fun. Whether you’re seeking a subdued evening or are planning to party, you’ll find it in ‘Freo’.
Enjoy an afternoon brew
Hugging the harbour, microbrewery Little Creatures is the prime spot for a late-afternoon ale. The eatery is set in an industrial tin shed, with great glass panels overlooking the working brewery. This raucous place gets busy, so arrive early to bag a spot at a communal table and settle in to sample the scrumptious pub fare.
Round Up of Chinese New Year Activities in Perth
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- Written by: Nita Teoh
Happy Chinese New Year to everyone in Perth!
In Perth, we are lucky enough to be exposed to a range of people from a diverse set of cultures and backgrounds, including those who are of Chinese and Vietnamese ethnicity.
According to the Lunar calendar, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon and is celebrated from the 23rd January for 15 days.
ABC Interview with Ken Lee on Celebrating the Lunar New Year Dragon Style
For the best low down on what Chinese New Year is all about, hear from Ken Lee at the ABC site. Ken is one of my long time friends, and I really enjoyed his interview on the ABC with Brooke Bannister.