Botanic Garden and birthday beers

A day in Perth. I went to the Botanic Gardens with Scarey Sis while Him Outdoors was mountain-biking with Hoggy and Mr Smartypants, and the super-in-law did pre-Christmas stuff with the children.

Perth city skyline

The State War Memorial is in King's Park, one of the largest inner city parks in the world, and the most popular visitor destination in Western Australia.

The red and green kangaroo paw (Angiozanthus manglesii) is the Western Australian floral emblem. At the entrance to the botanic gardens, a marble mosaic depicting this flower created by artists Rudolph Verschoor and Jacqueline Pinnock sits beneath a Silver Princess (Eucalyptus caesia).

The giant boab tree, which was transported to King's Park from the Kimberley Region

Scarey Sis on the Lotterywest Federation Walkway

This used to be a brewery!

'Using symbolic plant forms, these five sculptures invite you to reflect on the importance and diversity of the contribution of women to the community'.

Renewal and Leadership

Life

The Pioneer Women's Memorial in the centre of the Water Garden is eye-catching. The woman is strong, beautiful, compassionate and comforting. 

So is this one...

There are plenty of beautiful blooms in the Banksia gardens, and also a couple of art-works by Philippa O'Brien depicting these plants.

The DNA Tower and viewing platform

View of Perth from DNA Tower, King's Park

As it was Him Outdoors' birthday, a trip to Feral Brewing was in order. Their Boris (Russian Imperial Stout) is his favourite Australian beer, with their Hop Hog (American IPA) not far behind. I also liked their Rust (Belgian Dubbel), Fanta Pants (Imperial Red IPA) and B.F.H. (Barrel Fermented Hog - their flagship IPA).

Some of our party were not quite so impressed with the description of the Fanta Pants as being 'offensively bitter (like most redheads)', but no one (among the beer drinkers) could deny the taste.

Nephew Aidan clearly spellbound by Hoggy's pontifications

The Happy Birthday Boy

More Margaret River: Beaches and Breweries

More beaches, as promised. Looking for places for Mr Smartypants to go surfing, we examined Surfer's Point, obviously.

The super-in-law kindly pointed out the place where someone got taken by a shark, just recently. 

That doesn't seem to bother these folk.

Still contemplating, we headed on to Gnarabup Beach. After much consideration, this was decided upon as a likely locale, so we messed about in the waves while Mr Smartypants played in others just around the headland (out of sight; out of photo-evidence).

The town of Cowaramup in Margaret River derives its name from the Aboriginal word 'cowara' meaning purple-crowned lorikeet . It is affectionately known as Cowtown, due to its dairy farming history, and symbols of the cow abound.

Cow statue outside Colonial Brewery

Interior decor at Colonial Brewing Co. - lights made from old growlers

A detour from beer to confectionery; Bettenay's Margaret River Nougat Company to be precise. You can watch the nougat being made and sample the wines on offer, before choosing your own slab of sugary goodness to take away. 

Beside the bovine sculptures, beautiful kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos) bloom outside - these flowers are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia, and the flower buds are covered with coloured hairs (from black to yellow, orange and red) which give them a furry, velvety appearance.

From nougat to chocolate at the Margaret River Chocolate Co. Here you can buy almost anything chocolate related from beans to baths salts - yes, bath salts. Now, this seems mildly odd to me, as having your bath water turn a dubious shade of brown isn't really ideal in most circumstances.

And so to the next brewery. Cowaramup Brewing Co was one of our favourites with excellent beer and friendly service. The porter is my winner, and the Special Pale Ale (brewed in a English ESB style) is highly recommended.

Not everyone looked thrilled...

As mentioned before, they have a thing about cows around here.

Him Outdoors and Mr Smartypants enjoying the range at Moody Cow

And the last beach of the trip is Binningup Beach, a 22km-long stretch of straight, beautiful sand, backed by dunes and stunning at sunset.

Binningup Beach