Click on any photo to see larger pictures from our Perth trip.

Samantha with David's parents (Joan & John) at Curtin University. David received his engineering degree here.
Lunch on campus
Coffee break in East Perth at Lamont's
In King's Park looking out over the city.


Perth city.
Perth and Swan River
The Narrows Bridge and South Perth
The old Swan Brewery


Visiting the Swan Brewery. One of Samantha's favorite camera angles.
The Christmas spider, one of the many "cute" critters in the Newman's back yard.
Samantha standing in the Newman's driveway.
The Newman family (mostly :) ) Samantha, Wendy, Jack, Muriel, John & Joan


Samantha and David's Aunt Wendy
picnic at the Summerville outdoor movie theatre located in the University of Western Australia
Ben (David's brother) and Samantha at Cottesloe Beach
Sam shell hunting


Look at that.
Samantha on the Cottesloe Beach Groyne
A quiet spot in Fremantle, the harbor town.
The Fremantle Round House, an old prison.


The Fremantle sky
More critters at the Newman's. This toad was on the door step.
Samantha in Subiaco (or Subi for locals)
Samantha learning Oz lingo -- pronounced 'choc' - a - be -- "Choc-ee" is short for chocolate.


Shops in Subi
Flowers in Subi
Party at the Newman's. Samantha with David's friends: Sambo and Christine
David's post-grad university pals. Will, Claus, Denise & Andrew (David far right)


More "uni" pals : Frank, Sambo, Christine and Sean.
High-school friends Kylie and Steve Munyard
Sean's "glamour girl" daughter -- Jamie.
Sambo and Christine having fun


Sambo having more fun
All the Munyards -- Bert, Joy, Kylie and Steve with Will and David.
Sambo and party girl Paula
Small bush fire -- one of 180 that day (apparently a record)


Family in the heat. A lunch break in Pinjarra on our way down south.
Samantha feeds the local wildlife.
The locals in the backyard of King Tree Lodge (David's Aunt and Uncle's home.)
John & Samantha checking out the roos


More Family -- Cheryl, Olivia and David.
Olivia, a first cousin.
Family luncheon at King Tree.
The roos are gathering


Olivia helps Sam get a better view.
Cocktails on the veranda
Feeding the roos
They were very gentle.


These are the common grey kangaroo, smaller than the big red ones (not in this part of Australia.)
Mother and joey at dusk.
hello
Sam was very excited


Male kangaroo with big arms
This joey doesn't know that she's too old for pouch feeding
Check out the big one
No we have no more apples.


Very soft to touch
Ain't I cute?
David had never fed kangaroos either.
Joan can't resist a little pat.


More cuteness
Sam tries to lure a little joey. They were shy.
As close as we could get to this little one.
They like apple.


Olivia wasn't shy though.
Joan talks to the animals.
Fun with kangaroos!
Samantha receives a gift from Cheryl.


The lighning show was pretty cool.
Dinner with the family.
Cheryl is a wonderful hostess and an excellent cook.
Olivia provided some live music.


Admiring the decor.
Standing inside the "King Tree" - the largest Jarrah tree in Western Australia.
Samantha complained that it wasn't very big.
Samantha at Gnomesville, a magical land to which people come from miles away to visit hundreds of garden gnomes of all kinds.


The "Rolling Gnomes" put on a concert
We made a wish in the gnome's wishing well.
Good advice.
Sad gnome bits.


The grass tree - local shrubbery.
King Tree Lodge
Samantha at King Tree's vineyard
Olivia showing baby grapes.


Samantha had never seen baby grapes
Olivia's award winning poem.
Samantha says goodbye to the concrete bunny as we now must leave King Tree.
The gecco, the cutest of the critters to visit our bedroom.


You must have Samantha tell the story about Christa Hughes. Ben did the artwork for this poster.
Samantha with David's old girlfriend, Julie, and her mother Linda. Proving that the world is a small place as neither David nor Julie live anywhere near Perth.
Samantha sitting in the Supreme Court Gardens in the middle of Perth.
The Bell Tower on the Swan River.


Samantha behind the camera.
Christmas day at the Newman's. Muriel, Ben and Sam share stories.
Ben, Sam and cousin Andrew
Christmas day is Muriel's brithday, she needs to get her fair share of gifts.


John and Joan in their favorite chairs.
Family xmas lunch.
A family photo.
David, Muriel and Sam.


Del (David's other Aunt) and her daughter Sian with Muriel
More backyard critters. This is a bandicoot. Yes there is a video game named after this fellow.
More of the bandicoot.
Surprisingly he allowed me to take a few photos before going into hiding.


Our summer, outdoor, Christmas dinner with Sambo.
Samantha learning how to crack a bon-bon.
It was a huge feast, we even ate steak raised by Sambo's bother.
Color coordinated party hats.


Boxing day morning (Dec 26), we are both setting out for Rottnest Island.
Perth city from the ferry.
we're here.
Rottnest has some of the clearest waters in the world.


Thompson's Bay, Rottnest
Samantha with a map from the tourist center.
Our first visit to the Rottnest bakery. The food here is so good we come back for more.
Shots around the island


Samantha sporting her new Rotto cap.
Samantha learning that it is just like riding a bike. The bicycle is the primary form of transport on Rottnest.
See Sam ride.
See Quokka hop.


The Quokka is the very cute marsupial that inhabits the whole island, and is the source of the island's name. Rottnest is basically Dutch for "rats nest".
They are very photogenic
And so is Samantha.
One last cutie.


Now Samantha is a riding professional (if you ignore the injury on her knee.)
David rests by the bay.



Only 13 very old graves exist at the little Rottnest Cemetery.


Samantha getting her feet stuck at one of the salt lakes on Rottnest Island.
Nice sunset after returning from Rotto.
Samantha wanted me to take this shot.
Christine didn't seem to want me to take this one.


Sambo, Christine and Ben (not in shot,) join us for dinner in Freo (Fremantle)
An Emu at Cahunu Koala Park.
Samantha meets her first Emu.
Dingos are cute.
This was a rather cheesy park with random concrete creatures throughout.
Some native eagles.
Samanatha with the Pelicans


Laugh Kookoburra. Samantha thought there were monkeys outside when all the Kookoburras starting laughing at 5am on our first morning in Perth.
The Blue-tongued Bob-tailed Goanna. David and Ben played with these as kids.
More cheesy sculptures.
The Black Swan.


cute horses.
Samantha liked these -- not native :)
Albino peacock
A Pink and Grey Galah.


This one liked David.
Friendly birdlife.
Sleepy wildlife.
Samantha got to pet a Koala.


The koala didn't mind -- he had some lunch.
"They feel like broccoli"
Greg showing Sam a giant cactus. Greg and David went to the same primary school, high school and university together.
Greg's giant cactus.


Samantha trying Greg's trampoline.
Ouch!
Final evening in Perth at the Darlington Winery Restaurant.
Samantha ordering her next wine sample.


Ben and Sam.
David after an excellent dinner.
Sam and Joan swap more stories.
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