GREAT PERTH!

We have been staying in Perth for the last three days and having a great time with our good friends Louise, Andrew, Josh and Lachlan.
We caught the city train into the Kings Park Botanic Gardens.  The gardens and ponds were really beautiful.

How Kings Park got its name

Pink everlasting daisies in Kings Park

Garden clock with roman numerals

Lotterywest tree walk where you could see great views of the park and city.

Kangaroo Paw plant

Can you see the fairy in this Pink Fairy Orchid?

Pop is contemplating on the Seat of Contemplation

Everlasting daisy

My favourite everlasting daisy

Pop and I on the Jarrah Forest walk in Kings Park

The statue is a lady holding a child

A little family of wood ducks

There were also great views of the city and the Swan River.

The building is an old brewery

I saw a huge boab tree that was dug up from Telegraph Creek in north Western Australia and replanted at the gardens in 2008.  They moved the tree because they were putting in a bridge on the highway.  The tree had to be moved 3 200 kilometres and was the largest land journey of a tree of its size in history!

The boab tree story showing its journey

We think the black plastic on the ground is to keep water away so the tree doesn't get too much water and die.

 The next day we went back on the train and bus to see the Perth Mint.  We weren't allowed to take photos inside the Mint because of security reasons.

The building is made with limestone blocks

We went on a tour and our guide told us stories about why the Mint was built and stories about the largest gold nuggets found in Australia.  Unfortunately the nuggets were just lifesize models!

The Golden Eagle nugget. This nugget weighs about 32 kilograms and was found by a 16 year old boy in WA in 1931. Nan thinks it looks more like a golden baby

Welcome Stranger nugget weighs approximately 67 kilograms and found in Victoria in 1869

Hand of Faith nugget which weighs approximately 25 kilograms and found with a metal detector. 

 

 

I also saw the largest pure gold coin in the world.  It was made at the Perth Mint and weighs 1 tonne and was worth approximately 56 million dollars.  It was amazing!

In the museum I got weighed and found my weight in gold was worth $1 991 038.78.  I wish I could cash myself in!  I also went into the vault where they keep gold bars and you could try your luck removing a 12 kilogram gold bar from its cradle behind a hole in a glass wall but it was impossible to take!  It was too heavy for one hand to pick up!

My favourite part of the tour was when a lady made a 6 kilogram bar of pure molten gold.  It was fabulous!

I have really enjoyed my time in Perth and I think it would be a great place to live!
We are now travelling south west down to Bunbury.
Till next time.
Zbogom (Croatia - goodbye)