Our World Trip: Way down on the farm

Pump station

Cut those ribs

Margaret River

You looking for me?

Rottnest Island

Ship of Shame

Shiraz looks good

Passing the time at the Fire Shed

Stir up the harbour

Prime farmland WA

Front lawn

The townhouse

Vineyard

Welcoming committee

Rare Whitetails

The winemakers

In eager anticipation we rounded Rottnest Island to starboard and made for Fremantle harbour – designed by CY O'Connor - the same engineer who constructed the Perth-Kalgoorlie pipeline (committing suicide when the water was late). Sharp turns to starboard and then to port placed us in the channel with a 180 turn to bring us alongside, with only 25m ahead and astern as we swung across the harbour. Lots of comments from passengers about the size of the crowd ashore (‘who’s running the state if they are out here’) and the US warship in the harbour

(‘ there’s one which works’ - the Aus Navy having problems at present). A ‘ship of shame’ was loading sheep as we entered; live exports for the Arabian Gulf states – not nice.

Quick disembarkation despite the enthusiastic Customs and Immigration inspection of anything organic bought in Africa. Australian Immigration Officers had been aboard since Mauritius to process all passengers before arrival – nice work if you can get it, doing two 2-hour sessions each day.

Good old JP turned up with the Discovery and off to the Townhouse for the night.

A quick cuppa to dispel the heat (34C) and then into Town for essential supplies and a haircut! Never seen such a good wet fish shop, so the BBQ was lit and the fishy dinner al fresco with JP and Jocelyn made for an excellent evening, despite the heat, washed down by some much-heralded Rocky Ponds 2009 Viognier!

R & P with Jocelyn followed R & F down the Freeway to the Margaret River and three hot hours later, down excellent dual carriageways, long straight roads and dirt tracks, arrived at The Faarm!

More of a smallholding than a Farm and bordering the Margaret River itself (a series of ponds at present) Rocky Ponds produces avocado pears, mandarins, a few limes and grapes for Viognier and Shiraz wine, although hardly in commercial quantities, if compared to the famous local brand names. Richard has set himself up with some excellent kit and much fun was had on the fine John Deere tractor and quad bike. As ‘silver eyes’ (a bird like a sparrow) were getting into the dessert wine net, these had to be eliminated while the holes in the net were fixed, so the marksman sorted that one out.

Friday night is Fire Shed night at Rosa Brook, so off we went to check it out and sample the snags! Bush Firefighters are all volunteers and have basic training in bush fires with a lovely little station which would suit Nayland nicely! What a great bunch of people.

Blimey it’s hot down there, slightly cooler by night! Saturday was out to see the Winemaker and to sample the Shiraz in production, passing famous vineyards on the way - especially the Cullens(!) and the 'Chick on a Stick' - explore the Farm until the sun went down. Then, serenaded by ‘motorbike frogs’ (think kids on Honda 50s tearing down the street) we enjoyed the open skies and Southern Cross and settled in for a superb JP special rib of beef dinner – quite stunning.

Sunday involved a run out to the local goat farm – meat and dairy – then a lunch at the grill before a kangaroo-spotting walk at dusk.

Our flight left Perth at 11.10 on Monday, so an early start gave us plenty of time to catch the plane.

Thank you, R & F for your company on the ship and family hospitality on The Farm!!!