Christine Knight, Author at Adventure, baby!

Christine Knight

Christine is the editor of Adventure, Baby!

The School Run Blogging Rut: A Day In The Life of a WFH Mum

March 22, 2017 / Writing / 6 Comments

This year has a big one in our family with the little one starting full time kindergarten. I had been thinking this change would actually lead to an increase in my productivity as I’d have two extra days to work, but something quite the opposite has happened.

It turns out that five straight days, week after week, of early mornings and school runs has actually put me into a massive creative rut that I’m struggling to lift myself out of. It’s not that much more than last year, so why the rut?

Last year Cheese was in preschool three days a week, leaving us two days together during the week to sleep in, see friends and family and generally not have to be on a schedule of any kind. Now, suddenly, I find myself chained to a tight schedule again five days out of seven, even though I work from home and don’t have to start work at any particular time. Ironic, is it not, for a remote writer to be chained to a schedule again?

This is what my days look like now that school is in.

6:20am: Alarm 1 goes off. I press snooze and roll back over.

6:30am: Alarm 2 goes off. I peel off the sheets and get out of bed.

6:30-7am: Instagram. Yes, that’s right, I use this half an hour to Instagram. I’ve worked out that the majority of my audience is online at this time so I post and comment to ensure my photos are reaching people at the right time online. This is also why my Instagram posts have a large number of typos. I also drink a lot of caffeine during this time.

7am: Make Cheese’s lunch, lay out her school uniform.

7:15am: Wake Cheese up and give her breakfast (she only eats yoghurt for breakfast so at least it’s easy!).

7:20am: Jump in the shower and get myself ready for the school run.

7:30am: Get Cheese dressed for school.

7:45am: Leave the house and drive Cheese to school.

8:30am: Leave Cheese at school. Drop by Coles and pick up whatever groceries we need and drive home.

9:30am: Home and finally can start the day with a bowl of yoghurt. I see a pattern here. Work until 12pm on anything from replying to emails and writing for blog to pitching and writing freelance assignments or copywriting gigs.

12pm-12:30pm: Lunch! Usually two boiled eggs and maybe some cheese and crackers and an apple.

12:30pm-2pm: Finish up work followed by any other errands that need running like going to the post office, photographing products, editing images and responding to more emails.

2pm-2:15pm: Get ready for school pick up by packing snacks or clothes for swimming.

2:15-3pm: Drive to the school and park.

3pm-5:30pm: Take Cheese to the playground or swimming.

5:30-6:30pm: Home. Clean out the lunch boxes and cook dinner.

6:30pm-7:30pm Eat dinner all together.

7:30pm Cheese has books read to her.

8pm-9:30pm: Attempt to get Cheese to sleep.

9:30pm-9:45pm: A few minutes to relax.

9:45-10pm: Get ready for bed.

10pm-10:15pm asleep.

Rinse and repeat.

Now I’ve broken it down I can see what’s happening and why I’m in such a rut! I spend most of the day either doing domestic chores or childcare, no matter my creativity is zero!

You might be asking where is the husband in this picture? He does one pick up and one drop off a week and we alternate reading books and putting Cheese to bed at night, but honestly it’s a small drop in the ocean of things needing to be done.

Now I’m working from home five days a week I’m starting to feel lonely working all by myself, so that is also contributing to the rut.

Is there an answer to getting out of this rut and getting creativity back? I don’t honestly know. I am going to try to get out more to meet with fellow creatives and try and perhaps break up the morning with working from a cafe near the school before rushing to do more chores and driving back home. Will that help? Why knows?

What about you? Have you been in a creative rut? Do you have any words of advice?

Marathon Turtle Hospital, Florida Keys, USA

March 14, 2017 / Florida, Travel, USA / 1 Comment

A must-see on a road trip through the Keys, the Marathon Turtle Hospital is a small, non-profit organisation dedicated to the rehabilitation of endangered sea turtles.

The Turtle Hospital is home to over 50 sick and injured turtles who are undergoing various stages of treatment, rehabilitation, or have been deemed unsuitable to be released into the wild and so have become permanent residents.

In order to meet the turtles you must book in for a tour of the facilities. The tour lasts around 90 minutes and includes a presentation on the various turtle breeds and the threats they face in the wild, a tour of the hospital facilities, and, what everyone had been waiting for, meeting the turtle patients. The majority of the turtles end up in the hospital after bodily trauma (such as being hit by a propeller blade) or sickness such as infections or tumours.

Several of the turtles have what’s called “bubble butt” where an accident, such as a boating incident, has damaged their shell, letting air in underneath it, giving them the appearance of a “bubble butt”, which causes the turtle to float.

Turtles with bubble butt have weights affixed to them to help them balance out and give them the ability to swim underneath the water once more.

At the end of each program guests are invited to feed the permanent residents – not touch them, mind you, but throw their favourite pellets to them as they swim happily in the pool underneath.

Because they are a working hospital, you must be part of one of the guided educational programs in order to visit the turtles. Reservations are highly recommended.

The Turtle Hospital
2396 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL
Prices: Adults: $22, kids 4-12 years old: $11, under 4 free

Travel Guide: Visiting UNESCO World Heritage Site Cockatoo Island

March 13, 2017 / Historical Sydney, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Sydney’s history hides itself in plain sight. Scattered around the sparkling harbour and lush bush are pieces of a past that was built on the backs of convicts sent to the colonies to pay for their crimes committed far across the ocean.

It’s easy to forget the past when you’re faced with the present and future. Sydney is a vibrant city renowned for its pristine beaches, foodie scene and wildlife – but scratch beneath the surface a little and you’ll find two hundred years worth of history ready to be explored by the next generation.

Cockatoo Island is one such place that is sitting right there in the middle of Sydney Harbour, rich with the past and full of tales to tell. Before the First Fleet arrived at our shores, the island was frequented by sulphur-crested cockatoos and the Eora people, Aboriginals from Sydney’s coastal region. They called the island Waremah and would have used it as a base to fish from, making their canoes from the bark of the red gum forests that once covered the island hill.

In 1839 the Governor of the colony of New South Wales, Sir George Gipps, chose Cockatoo Island as the site of a new penal establishment and put convicts to work building prison barracks, a military guardhouse and official residences – a rather less idyllic island life than the previous residents had enjoyed.

In the 175 years that follow, the island is used as a jail for “the worst of the worst”, a graving dock, a site for a girls’ reformatory, and a major shipbuilding site.

After the closure of the last ship dockyard in 1992 the island lay dormant until the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust restored the island and opened it to the public in 2007.

Since its reopening it has been used as a site for major films (see below for more details), events and art exhibitions, as well as a place for Sydney’s locals and visitors alike to discover the forgotten tales of its former residents.

In 2010 Cockatoo Island, together with 10 other historic convict sites in Australia, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, ensuring its stories will be preserved for all future generations to learn from.

A visit to Cockatoo Island is perfect for the whole family, for people of all ages and abilities. It can be as relaxing or active as the participants in your group want it to be. We visited with our very active five-year-old and have plenty of tips for those visiting with a similarly energetic party!

Bring the scooter
The island has plenty of flat cement ground for kids to scoot everywhere on. While we were reading the fine details on the history of the island, the kid was scooting off a storm and having the time of her life. There was no complaining about tired legs or being bored, just one very happy scooting child.

Pick up a kids’ activity pack
Ask at the Visitor’s Centre when you get off the ferry for a free kids’ activity pack. It sends kids on a treasure hunt around the island in a quest to find various clues and complete activities that engage them in the history of the island. Love it when you can blend education with some fun.

Break for lunch
You’re free to bring your own picnic lunch and enjoy it on the island, but we really enjoyed our late breakfast from Societe Overboard, one of the two cafes on Cockatoo Island. Societe Overboard is right near the ferry terminal and serves breakfast plus lunch items (we ordered the Brekky Roll for $9.50 and the Euro Bruschetta for $16.50).

The second cafe is the Marina Café & Bar which is located just a short stroll through the Dogleg Tunnel from the main ferry wharf or through the Main Tunnel from the campground. Their menu offers pizza, nachos, toasted wraps and more, including vegetarian options.

Stay the night
While there is comfortable accommodation available in the gorgeous heritage housing, the most fun to be had is glamping overnight in a tent with a killer view! The Cockatoo Island staff set up the tent and bedding, even providing toiletries from Appelles Apothecary.
All glampers have access to hot showers and communal camp kitchen with ten BBQ areas, fridges, microwaves and a boiling water system.

Imagine life as a convict
The Convict Precinct on Cockatoo Island is a lesson in the harsh living conditions and deprivations endured in prison labour.

Convicts were put to work quarrying stone, building prison barracks, a military guardhouse, granary silos and official residences, forged their own prison bars and constructed the Fitzroy Dock with their bare hands, often waist deep in water and shackled with leg irons. It’s easy to imagine the despair faced by the convicts who lived in appalling conditions on the island when you see first hand the brutal life they endured.

Escape to the past down (kinda creepy) tunnels
There are two tunnels that cut through the middle of the island, Tunnel 1 and the Dogleg Tunnel. Both were built in 1915 to facilitate the movement of workers and materials from one side of the island to the other, and were later modified to become air-raid shelters during World War II. The Dogleg tunnel is seriously spooky as it has a giant kink in the middle (the “dogleg” for which it is named) so when you enter the 180m tunnel you can’t see where it ends.

Take in the view
Walk up the hill or steep stairs (your Fitbit will thank you for it later) to Biloela House for stunning views of Sydney Harbour.

The sandstone house was built in 1841 and intended for the island’s Superintendent, hence the gorgeous location and building. If you have time (and patient children) go inside Biloela House to check out the Shipyard Stories exhibition.

Leave the kids in solitary confinement
I kid, I kid! Seriously though, a brief look into these cells where prisoners were kept as punishment will give you and the kids a very quick education in how bad it would have been to be a convict on the island.

Get a glimpse at Australia’s naval history
Cockatoo Island was also the site of one of Australia’s biggest shipyards that operated between 1857 and 1991. A walk through the yard will leave you in awe at the pure size and scale of the ships built here – and the cranes are always a favourite with the kids.

Play a game of chess
A life-size chessboard is set up near the ferry terminal for anyone to play – it’s the perfect way to teach young ones the rudiments of the game.

Spot movie filming locations
In 2008 X-Men Origins: Wolverine was filmed on Cockatoo Island. If you look carefully you’ll be able to see the remnants of the film set where the island was used as Stryker’s laboratory and a “mutant containment area.”

Cockatoo Island was also transformed into Japan’s most notorious Prisoner-Of-War camp Naoetsu during the 2013 filming of Angelina Jolie’s film, Unbroken.

Want to know more about Cockatoo island? I highly suggest dropping by on Sunday March 26 to enjoy their open house event, a rare opportunity to take a sneak a peek inside the heritage houses and apartments.

Getting to Cockatoo Island
Catch the F3 or F4 ferry directly to the island. Our big tip is to use the unlimited travel on public transport for $2.50 on a Sunday.

Learn more about visiting Cockatoo Island online.

A Drive Through The Boranup Karri Forest, Western Australia

March 9, 2017 / Australia, Margaret River, Western Australia / 3 Comments

If you drive 25 minute south of Margaret River town along Caves Road in Western Australia, you might be forgiven for thinking you’ve stumbled across fairy land. Suddenly rising from each side of the road are towering karri trees, some over 60m in height, with bright white trunks, filling the valley below.

If you keep a look out on the eastern side of Caves Road you’ll find The Karri Lookout, which is an ideal place to pull over, photograph and then wander into the forrest in search of wildflowers, orchids, funghi and, of course, fairies.

The forrest is also home to many species of birds, so keep an eye out for a Purple-crowned Lorikeet, Splendid Fairy-wren, White-breasted Robin, Crested Strike-tit, Golden Whistler and many other birds.

A bit further into the forrest will bring you to Cafe Boranup, which is a great place to break for lunch or tea and scones. They serve wholesome food, housemade cakes, chutneys, jams, coffee and tea.

You might also spot a Splendid Fairy (blue) Wrens while you’re dining. The cafe also has disabled facilities, information on what to do nearby, a little playground for the kids and couches with books and board games.

Next to the cafe is the Boranup Gallery, which is a great place to admire or buy works by local artists.

Cafe Boranup
7981 Caves Rd, Forest Grove
Hours: Daily, 10am-4pm
Online

Meet the Hamelin Bay Stingrays, Western Australia

March 8, 2017 / Australia, Margaret River, Western Australia / 5 Comments

The Hamelin Bay stingrays are a major drawcard to this sleepy town south of the Margaret River region in Western Australia. Their size, speed, grace and beauty is remarkable – they truly are majestic, magnificent creatures, and a road trip to visit them in the wild is an absolute must for anyone visiting this part of the country.

Hamelin Bay Stingrays

When I tell people that I met stingrays up close, they have reacted with comments like, “Wow you’re so brave!”, which made me realise that rays are misunderstood by many people to be dangerous, aggressive animals.

Stingrays have had a bit of a bad rep after the unfortunate death of Steve Irwin in 2006, by a stingray barb to the heart. He was incredibly unlucky as there have only been three recorded deaths in Australia due to stingrays, including Steve Irwin, with the other known stingray deaths in c.1930 and 1988 (also as a result of a direct sting to the heart). It is believed that there has only been 17 fatal stingray attacks worldwide, so your chances of being killed by a stingray are very, very, very slim.

Stingrays are actually incredibly docile creatures and can be friendly and curious, as I found when I met the gentle wild rays of Hamelin Bay.

Hamelin Bay is located in the south end of Western Australia’s Margaret River and is a popular place for families to come to stay at the nearby Hamelin Bay Caravan Park.

A group of stingrays has been visiting this bay for years, attracted by the scraps from the fishing boats that use the boat ramp and jetty on the beach.

Your chances of spotting a ray are highest in summer but they are known to visit all year round. Groups range in size between 3 and 10 rays, swimming up and down the beach on patrol.

The stingrays are absolutely massive, with a wing span of up to one metre across. They are completely unafraid and swim right up to the shallows. As these are wild rays, there is no guarantee that they will be there when you visit, but the beach is so stunning that it’s a good place to visit even if you don’t spot a ray.

There are two types of stingrays found in Hamelin Bay. The smooth stingray is the largest of the world’s stingrays and is dark grey or black and round in shape. Of the two stingrays, the smooth is the more likely to approach visitors on the beach.

The eagle ray is diamond shaped with distinctly pointed wings and is often a paler shade of brown or browney-grey or even blue-grey rather than black.

When we visited the rays we stood in the water for a while watching them swim past in absolute awe. One of the smooth rays came up to check me out as you can see in the photo, and rubbed against me as it swam by. Absolutely incredible.

Visiting the Hamelin Bay rays was an amazing opportunity for Cheese to meet the spirit animal from Moana in real life and see for herself what a precious creature it is. Another animal to be observed, enjoyed from a safe distance, and protected.

Tips for meeting a Hamelin Bay stingray

Stingrays generally only attack if they feel threatened, so don’t approach them in the water and be careful not to tread on them.

You can swim at the beach and snorkel, but be aware that there are no lifeguards on patrol.

There are public bathrooms available in the parking lot.

With younger children, have them watch the rays safely from the shore rather than venturing in for a closer look.

Reinforce with older children that the stingrays of Hamelin Bay are wild animals and are such are unpredictable. Have them stand still in the water and let the rays come to them if they want to.

The best time to see Stingrays at Hamelin Bay Margaret River

The best season to see the stingrays is summer when the water has less seaweed and is calmer.

Visit in the morning between 9am-10am or afternoon when the boats are returning for your best chance to see them.

The stingrays at Hamelin Bay beach are protected and must not be harmed. Please report any incidents if you witness people harming the rays.

I would advise not trying to touch the stingrays, but to observe them instead. One might find you interesting enough to come up and say hello, as one did to me! You never know your luck.

Getting to Hamelin Bay WA

Hamelin Bay is located in the south of the Margaret River Region. It’s about a 15 minute drive north of Augusta or 25 minute drive south of Margaret River Town. Drive south down Caves Road right to the very end or, if heading north from Augusta, turn left at the junction of Bussell Highway with Caves Road.

The drive is doable in one day, or you can stay the night at the The Hamelin Bay Caravan Park.

Get more info on things to do in the Margaret River region of Western Australia here.

Click here for info on staying the night at Hamelin Bay Australia.

Have more time in Western Australia? You must visit Rottnest Island.

Get more info on visiting Hamelin Bay Western Australia here.

Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives at the MAAS

March 7, 2017 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life, Uncategorized / 0 comment

One of the most defining moments of my childhood was a trip we took when I was nine to Egypt. It was amazing. I will never forget seeing the pyramids and sphinx in Giza, and learning about their ancient world became an obsession I’ve never managed to shake.

I was thrilled to see the Powerhouse Museum’s new exhibition for autumn is Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives because, let’s be honest, it’s not so easy to pop over to Egypt to teach your kids about these kinds of things.

The exhibition is really best for kids aged 7+ but I would also say it depends on the kid. We saw children with their families of all ages enjoying it, so I would advise making a judgement call on your own circumstances.

Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives is on display until 30 April 2017, making it a perfect outing in the upcoming school holidays. The exhibition gives visitors the chance to meet six ancient Egyptian mummies and see how the latest technology has enabled us to go beyond the wrappings and discover the lives and customs of these people from the past.

The six mummies were selected from the British Museum collection. They lived and died in Egypt between 1800 and 3000 years ago – the information gathered on their lives is on display alongside their 3D CT scan visualisations allowing visitors to not just view for themselves the amazing end result of mummification, but also see what lies underneath – and fully appreciate the whole mummification process.

Through the exhibition visitors will learn about the lives of regular people in ancient Egypt. What is the mummification process? What were their beliefs? What do the symbols in their artworks and on their coffins mean? Quite simply, it’s all fascinating.

I would suggest visiting the exhibition with kids on a Sunday for the museum’s Egyptian Mummies: Family Sundays.

Each Sunday in March, from 10am–4pm, kids can enjoy ancient Egypt through a fantastic kids play area complete with a dig zone, building area, oasis for reaching and craft area. During the school holidays the dig zone will be open every day.

On an upper level you’ll find Senet, what is possibly the world’s first board game, recreated for you to have a go. It looks kind of like chess, ancient Egyptian-style.

You might even come across a mummy or pharaoh wandering around the museum.

More information about the Egyptian Mummies exhibition:

The presentation of this exhibition is a collaboration between the British Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences.

Visitors are advised that this exhibition contains human remains and CT scan images of mummified human remains.

Strollers must be parked at the cloaking desk on level 3 of the Museum prior to entering the exhibition.

Prices: Adult $27, Concession $25, Child (4–16) $16, Family (2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children) $65.

Pre-book online now and save.

Tickets include general admission to Powerhouse Museum.

Powerhouse Museum
The Egyptian Mummies family activities are free with museum admission.
500 Harris St, Ultimo NSW 2007

Thank you to the Powerhouse Museum for our entry tickets. All opinions are our own.

The Wiggles Exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum: An Update

March 6, 2017 / Indoor Play, Museums, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

We had an incredibly fun day at the Powerhouse Museum checking out the changes to our favourite Wiggles Exhibition.

The exhibition has been closed for a while while it was being “updated”, and was reopened over the weekend to the public.

You can read my original post on the Wiggles Exhibition here. Basically the update was a much-needed renovation that focuses the exhibit on the current Wiggles rather than the previous ones. The exhibition now focuses on the four current Wiggles, Anthony, Simon, Lachy and Emma in the front section, with mentions of the original Wiggles through out the museum.

The popular interactive features of the exhibit have all remained, with the screening section expanded to look like a stage for all the little Wiggles fan to dance.

A few other items have been moved around to create more space in various areas, but otherwise remain as they were before.

The update is fantastic for kids who are growing up with the Wiggles right now, while still containing plenty of information on their origins and achievements.

Powerhouse Museum
500 Harris St, Ultimo
Hours: Daily, 10am-5pm
Prices: Adults $15, children 16 and under free.
Online

Thank you to the Powerhouse Museum for entry tickets. We love the museum and all opinions are our own.

Kings Park & Botanic Garden: The Best of Perth, Western Australia

March 3, 2017 / Australia, Perth, Travel, Western Australia / 1 Comment

Let your wild thing roam free at Kings Park, a 4.06-square-kilometre park on the western edge of Perth’s CBD.

You could easily spend a whole day or even more in the park, there’s so much to see and do.

Fraser Avenue Precinct Venues
Enter the park via Fraser Avenue and pull over at the car park near the entrance to enjoy a short walk that takes visitors to the State War Memorial and Western Australian Botanic Garden entrance. You’ll also get stunning views of the Swan and Canning Rivers, the city skyline and the Darling Ranges.

Western Australian Botanic Garden
The place to explore more than 3,000 species of native flora, most of which are found nowhere else on the planet.

Rio Tinto Naturescape Kings Park
A place for children to connect with nature and to learn to appreciate the unique Western Australian environment.

Synergy Parkland
Our favourite part of the park, Synergy Parkland is a recreation area for the entire family. The area features expansive lawns for picnics, dinosaur-era themed play equipment and the Zamia Cafe. We also saw plenty of ducks on the pond (including babies!). With public bathroom facilities and plenty of shade, this is a popular park for families to enjoy.

More info on Kings Park.

Get Directions

Capturing Holiday Memories with Blurb Photo Books

February 22, 2017 / Photography / 3 Comments

If you’re anything like me you take fifty billion photos when you’re on holidays, and then find yourself sorting through them later, somewhat regretting your happy snappy fingers, and never getting around to actually printing anything.

While I’m guilty of never enlarging any of the images to put on our walls or even the fridge, I absolutely always make photo books. I’ve been using several companies over the years, including Momento, Albumworks and Blurb. I used Momento for my wedding album and Albumworks for a few year books to give them a test drive, and, while I found these two to be extremely high quality (the best quality really), they are both also pretty expensive and also don’t have as easy customisation as Blurb does.

As a result I’ve been using Blurb the most lately to make my photo books, even though the quality is *quite* as good, it’s still really high and I’ve been happy with the results. They’re a fantastic company to easily make custom photo books either quickly online through their basic tool, or through the downloadable Bookwright software that I use, which gives me incredible control over the books from the layouts to adding text.

Blurb often has amazing sales too, so I usually will create a book and let it sit on my hard drive until I see a great sale, then upload it and print the book at the sale price.

Due to storage issues, once you upload a book to Blurb you have to print it within 15 days or the book is deleted. Once you buy a book, however, it remains in your account so if you damage or lose one (which I have done many a time) you can easily re-order one.

I make several photo books a year, including a year book that includes all of our miscellaneous photos of events and random candids, plus designated trip books, plus a birthday book for Cheese.

Using the Bookwright software I choose the type and style of book that I want, import photos from my hard drive and drag and drop the images into the templates. It’s that easy.

Once I’ve finished the book it’s uploaded to the Blurb server and I complete my order online. I add in my preferences and info to the check out and thats it, the book is on its way.

I get really excited when the books arrive in the mail. We love looking over them together, particularly the little one as well as my parents. It’s a great way for us to connect talking about our trip and to jog our daughter’s memory to help her tell her grandparents what we’ve been up to. I also love looking back on the books through the years and find this a lot easier way to view the important memories rather than sifting through files on a computer.

If you want to try making your own Blurb photo book you can use my link to get you started.

Please note that I am a Blurb affiliate, which means if you make a book through them I will receive a small commission as a referral fee. I am recommending Blurb because I have been using them for years and really enjoy the process and product. Thanks so much for supporting me and my blog!

Fremantle: The Best of Perth, Western Australia

February 20, 2017 / Australia, Perth, Travel, Western Australia / 5 Comments

A port city that’s traditionally known for its maritime history, gorgeous Victorian architecture and remnants of the past, “Freo” is also the arts hub of Perth.

While Fremantle is our top choice of where to stay when visiting Perth, if you only have a day or two free to visit the area, you absolutely must make time to see these top four spots.

Fremantle Prison
WA’s only UNESCO world heritage-listed building has to be top of the list. Spend a few hours reliving the past on a tour: choose between “Doing Time”, “Great Escapes”, “Tunnels Tour”. “Torchlight Tour” and the “Arts Tour”. Make sure to drop by the Visitors Centre for an up close look at what life in the prison was like – on display are artefacts of punishment and reform, actual footage of prison life and informational panels depicting the prison’s history, riots, punishment and reform programs. Have you ever wondered if you have a convict in your family tree? Now’s the chance to find out: search for your convict ancestors on the convict database.

Fremantle Prison, 1 The Terrace, Fremantle,
9am – 5pm, 7 days a week (Closed Good Friday & Xmas day)

Cappuccino Strip
The place to see and be seen in Perth, the strip (also called “South Terrace” if you’re looking for it on your car navigator) is home to many cafes, restaurants and pubs, famous for it’s Italian origins and the state’s best coffee. Shop the locally made designer clothing stores, pick up a gift and browse books in this atmospheric part of town.

If you have a little one who believes in magic, be sure to visit The Picked Fairy shop. We loved it so much we went back twice!

Get Directions

Fremantle Markets
This busy indoor market dates back to 1897. It’s completely free to enter the markets to wander through the with stalls selling food, local produce, clothes and handicrafts. You’ll find a variety of food and good produced by locals – we found beautiful photography and artworks, fresh ripe fruit and delicious popcorn and chocolate. The atmosphere is lively thanks to the live music often playing inside.

Fremantle Markets, South Terrace & Henderson St, Fremantle
Hours: The Yard Friday 8am-8pm, Saturday, Sunday and Monday public holidays 8am-6pm. The Hall Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday, Sunday and Monday public holidays 9am-6pm.

WA Shipwrecks Museum
Inside a restored 1850s-era commissariat building lives the foremost maritime archaeology museum in the southern hemisphere. The galleries contain hundreds of relics from ships wrecked along WA’s treacherous coastline, including the original timbers from the Batavia (wrecked in 1629) and countless artefacts from the Dutch shipwrecks Zuytdorp, Zeewijk and Vergulde Draeck.

WA Shipwrecks Museum, 45 Cliff St, Fremantle
Hours: Open daily, 9:30am-5pm (except certain public holidays)

More info on Fremantle.