Scitech and Canoes

SCITECH SCIENCE EXHIBIT PERTH

Caleb had suggested that we should check out Scitech after two traveling exhibits stopped in Harvey over the past few months.  So we did.  And it was so exciting and interactive that we stayed at the science centre for more than four hours.  We even went back to the car to get our picnic lunch to eat inside.

Welcome to Scitech, we will now take your heat image photo.  Is there any place our kids won't climb?  Well, it might as well be safely on a climbing wall.

Scitech had a Search and Rescue exhibit.  It had numerous interactive displays explaining the science behind fire fighting, ocean and surf rescues, knots, pulleys and ropes, mapping and coordinates, canyon rescues, television news reporting and much more.  As you can see the boys were ecstatic about jumping into the 'sea' of balls.

Jackson: "Help me! I am drowning in the sea!
Caleb: "Just wait, I got to help this kid into the life raft first."

 CONSTRUCTION ZONE

Another section had an area especially made for 4 to 7 year olds to play.  The most fun was had using pulleys, inclines, chutes, wheelbarrows and foam bricks to build to wall.  Demolition was just as fun watching them smash down the foam bricks to start again.

CANOEING THE SWAN RIVER
On Sunday our hosts, Pam and Steve, took us out canoeing on the Swan River.  Pam and Steve are friends of the Spraggs and have graciously hosted us Walkers on numerous occasions.  A special thanks goes to them for all the welcoming hospitality they have given us during our stays in Perth.  It was an early paddle as we had eaten breakfast, loaded and unloaded the canoes, paddled for an hour, and were back to the house by 9 am.  The boys did so well as they were entertained and sat still for the entire ride.

MUSEUM OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
On the way home, we also stopped at the WA Museum to check out the Aboriginal exhibit that was closed during our previous visit. 

ORIGINAL NOONGAR MIA MIA
The traditional shelter of the local aboriginal people and
a kangaroo cape to keep them warm during the winter months.

The original boomerang (and not those touristy ones found in the shops)
and some spears, throwing sticks, and spear throwers as well.

From Blues of Bridgetown to Fremantle Markets

Blues of Bridgetown - Blues Music and Street Festival

On Saturday 12th November we drove 130 km south past apple orchards and wineries, crossed a few rivers to get to the forested and hilly town of Bridgetown.  Each year it hosts a music festival dedicated to the blues which attracts thousands of spectators.  The main street downtown was only for buskers, street performers, musicians, fashion/ food/ trinkets stalls and of course tourists.  The atmosphere was electric, pun intended, and eclectic.  We heard covers bands sing - The Cranberries to Tom Petty to Amy Winehouse; a rock and roll bag piper playing both punk and traditional Scottish ballads; Australian blues men belting out the best Aussie blues and harmonica tunes as well.

It was such a cool atmosphere, with five different stages to hear free music.  We soaked it up, unfortunately we could only stay for half a day of the three day festival.

Saturday 19th November - Fremantle Markets

Becky and Collin left the kids with the friendly neighbours and drove 130 km north to the eclectic side of the city to check out the markets.  Great fruit and veg, plenty of Australiana souvenirs, art, and fantastic smells from the ethnic cooking and various flavours of coffee beans roasting.

Inside the markets.

Outside the markets.  Going strong since the 1890s.

A painted mural under a highway overpass brings plenty of fans and his grave is reputedly the most visited in Australia.  This rock icon wasn't born in Fremantle, but grew up there and his parents continued to call it home for the remainder of their days.  Who is it?

View of a lovely lady and some fast boats.  What else could a bloke ask for?

Becky and Collin had a date lunch with no kids.  So we went to a Spanish inspired restaurant called Gypsy Tapas which serves small plated food all made from scratch.  http://gypsytapashouse.com.au/

Tapas are small snack sized plates of French/ Mediterranean/ Spanish/ Italian style food items originally served with your wine or drinks.  We had 14 or 15 different dishes to try over the 1 hour and a 1/2 we  were there.  We ate char grilled local scallops and prawns, pickled sardines, best tasting lamb bastille ever, chorizo sausage, smoked asparagus with sesame, Turkish bread and hummus, curried chicken skewers, Jamaican pork cooked in coffee and pineapples, thick slices of baked feta and crushed tomato, mushrooms a la grecque, some other vegetables and unknown dishes from the chef's set menu. Yum Yum.

The answer of the Rock Icon is... Bon Scott.

Back in April, Grandma Hughes found a statue dedicated to AC/DC's first front man at the Fremantle Boat Harbour.

Signs That You're Not In Canada

The following are signs that we have found in Australia that may not be found in Canada.  Either it may be lost in translation or warnings that native Aussie animals are crossing or something we found a little humorous.  View and enjoy!

+40 degrees in February!
Location: Our house in Harvey during the hottest month on record.

No deer or moose crossing - its 'roo crossing!
Location: Ferguson Valley

New vocabulary for dirty business.
Location: An outhouse in Wagin Historical Village

You would think that that is self explanatory.
Location: Perth Zoo

Canada has seagulls too and they will S.O.Y. too!
Location: Fremantle Boat Harbour

Again, you would think that this would be self-explanatory.

Rare and unusual animals do cross the road in Australia, but this is ridiculous! (Caleb clarified for us that it was not actually a tea cup crossing, but to let us know that we can buy coffee and tea up ahead in a shop. How did he get so smart?!)  Location: Shark Bay

The Great Northern Highway and North West Coastal Highway have such vast distances between
towns/ roadhouses/ cattle stations/ settlements that these warning signs also cover great distances. 
It truly is a driving concern with stray stock and kangaroos on the roads.

A sign at Kumurina Roadhouse south of the outback mining town, Newman.

C'mon old people need to cross the road too!
Location: Harvey (But, found where ever old people inhabit.)

Can you guess what animal this is?  Answer: a bilby.

In Albany, residents have been educated on these noctural mammals feeding in their gardens are not rats, so please don't kill these once endangered animals.

Australian Spiders

Probably the best artistic photo Collin has taken all year with our 'not-so artistic' digital camera.  He finally figured out how to focus on close ups and use the macro setting properly.  The above photo was taken in October at the Wildflowers Picnic Area near Harvey.  The red spider, not sure of it's actual name, was the focus of the photo, but Jackson in the background admiring it, makes it a truly great photograph.

White Tail Spider's bite will put you in the hospital and give you infected sores around the poisonous bite area.  This is the only one we have seen in the past year.  It was resting on our couch before Becky knocked it off to the floor and sprayed an entire bottle of insecticide on it!  Collin finished it off with his shoe.  Above right is an Internet photo for you to see.  (Check out google images for infected White Tail bites - Nasty!)

Golden Orb spider is not poisonous and this one was kind of our pet.  'Charlotte' made her home in the front shrubs and took care of the flies and bees for us from February to July.  When she was about to lay eggs her lower abdomen would expand to near golf ball size.  Beautiful golden coloured webbing for her humongous web.

Red Back Spiders are the most common of the poisonous spiders found in Southwestern Australia.  This one was found in a cardboard box in our patio area in March.  Their bite will also cost you a doctor's visit as their poison will make you very ill.  We have seen them in the garden, near a geocache hidden amongst the bricks, and on the ground hiding under leaf litter.

Huntsman Spiders are not harmful to humans, but they look big and dangerous. Collin spotted this one while cooking breakfast during our first camping trip to Wellington National Park in January.  It was testing out the hot plate. He kept on touching the BBQ hot plate and drawing back his limbs. It must of smelt the food, but the temperature was too much of a risk. It was a big one - larger than Collin's hand!

We have seen Wolf Spiders as well - occasionally in our house, school (classroom and humanities office), public toilets, and a few other places.  Wolf Spiders look like Huntsman, but smaller and super-duper fast. 

Probably the best story about spiders is one about Caleb during the first week of school.  At dismissal Caleb would be running home as fast as his wee legs could take him.  We asked why and it was so he could to go pee.  The reason being... earlier we told him to be cautious of unknown things in Australia, such as spiders.  And when he went to use the school's toilets, he saw a Daddy Long Legs staring at him.  In Caleb's eyes, it was ready to pounce and it scared him enough to hold it in all day!  Thankfully, he confronted his fears and can now use the school's toilets once again.

Bull Ants are crazy big - the size of a wasp and are even distantly related to wasps.  Luckily they are lone wolfs as their bite packs a powerful punch.  They use the front pinchers to grabbed their prey, then rear up and sting you with their tails.  The stinger doesn't come out, so repeated bites are common.  The below left is the first Bull Ant we saw back in March in Margaret River.  We have seen them many times since and found them all over the state.  The other picture is a close-up from the internet.

 

 

We have not seen any St Andrews Cross Spiders or Jumping Spiders - not sure if there are native to WA?  Or the deadliest spider in the world, the Funnel Web Spider; found only in about a 100 km radius around Sydney.  Ooh, the adventures we have had in Australia!

Fire Brigade

Harvey Fire Brigade Demonstration Day

A great Australian past-time, fire brigade.  Children and young adults are taught by volunteer fire departments hose work, attaching and detaching nozzles (breaking hoses), wet and dry work, good sportsmanship and team work.  It is an awesome sport teaching life long skills of working together and being physically and mentally tough.  The practical skills learned, of  how to use fire hoses could be useful one day to possibly put out a bush fire.  Caleb, along with two other classmates have been practicing 1-2 times a week for the past month.  This past weekend was his first competition, where the Harvey Fire Brigade took on Brunswick, Mandurah, Busselton, and Bunbury for the regional finals.  Winners get to move on to the State Competition in Fremantle.

Learning how to attach the nozzle is tough work for a little 6 year old's hands.

Good thing an adult held the hose - we could only imagine his little body flying around like a cartoon character if only he held onto the hose.

Even Jackson was allowed to practice sometimes breaking hoses during dry training.  After several dry practices, the pee-wee team were allowed to practice the wet hose work.  They learned how to attach and start the pump, plus how to aim the nozzle and shoot targets.

Demonstration Day!  The competition has a variety of team activities.  It can include different arrangements and attachments of hoses that can be done individually, in twos, or in teams of four - all against the clock.

Above, Caleb is running with one end of the hose whilst one of his teammates is attaching the other end of the hose to the pump; waiting for the signal to turn it on.  Caleb and another teammate linked the two hoses together, but not tight enough. It broke and water exploded everywhere!  Caleb took a face full of water, splashing the judges and nearby spectators as well.  Most of the pee-wees aren't happy until they are wet 'soaked to the bone' happy. 

The pee-wee team won their side of the competition as well as the Harvey Fire Station 33 won the entire team event!  Above are the team and trophy photos. 

Below are two videos from the demonstration - one DRY competition and one WET competition.