Goodbye Perth, Hello Sydney

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #19 Perth to Sydney

After travelling across Australia from Sydney to Perth on the Indian Pacific for four days, our return journey took just under five hours. 

We farewelled to the beautiful city of Perth on a mid-morning flight, 

passing over the vast expanse of the Nullarbor Plain we had crossed on the train. 

Our route took us over the coastline of the Great Australian Bight, where the icy waters of the Southern Ocean meet the spectacular Bunda Cliffs. 

We travelled forward by three hours, catching up with the setting sun over New South Wales,

before Sydney’s familiar landmarks finally came into view. 

Our fabulous transcontinental journey from Sydney to Perth and back again was over.

Linking to Becky’s November Walking Squares – even though there was no walking in these photos, we walked a lot that day; through two airport terminals, one train station and a car park!

Stadium Walking

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #18 Optus Stadium, Burswood

Cricket fans will know that the first international test of the 2022 Australian summer is currently being played at Optus Stadium in Perth, with Australia taking on the might of the West Indies. Earlier in the year, several matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup competition were also played at the stadium, drawing crowds of up to 60,000.

With inclement weather forecast for our last day in Perth, we decided to visit Optus Stadium too; not for a cricket match but to go on a guided walking tour.

Optus Stadium is the home of Western Australia’s two Australian Rules Football teams – West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers. And, as well as the cricket, it hosts other major events including Rugby League and Union, concerts, festivals and shows.

At the time of our visit, the ground was being prepared for the Festival of International Football, with excited fans looking forward to Leeds United v Crystal Palace and Manchester United v Aston Villa.

Officially opened on 21 January 2018, the stadium boasts modern design and technologies. During the planning phase, the designers studied the world’s greatest sporting arenas and incorporated the best ideas from each in an effort to create maximum accessibility and comfort for all spectators.

Our guide was keen to demonstrate how this has been achieved and shared many interesting statistics with us. We learned that every seat in the stadium is at least 50cm wide with at least 50 cm in front for ease of movement, and each has its own cup holder. Every seat is also no more than 80 metres from a food or beverage outlet and a bathroom in the concourse.

There are 450 spaces with excellent views specifically allocated for people in wheelchairs. And 1,000 television screens are located around the stadium so fans won’t miss a minute of the action on the field.

After admiring the concourse with its abundance of outlets and bathrooms, we saw the arena from ground level,

in a general admission seating area,

and from one of the 84 private boxes.

We went into the Victory Lounge, where corporate guests are treated to gourmet dining and leather recliners.

While the seating in the media boxes might not be so luxurious the views are better,

but not as good as the rooftop seats, 42 metres above the field!

In 2019, Optus Stadium was awarded the UNESCO Prix Versailles for sport as the “most beautiful stadium in the world”. After spending a couple of hours walking around, we would have to agree.

Linking to Becky’s November Walking Squares

Walking Underwater

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #17 The Aquarium of Western Australia, Perth

Where in the world can you walk underwater?

At AQWA, The Aquarium of Western Australia!

The aquarium hosts more than 400 species of marine animals who make the oceans off the coast of Western Australia their home. The largest display, the Shipwreck Coast Aquarium, holds 3 million litres of seawater. A 98 metre walk-through tunnel winds through the aquarium, bringing people face to face with some amazing ocean creatures.

Smaller aquariums feature beautiful coral reefs,

luminous sea jellies,

unusual fish,

shy fish

and very grumpy fish!

Joining Becky for November Walking Squares

Kings Park

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #16 Kings Park, Perth

After such a wet visit to Rottnest Island, the sun shone brightly in a brilliant blue sky the following day – perfect weather for a walk at Kings Park. Located high up on Mount Eliza, the 400 hectare park includes the Western Australian Botanic Garden.

To learn more about the 3,000 species of native Western Australian plants growing in the garden, we joined a free guided walking tour. And, although the tour was scheduled for 90 minutes, our enthusiastic guide took us on a meandering route through the garden for almost double that time.

His passion for the unique plants and their environment and his stories of his volunteer work in the garden added a special touch to our walk. It was a privilege to see the garden through his eyes.

Kangaroo paws

Gum nuts and blossoms

Qualap bells

Geraldton wax

Red banksia

When our guided walk was over, we continued exploring the park land beyond the Botanic Gardens.

Federation Walkway

DNA Tower

Firefighters’ Memorial Grove

Pioneer Women’s Memorial

State War Memorial

Perth CBD and Swan River

Joining Becky for November Walking Squares

Do Quokkas Go Out in the Rain?

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #15 Rottnest Island

In 1696, Dutch sea captain Willem de Vlamingh landed on a small island off the coast of Western Australia. The only residents he found were furry animals he mistook for giant rats so he named the island ‘t Eylandt ‘t Rottenest (The Rats’ Nest Island). de Vlamingh described the island as “pleasurable above all islands” and “a paradise on earth”. He must have had better weather than we did – we went to Rottnest in the pouring rain!

Our day trip to Rottnest Island had been pre-booked as part of our holiday package so we had to go that day. We just hoped that the island’s famous residents, the quokkas Willem de Vlamingh thought were rats, didn’t mind the weather.

Our first activity was a minibus tour around the island. Although the scenery was beautiful, the rain meant we didn’t stay long off the bus. And, even though the driver kept a lookout along the way, we saw no quokkas.

After our soggy bus ride we walked to the shopping area at the Thomson Bay Settlement and, to our delight, there were quokkas everywhere! It’s forbidden to approach, feed or touch these native Australian marsupials but they’re used to people and were happy to pose for photos.

Even though their thick fur looked quite bedraggled, they seemed oblivious to the rain.

By mid-afternoon the downpour had cleared, so we explored the settlement. No one lives permanently on the island and most of the historic buildings are now used for holiday accommodation.

We even went for a short walk on the beach.

The quokkas enjoyed the break in the weather too.

Joining Becky for November Walking Squares

The Changing Landscape

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #14 Kalgoorlie to Perth

On the last day of our train journey we travelled through a constantly changing landscape. The vast Nullarbor, whose name means “no trees”, had been replaced by arid desert covered with saltbush and low growing bushland.

Then we began to see signs of civilisation:

powerlines,

construction,

and the incredible pipeline which carries a vital supply of water for 556 km from Perth to Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

We passed the pretty town of Northam,

fields of golden canola,

and finally the rolling green hills and farmland east of Perth.

After four days and three nights, our adventure on the Indian Pacific came to an end as the train pulled in to East Perth Terminal.

Once we left the train, we farewelled the staff, thanking them for their excellent service. After reclaiming our luggage we made our way to the bus which would transfer us to our Perth hotel.

I was too busy walking to the bus to take final photos of the train which had brought us right across Australia!

Joining Becky for November Walking Squares

By the Light of the Moon

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #13 Rawlinna, Western Australia

After stopping at Cook in the morning, the train continued west until we crossed the border into Western Australia.

The setting sun cast a golden glow across the vast expanse of the Nullarbor Plain, signalling the start of our third night aboard the Indian Pacific.

Our next stop was Rawlinna, another small town founded in 1917 to service the railway. Unlike Cook, 34 people still live in Rawlinna. The train is a welcome visitor, bringing mail and vital supplies each week.

A line of lanterns guided us on the long walk from our carriage at the front of the train to the platform.

In the warmer months of the year, passengers are treated to an outdoor dinner on the platform. But on this cold winter’s night we gathered around raised campfires.

The train’s resident entertainer serenaded us with live music while the bar staff served drinks.

Music at a railway station in the desert, backlit by a full moon – a special way to end another day on the train.

Joining Becky for November Walking Squares

Ghost Town

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #12 Cook, Nullarbor Plain

It’s hard to believe the derelict town of Cook, named after Joseph Cook, the sixth Prime Minister of Australia, was once home to 200 people. Founded to support the Trans Australian Railway in the early 1900s, the town was a thriving settlement housing maintenance crews and their families. When the railway was privatised in 1997 the people departed, leaving the buildings abandoned to the elements.

With just 30 minutes to explore the remains of the town, everyone was quickly off the train. The buildings are now deemed unsafe so we could only look from the outside.

The swimming pool, a popular place in the extreme heat of summer, hadn’t been used in a very long time.

The discomfort of these corrugated iron jail cells must have been a deterrent against misbehaviour.

Even the ramshackle outdoor amenities would have been uninviting.

But despite the harshness of their surroundings, the people of Cook obviously had a sense of humour!

Joining Becky for November Walking Squares

The Middle of Nowhere

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #11 Cook, Nullarbor Plain

Welcome to Cook, a ghost town located on the longest straight stretch of railway track in the world.

This information sign, weathered by the harsh conditions of the desert, tells more about the town and the railway track.

Welcome to Cook, the Queen City of the Nullarbor, postcode 5710, population four.

You are standing alongside the longest stretch of straight railway in the world, spanning 478 kms. According to Australian astronaut Andy Thomas, the rail line can even be spotted from space, looking like a very fine pencil line across the desert. 

You are on the western extreme of South Australia on the edge of the Nullarbor Plain, a barren desert plateau twice the size of England. The nearest major town Ceduna is approximately a five hour drive away and the closest major sealed road, the Eyre Highway, is an hour’s drive away. How remote are you?

Adelaide-1188 km            Perth-1523 km

Port Augusta-826 km       Sydney-1984 km

Kalgoorlie-854 km           Darwin-2017 km 

It would be a long way to walk to anywhere from the Middle of Nowhere!

Joining Becky for November Walking Squares

Dessert!

Come with me on a train ride. We’ll travel 4,352 kilometres across Australia from east to west, spending four days and three nights on a train 731 metres long. We’ll start in Sydney and stay in Perth at the end and along the way we’ll traverse deserts, stop in a ghost town and cross the mighty Nullarbor Plain. Come with me on a transcontinental journey aboard the iconic Indian Pacific! 

Indian Pacific Adventure #10 Queen Adelaide Restaurant, Indian Pacific

I’ve been asked more than once what was the highlight of our trip on the Indian Pacific. I could say the amazing scenery or the off-train excursions, and that would be true. But in reality, one of the best things about the journey was the food.

We were served the most delicious meals using beautiful local produce and all freshly prepared on board the train as we travelled. Every course of every meal was fabulous, especially the desserts.

I had dessert for breakfast:

Mango and ricotta hotcake with mascarpone and native blossom honey syrup

I had dessert for lunch.

Triple chocolate brownie with blood orange gelati

Chocolate caramel macadamia tart

And I had dessert for dinner.

Ginger and pear pudding with vanilla bean and macadamia ice cream and ginger sauce

Banoffee pie with vanilla bean ice cream and fresh blueberries

It’s lucky we walked 55 km while we were in Sydney and 45 km in Perth, because the only exercise I got on the train was walking to and from the restaurant!

Join Becky, who’s doing far more walking than I did on the train, for November Walking Squares