Ouest et Sud (en anglais)

South and West Australia

Unfortunately, I missed visiting Ballarat because I wasn’t able to find proper accomodations near the town centre. So I visited this town of about 100,000 people for approximately 8hrs. I was in rush to escape the unseasonally cool June weather for a Canadian. Usually back home the highs range between 23 and 28 degrees celsius. So leaving for Adelaide was a better bet for warmer than Ballarat and Victoria weather. In fact South Australia is the driest state of the driest continent on earth. Its in the capital city of Adelaide where I discovered a friendly, hospitable and safe place with a Mediterranean. Founded in 1836, it has well panned broad streets and boulevards, squares and parklands surrounding both modern and fine his,historic buildings. Uniquely charming and essentially cosmopolitain, Adelaide wears both its history and modernity with equal assurance.

Cafes and restaurants abound with a diversity of ethnic communities. Like the 16km bike path bounding both sides of the Torrens river; diverse terrain, beautiful vistas and lots of exotica…like the many strange looking birds and ducks. The black fat looking bird which runs off awkwardly towards the water every time I roller ski by is my favourite one. A very Anglo Saxon feeling here too with Street names like Sir Donald Bradman, King William Street and Wakefield Street. Yet, Adelaide is the first community in my Australian travels where I saw Aboriginals. Long lanky hair, dark skin and wide flat noses; they were unmistakably native Australians. They remind me of native Africans or Amerindians. Shy and preoccupied, unhurried and self contained. A very noble looking people. Beautifully different. I enjoyed staying at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Adelaide but they charged me full price. Adelaide is the Amsterdam of Australia, but I don’t agree with legalised marijauna or prostitution. In my opinion it’s not a very healthy.

Next was Port Pirie. Renowned for its hydroelectric facilities this seaside community is quite busy despite its small size of about 35,000 people. I was thrilled to roller ski in the rain and wind and took pleasure in observing locals gawking at me. Many of the passer by vehicles slowed down and voiciferated messages to me. Usually emotional thoughts of disbelief. I noticed a keener sense of awareness to my roller ski getup. It was fun promoting the health awareness message to Port Pirie People! A lot of fun.

So was promoting the message in the city of Port Augusta. Situated on the waterways of Spencer Gulf, it is a meeting place for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Unfortunately many of them meet at the fast food KFC or Macdonald’s. Why is it that in this day and age of Aquarius so many people are still attracted to junk food?

Traditionally, travellers have utilised Port Augusta as the last stop over on their journey to replenish their stocks before heading north to the Flinders, or west to the Nallabor. West to the Nullabor is where I am heading and on a train to boot. The Indian Pacific railway is taking me west across the Nullabor. Leaving Port Augusta at 11pm Sunday evening we arrived in Perth Tuesday morning around 10am. Passing through 8 very small 2 and three people service communities. Some of these outback settlements help furnish the passenger and freight trains with water or fuel and they receive food or necessary provisions from the trains. Some of them have Aboriginal names like Ooldea which is located 2693kms westward down the line towards Perth. Ooldea meaning “Meeting place where the water is available” It is the only natural water flow on the Nullabor plain, believed to be an under ground river originating in the Musgrave ranges. Cook was next and is named after a former Australian Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Cook. This is the halfway point for the Trans Australian line. The train actually stopped here and we the passengers were allowed to visit this 2 person community with a toyal of 5 buildings.I actually roller skied around this dirt road town and definately felt the isloation and the emptiness. Loongana was next at 3155kms down the line from Sydney. An Aborigianl word meaning swift. The Lynch caves are here, named after the first Federal Minister to visit them. They are well known for their beautifully coloured, delicately shaped stalactites. Deaken, Curtin another small community or siding as the Australian term goes named after a former Prime Minister. Next stop where we were allowed off and encouraged to take a guided tour was Kalgoorlie. Situated at 3695kms up the rail line it is the capital of Western Australia’s world famous goldfields discovered by Paddy Hannan in 1893. The town lies on the fringes of the Nullarbor and Great Victorian Deserts. Water is piped here from Mundaring Dam, 563kms away! Perth an area inhabited as long ago as 150,000 years ago by Australias’ indigenous Aboriginals. The Nyoongar people are still around today holding fast to the same values of conservatism with respect for life and land. Europeans first landed here in 1616 with Dutchman navigator Dirk Hartog landing at Shark Bay. Today Perth is a city of almost 2 million people and is really the “friendly city it boasts to be” I was endeared by people who called me matey or mate and was eased into many conversations. Warm mediterranean climate and large bike paths made my five day stay here well worth it. Plus, there are numerous cuppuccino strips where upscale venues abound. I love expresso after a long hard roller ski. Quite satisfying.