Travel has a curious way of stirring memories.

Sometimes it’s nostalgia for a place you’ve loved. Sometimes it’s a longing for the road ahead. And sometimes, as the journey draws to a close, it’s simply the quiet anticipation of heading home.

This trip to Western Australia carried a different kind of emotion for both of us.

For Jeff, it was a homecoming of sorts.

He spent the first twelve years of his life in Perth before his family packed up and embarked on an epic journey across Australia by train, eventually flying on to their next adventure in Papua New Guinea, where his father had accepted a new posting.

Returning decades later wasn’t just another stop on our itinerary. It was a chance to revisit the city where his earliest memories were made.

My connection to Perth was rather different.

I’d only visited once before, as an eighteen-year-old, flying across the country to stay with a friend who had boldly moved west in search of adventure. To my younger self, she seemed impossibly grown up, embracing independence, new friendships and a whole new life. Visiting her for that week felt like an adventure of my own.

So, as we headed west once again, we were both travelling towards memories—just very different ones.

Perth

As always, we explored Perth the best way we know how—on foot—making our way towards Kings Park and discovering little pockets of the city along the way.

One unexpected stop was the Perth Law Courts Gardens, where this wonderfully quirky tree immediately caught my eye.

Surrounded by beautifully manicured gardens and stately buildings, it seemed delightfully out of place. Twisted, sprawling and full of character, it looked as though it had simply decided to grow its own way, regardless of its formal surroundings.

I couldn’t walk past without taking a photo.

No visit to Perth would be complete without a ferry ride across the Swan River.

For Jeff, it was a nostalgic journey, one he’d done many times in his youth. For me, it was simple Perth experience that was fun and showcased the city from a different perspective, with the skyline stretching behind us as we crossed the river in search of lunch.

For some reason, I ordered the fresh sardines for lunch.

They’re certainly not something I’d usually choose, but travel has a way of nudging you out of your culinary comfort zone.

I’m so glad it did.

They were simply grilled, incredibly fresh and quite possibly the best sardines I’ve ever eaten. Ever since that meal, fresh sardines have been firmly on my menu whenever I spot them.

As a bonus, they’re one of nature’s true superfoods, packed with omega-3 fats, protein, vitamin D and calcium. Delicious and nutritious… now that’s a winning combination.

Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island was a very special part of this Western Australian journey, not just because of its beauty, but because it held so many childhood memories for Jeff.

Located about 18 kilometres west of Fremantle, we arrived by ferry, leaving the mainland behind and entering a completely different world.

A protected nature reserve, Rottnest is famous for its pristine beaches, turquoise waters and relaxed island atmosphere. The colours of the water, the sand and the landscapes are so synonymous with the Western Australian coastline.

For Jeff, this wasn’t his first visit.

He and his family had spent many school holidays on the island, sometimes even arriving by small plane, and as we explored he entertained me with stories of adventures from his younger years.

We walked, wandered and eventually hired bikes to explore more of the island. It seemed like the perfect way to experience Rottnest. That was until the reality of cycling kilometres of island roads caught up with me.

It was right about time this photo was taken I began to understand the true purpose of those strategically placed padded bike pants!

Rottnest Island’s landscape is simply stunning.

From endless white sandy beaches and crystal-clear turquoise water to rugged coastline and quiet corners waiting to be explored, the beauty of the island is difficult to capture in words.

You really need to experience it for yourself, but here are a few snapshots from our day exploring this very special place.

No visit to Rottnest Island would be complete without meeting one of its most famous residents — the adorable little quokka.

We stopped for lunch at Hotel Rottnest, enjoying the relaxed island atmosphere and, as it turned out, some unexpected company.

The quokkas wander freely around the island, seemingly quite comfortable with visitors. Watching them quietly go about their day, completely unfazed by the attention, was one of those uniquely Australian wildlife experiences that makes Rottnest so memorable.

A delicious lunch, a beautiful view and a few very cute lunch companions. They have perfected the art of looking completely innocent while knowing exactly how photogenic they are. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Road Trip

Leaving Perth behind, we began our road trip south towards Albany, following the coastline and discovering the landscapes of Western Australia along the way.

The distances between towns in WA can be deceiving, and the journey itself is very much part of the experience, with long stretches of open road, changing landscapes and unexpected stops along the way.

Here’s our route as we travelled south, taking a few days to reach our destination of Albany.

We stopped at the Gloucester Tree near Pemberton. It’s very high!

Albany was the final destination of our Western Australian road trip before turning back towards Perth.

Our home for our stay was a beautiful B&B hosted by a passionate art collector. Every wall was covered from floor to ceiling with artwork — a colourful reflection of his love of collecting and the stories behind each piece.

One morning, while enjoying a delicious home-cooked breakfast, I found myself admiring a painting by an Australian artist from the south coast of NSW.

Our host noticed my interest.

“Would you like to buy them?” he asked.

Apparently, he had other works waiting to take their place and was ready to move these on. After some friendly negotiation, we reached a very good price and suddenly found ourselves the proud owners of two framed artworks.

The only slight problem?

They now had to travel with us for the rest of the trip.

Jeff was not entirely happy about my spontaneous purchase, particularly when we started discussing how on earth we were going to get two large framed artworks safely back home on a plane!

But we did.

And every time I look at those paintings hanging in our dining room, I’m transported straight back to Albany — the beautiful B&B, the generous host, and the unexpected little treasure we brought home from our journey.

Thanks WA, it’s been a fabulous adventure.

Catherine & Jeff