With just one week in Phuket, here’s where to eat and stay – starting with two nights in the fabulous culinary melting-pot of Phuket Old Town
“I get my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine.” Me too, but not that far above the waistline. Right in the region of the stomach, actually.
Travel doesn’t have to be all about food – but for us it often turns out that way. Phuket is no exception: Southern Thai is a melting pot of Thai, Malay, Burmese and Chinese cultures, and Phuket was named “Thailand City of Gastronomy” by Unesco in 2017.
Roy and I visited Phuket at least half-a-dozen times during our Singapore years (2001-2016), but never spent any time in Phuket Old Town. I hadn’t been to Phuket since around 2014. For Roy, it had been even longer. Thailand is our favourite Southeast-Asian country – apart from Singapore of course. I was itching to get back.
Green papaya salad, laced with slivers of fiery fresh chillies
Though it pains my dearest to take time off from watching our new house in Iluka WA not being built (here and here), he agreed to a fortnight away from Perth. It helps that spicy green papaya salad (above) is one of his favourite dishes ever. We’d have a week in Singapore, plus a week-long side trip to Phuket.
Roy has always appreciated a surprise birthday treat, and now it seems that I do too. After all, what’s not to like about a WA Midlands getaway complete with Moët, spa bath, massage and attendant kangaroos?
My man had been obdurately tight-lipped about whether we’d be going somewhere on Tuesday, 17 January. But it was fairly obvious that we were – I’d been advised against making any plans for the next morning (the 18th), and he’d suggested that I move my birthday hair appointment back to 9am.
Once the birthday earrings had been unwrapped and it was time to rise, shine and carpe diem, he had to crack. Yes, we are going somewhere. Yes, you need to pack a nice dress for dinner. No, we weren’t going anywhere near the sea; but yes, there might be water, so pack a swimsuit.
Flashback to Crown, this time last year
Hmm… Crown Casino, where I still want to try a couple of restaurants? Or somewhere inland, like the Swan Valley? We had a lovely stay at Mandoon Estate once, courtesy of vouchers from the offspring. (Here’s my blog post about Mandoon.)
And so it came to pass that I found myself in the passenger seat of the Volvo CX40, heading – as far as I could tell – for the Perth Hills. Hurrah! – though I was better packed for a fancy night at Crown, I never mind being overdressed. (Here’s my blog post about our anniversary celebration at Crown last year.)
Across Australia, Part Two: World’s rarest coffee; Eucla, a tale of rabbits and sand; the Nullarbor Nymph – the myth and the restaurant; distressingly rum do’s at the Eucla Motor Hotel bar; over the border to South Australia; nasty Nundroo; forbidden fruit confiscation; oysters at Ceduna; Kimba – halfway across Australia; Port Augusta; a most surprising billboard
To recap Part 1, we’re driving from Perth WA to Brisbane QLD. That pink bit on the map below is the Nullabor Plain, which we’re taking three days to cross.
Location of the Nullabor Plain, WANorseman to Ceduna – the Nullarbor Plain: all those place names are just roadhouses, not towns
Crown Perth for a vintage celebration; our Keg & Thistle origin story; say “Crown”, not “The Crown”; checking in, then and now; the great bathroom quandary; High Tea vs High Cheese – cheese, please; ocean vs pool – no contest; singing the casino blues; Oyster Bar EQ diversion; Nobu bento box diversion; review: Rockpool Bar & Grill
Where does a vintage couple like us go to celebrate? – why, Crown of course! This time, it was to mark our 30th anniversary of meeting.
Roy and I met in a bar in Florida Road, Durban, on 25 August 1992. Four years later to the day, he proposed to me in the same bar: the Keg & Thistle, now long gone. And so we make a point of having a drink in a bar every 25 August to celebrate… well… ourselves.
When to go up north; the Seven Dwarves of travel; which road to take; the bustling metropolis of Cataby; two towns, one river; review: Seaspray Holiday Park; a squadron of pelicans; in search of Dongara’s history
Here in Western Australia, the best time time to go up north it when it gets too cold and rainy down south in Margaret River. Winter, basically. Northwestern Australia sizzles in summer, and I know better than to make my husband hot and miserable on purpose.
Though I presented Roy with the itinerary for a “trip up north” for his birthday in May as a fait accompli, I wanted it at least as much as he did… maybe more. Another advantage to planning the itinerary and booking the accommodation solo is that it lets you make unilateral decisions… so much easier!
Having the luxury of time, incorporating no more than four hours of driving daily is ideal for us. Also, we share the driving equally: two hours each means no one gets to be the Driving Martyr. It also helps keep the Seven Dwarves of travel out of the car. You know them: Grumpy, Bolshy, Crabby, Snappy, Sarky, Cranky and Whiney.
Port Denison – and no sign yet of the Seven Dwarves of travel, fortunately
Which Road to Dongara?
There are two routes north from Perth. The one we took some years ago, on a trip to Geraldton, hugs the coast – though not closely – and takes you via the Indian Ocean Drive to Lancelin, Cervantes and The Pinnacles, Jurien Bay, Green Head and Leeman.
Though I was at the wheel, the Volvo CX40’s GPS decided we’d follow the alternative route: via Neaves Road to the Great Northern Highway (GNH). Apart from wildflowers in season and some major mineral mining operations no doubt making someone a massive fortune, the GNH has not a lot of obvious sightseeing in its favour; but it was fairly pleasant. Towns* along the way include Cataby, Coolgara, Badgingarra and Eneabba.
* Note on towns
Australia has a liberal approach in its description of human settlements. To me, its “cities” look more like towns: Bunbury (population 31,000) is classified as a city; while what promises to be a “town” might be more like a hamlet. Eneabba, for example, had a population of 147 at the 2016 census. This becomes important when planning a trip – don’t assume you’ll find accommodation, fuel or even a cup of coffee en route!
A decent cup of coffee – alas, not in Cataby, but in WA’s toddlin’ town of Toodyay
Anyway, with a total of less than three hours’ driving today (289km from Perth to Dongara) we stopped at Cataby (population around 173) to change drivers; fill up (unleaded 91 only); and suck back a free instant coffee (the coffee machine was kaput). In retrospect, we could have held out for the second roadhouse, where the coffee machine might not have been out of order and a wider variety of petrol might have been available.
Dongara and Port Denison
Dongara and Port Denison are double towns, straddling the River Irwin.
Port Denison view
Port Denison is a bright, clean port town, with its attractive South Beach, a big marina and several stopover options.
I preferred the look of Dongara – mainly because it promised early settler history. The name comes from “Dhungurra”, or “Thungarra”, meaning a meeting place for seals, or place of the fur seals, in the local Aboriginal language. Dongara was a good choice: see here.
Irwin River, Dongara WA
Review: Seaspray Holiday Park
Seaspray Holiday Park is located right on the beach, an easy walk from the centre of Dongara. Our Chalet No. 2 had possibly the best location of them all. It was 50 metres from the beach, and overlooked a nice pool reserved for chalet and apartment guests.
We didn’t need three bedrooms; but we did want a kitchen, and this place was beautifully located and offered good value. Also, it allows one-night stays, which is not always the case. (Both Kalbarri Edge and the RAC Monkey Mia Resort, reviewed later, required at least a two-night booking.)
Seaspray Beach Resort, Dongara – that’s the Seaspray Café on the right
Seaspray Beach, Dongara
Seaspray Resort, Dongara
No diving, Roy!
Seaspray Beach
Not that you’d want to swim at this time of year, despite the lovely sunshine – the water was nippy, to say the least. That said, sitting around the fire-pit that first evening at Seaspray Beach, Dongara, you barely needed a jumper, though we’d left home that morning in a chilly 10°C.
A couple of families with numerous kids were roasting innumerable marshmallows and ruining their collective dinners.
Sitting around the fire-pit, Seaspray Beach, Dongara WA
You need to actually be on the beach like this to truly appreciate our WA sunsets (and today was WA Day).
There’s no shortage of hotel and pub fare in Dongara. The Dongara Hotel Motel was doing a brisk trade when we drove past earlier, and we saw at least one other bar, too. Not being fans of tavern-type food, we dined on seafood curry that I’d brought from home, thawed and reheated.
Dinner chez nous, Dongara
In fact, this whole week away re-confirmed that you can eat healthy, home-cooked food while you’re on the road. That’s if you want to; I know that not everyone does – and as long as the accommodation you book has a full kitchen with a fridge and freezer.
Taking a left on the beach took me to the mouth of the Irwin River, where I chanced upon the highlight of my day: a squadron of seven pelicans. Unfortunately, I only had my iPhone with me, and not my Canon camera. Keeping watch with one beady eye, they let me gradually sneak up on them for a while before gracefully setting sail.
Squadron of pellies, Irwin River estuary
Following the river bank back, I gratefully thanked whoever had installed a boardwalk through the marsh; but then the path became waterlogged and I found another way, a deeply rutted track leading uphill to a lookout over the estuarine river, Seaspray Park and the beach.
Boardwalk along the Irwin river, Dongara WA
Later, I saw from the signs below that I’d done sections of the recommended trails.
Heritage trails in Dongara – a sign at the roadside lookout
Dongara town
Next morning, I took my camera and headed up the short hill along Church Street from Seaspray to Dongara town. The idea was to explore the small CBD and hit the tourist info office, the museum and Russ Cottage before Roy joined me for coffee at the Bakery. At the first roundabout, you turn right to find the tourism office, the library, the museum and the police station.
Post office and public library, Dongara WA
But the museum and Russ Cottage would open only “around 10.15am”, said the woman at the info office; they’re staffed by volunteers. Fair enough. And the museum isn’t open on Tuesdays. Okay.
I did enjoy Dongara’s main street, featuring “handsome stands of Moreton Bay and Port Jackson fig trees” – planted in 1906, for a total cost of 16 shillings and four pence.
Gorgeous old trees…
… in Dongara’s main street
The Dongara Heritage Trail is 4.6 km long, starts at the Royal Steam Flour Mill and passes Priory Lodge, Russ Cottage, the Old Police Station and Court House, the Church of St John the Baptist and “the gracious houses on Hunts Road”.
Thwarted with regard to the museum, I wandered down Waldeck Street to the old Flour Mill, built in 1894. Another disappointment: it’s privately owned, and you can’t view it except from afar. That makes it difficult to get a view that doesn’t include a lot of scrap metal, near-scrap vehicles and an otherwise charming chicken coop.
The old Royal Steam Flour Mill, Dongara
Considering its Heritage Council description, below, you’d think someone might have tried harder:
“The Dongara Flour Mill has high historic significance given its important association with the economic and agricultural development of the Irwin District… The place has high aesthetic significance, given its use of local materials, dominant scale, and siting at the main northerly entrance to the town. The Dongara Mill and surroundings have scientific significance for their potential to contribute to the better understanding of the history of the state and the district through the analysis of archaeological material from the place. The place has high social significance given the local community’s commitment to its conservation.” Really?
The will to live
By 9.45am I was close to losing the will to live: or at least, the will to continue exploring Dongara’s fascinating pioneer history. Thank goodness for mobile phones: Roy, having packed the car, picked me up somewhere along Waldeck Street, weeping gently. (Me weeping, not him.)
Instead of the unappealing Bakery – no seating, no coffee, synthetic aromas – we tried both Poppies, located in a gorgeous converted chapel next to the ANZAC Memorial, and the café opposite it. Both were closed from Monday to Wednesday (yesterday to tomorrow). Dongara Hotel Motel being the only other option in town, we had another mediocre coffee there.
Poppies, near the Anzac Memorial in Dongara – so cute, and worth trying if you find it open
We used to say it was difficult to find bad coffee in Australia; but as we moved farther north on this trip, it was proving far easier than we’d previously thought.
Dongara’s splendid Big Crayfish, on the outskirts of town
Next up, Part 2 of our trip up north: Northampton street scapes, and the wonderful rock formations around Kalbarri!
South Perth with its restaurants, cafés and ferry to Perth CBD was the perfect choice for a two-day birthday getaway.
Friday was Roy’s actual birthday, and we drove to South Perth on the Thursday morning. Having parked, morning coffee was first on the agenda. No day has properly started until Roy’s had his coffee – a long mac* topped up, extra-extra hot.
Landmark rhino sculpture outside Coco’s, South Perth foreshore
A long mac topped up (LMTU) is a Perth thing. Anywhere else in Australia, you’ll get a blank look if you try to order such a thing. That’s what happened when Roy tried it on in Queensland. No, a long mac is not a long black… that’s something different. A long mac is a long macchiato (or double espresso) topped up with textured milk. And, for whatever reason, it may not be simply called a strong latte. (Not if you identify as a Perthonality, anyway.)
Wildwood Valley Cottages and Cookery School is on 120 beautiful acres of bush in Yallingup in the Margaret River region of WA – around three hours by car south from Perth. What with one thing and another, it felt like we hadn’t been anywhere for ages.
Our friends Deb (West Australian) and her husband Blaine (Canadian), have been coming to Wildwood Valley for 18 years. Initially, they stayed at the B&B that Chef Siobhan’s mum used to run in the main house before Siobhan took over that job. Later, Blue Wren cottage was built for Siobhan, Carlo and their young family, plus another three chalets.
Deb, Blaine, Siobhan and Roy at Blue Wren cottage – clearly, they all got the dress-code memo!
Who knows what exotic escapade we’d have chosen to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in the BC* era? A cruise? A weekend in Paris, or with family in the Dordogne or in Kent? With WA still hermetically sealed off from the rest of the plague-ridden world, sorely limiting our options, Roy’s suggestion of a romantic heritage limestone cottage in Perth’s historic port town of Fremantle turned out perfect.
*Before Covid
Heritage-listed cottage at 7 Henderson Street, Fremantle
Two days in Toodyay WA is enough to get a feel for this historic WA town – but I could have stayed longer. Here’s what to do in Toodyay, where to stay in Toodyay and where to have a drink or a meal in Toodyay… plus the connection between Toodyay town and Moondyne Joe
What’s in a name?
Surely not, responded my sister in England when I texted her that I was walking around a town called Toodyay. Toodyay may be a funny name, sure. But what about Bishop’s Ichington in Warwickshire, Great Snoring in Fakenham, Norfolk, Wetwang near Uncleby in Yorkshire, or Nether Wallop in Hampshire?
In fact, it is derived from the Noongar Aboriginal word Duidgee, meaning “place of plenty”, referring in part to the reliability of the Avon River on whose banks it sits.
Seconds out; flashback to spring in Amsterdam; even more tulips; Araluen fast facts; a bit of history; review: Chalet Healy Café; Airbnb review: the Folly, and what I loved most; why Plantsnap is useless; general cussedness in Kalamunda; unidentified blossoms in cider country; beach bunny Roy, back in Burns Beach
Araluen Botanic Park is in Roleystone, in the Darling Ranges – only half an hour from Perth CBD, but around an hour’s drive from our home in Iluka.
First came a preliminaryspousal skirmish concerning whether or not we should go to Araluen Botanic Park at all.
