Brisbane, QLD


Sunday, December 4, 2011

BLOOMS AND BEACHES

Our Western Wildflower Wonderland tour continued north from New Norcia to Kalbarri in Western Australia. On the way we stopped at a flower farm in Coomberdale. They have acres of land and a big factory for drying the flowers. 
 We had a tour through the factory where a multitude of colourful flowers were hanging from the roof. There were also buckets of them on the ground. They have a huge export business. After browsing through their beautiful gift shop we continued on our way to Kalbarri. We stayed in a very comfortable motel with a great restaurant.

 The next morning I went for a walk and saw these delightful flowers.




     
 I also strolled to the river before returning for breakfast.

Then it was on the bus for a short ride to the beach. 

 The thing I loved about these Western Australian beaches is that they are not built up and still in their natural state. The East Coast beaches were like this 60 years ago but not now. They are cluttered with high rise apartment blocks.


Soon it was all aboard for Shark Bay and Monkey Mia, famous for wild dolphins coming in to shore to be fed by hand.
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28 comments:

  1. cathy@homeDecember 4, 2011 at 6:34 PM

    I am really enjoying this trip of yours one of my Mums friends is from Perth and she loves it on the coast there.

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  2. cathy@homeDecember 4, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    I think we made a comment on each others blog at the same time.

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  3. FruitCakeDecember 4, 2011 at 8:49 PM

    Stunning!

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  4. MadSnapperDecember 4, 2011 at 9:23 PM

    i just watched House Hunters on TV that showed a couple buying a home close to an Australian beach, they are beautiful. the first square in the collage of flowers is just beautiful. i like that type of flower. would love to see these beaches and the hanging flowers

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  5. biebkriebelsDecember 4, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Your are right about the beaches. I like them as they should be, these are wonderful with the rocks and only nature around them. Such a shame as they built all those hotels near the beaches. In Europe it is all the same.

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  6. Betsy Banks AdamsDecember 5, 2011 at 12:39 AM

    Wow---what a fabulous trip you all had... Such a gorgeous area of Australia...

    Love all of the flowers (WOW) but I also love seeing the beach/water...

    Great set of photos.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  7. Come Away With MeDecember 5, 2011 at 2:15 AM

    Western Australia, in these photos, reminds me a lot of Southern California, at least wherever one can find the parts of SoCal that have not been built up with towns and cities.

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  8. GattinaDecember 5, 2011 at 2:16 AM

    The flowers are sooo colorful !
    and I wished I could be at the sea and feed wild dolphins instead of sitting inside !

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  9. JoDecember 5, 2011 at 2:18 AM

    Wow, the flower factory is amazing. We have same here in Kenya, but we've not yet had the opportunity to visit any. Your photography (especially of all the yellow blooms) is fantastic, Diane. Hope you're having a wonderful week already. Greetings Jo

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  10. UnknownDecember 5, 2011 at 5:23 AM

    It feels like travelling again:))

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  11. UnknownDecember 5, 2011 at 5:43 AM

    The flowers are gorgeous, and the river shot... wish I were there Diane. Did you feed wild dolphins by hand? That would be awesome!
    Ev

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  12. Michele R. UngerDecember 5, 2011 at 5:52 AM

    Oh, lovely! More of your amazingly beautiful flower photos! I love your flower photos. And this time they don't make me so sad that summer is gone and winter is almost upon us as I am in sunny California, near San Francisco. The sun is out, the air is crisp but not damp or chilly and there are flowers blooming everywhere. Very different from things at home. I will enjoy your photos and the flowers outside here in equal measure.

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  13. NikkiDecember 5, 2011 at 6:13 AM

    What stunning flower photos. The beaches are lovely too. I have visited some lovely unspoiled beaches in northern New South Wales but I have yet to head to the West Coast. I look forward to it.

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  14. DianneDecember 5, 2011 at 6:36 AM

    The beaches are beautiful I would have imagined perhaps they would have been a lot more rugged and dangerous. Looking forward to Monkey Mia!!

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  15. Colin (HB)December 5, 2011 at 8:05 AM

    Fantastic shots of the flowers - I had no idea of that flower place. Does it export dried and live flowers overseas????
    Pretty rugged beaches with I suppose delightful big "Whites" just beyond the breakers. Don't go swimming there unless you want to be instant shark bait.
    Hope that Monkey Mia lives up to expectations with plenty of dolphins to be shown - maybe "young Bill" frolicking with them in the water - ha ha!!!!
    Cheers
    Colin

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  16. Ellie GreatDecember 5, 2011 at 8:09 AM

    Amazing set of photos! Keep it up.

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  17. Jo-Anne's RamblingsDecember 5, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    Your trip sounds great you are getting to visit some wonderful places and I love the photos you have shared with us......

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  18. AnonymousDecember 5, 2011 at 12:29 PM

    Are the hanging flowers being dried before being exported?

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  19. GardenOfDaisiesDecember 5, 2011 at 1:37 PM

    So many beautiful flowers! These beaches are gorgeous! I hope they remain wild and undeveloped. the water really is the most beautiful color!

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  20. Red Nomad OZDecember 5, 2011 at 4:19 PM

    Sensational! Even the weather was on your side!!

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  21. Margaret DDecember 5, 2011 at 4:55 PM

    We also like the west coast beaches, it's very different from our east.
    Your photos are lovely :)

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  22. SquirrelQueenDecember 5, 2011 at 5:03 PM

    The beaches are gorgeous, so rugged and natural. There are still a few places like that here on the West Coast but not many.

    I am really enjoying all the wildflowers from your tour. The tree with the yellow flowers in the second photo is amazing.

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  23. SheilaDecember 6, 2011 at 12:07 AM

    Oh my goodness Dianne, what an amazing tour you went on. The beauty of the Western coast must be preserved. i hope there are good regulations in place. i'm looking forward to your next stop!

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  24. eileeninmdDecember 6, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    Hello, Diane! What a lovely tour, seeing all these beautiful flowers. And I love the beach photos. It is nice to see some coastline has not been taken over by highrise buildings and houses. Maybe they will keep some preserved. Wonderful post and photos, have a great day.

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  25. Sallie (FullTime-Life)December 6, 2011 at 1:45 PM

    Gorgeous place -- beautiful flowers, unspoiled beaches, the river, a comfortable hotel and good restaurant. I think that defines Paradise ;>)

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  26. BlueShellDecember 6, 2011 at 5:47 PM

    I com here early in the morning and what do I see? Pieces os Paradise!!!
    Thank you, thank you!
    Have a kiss!
    BlueShell

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  27. Joan ElizabethDecember 6, 2011 at 7:53 PM

    Wow that flower farm looks like a place I would love to visit. I also really like the second shot from the bottom.

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  28. GeorgeDecember 7, 2011 at 2:49 AM

    I also like beaches that aren't so built up that the sun can't shine through the high-rise buildings along them. These western Australian beaches are beautiful. Of course, the flowers are beautiful as well.

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