"Perth by the Swan River" Perth by sirgaw

Just returned from a family get-together in Perth for my fathers 86th birthday and HAD to take a photo of one of he main entrances to Subiaco oval - sorry Perth people Melbourne IS the home of Aussie rules football.

If that sign were to read 'Home of football IN WA' then I could handle that, but to say it is the home suggests the ground is where the great game of Aussie rules started - wrong that was in 1858 and close to the current Melbourne Cricket Ground where the first ever match took place between Scotch College and Melbourne Grammar School - and in 1958 I went to the centenary match of that game.

Anyway enough of football - well no, not quite - LOL

Q. Why is it that the AFL is shortly to expand the competition to include teams from Western Sydney and the Gold Coast?

A. So Freemantle Dockers and West Coast Needles err Eagles can't come last.

For the benefit of non-Australians, football (Australian Rules Football) between the various teams is serious stuff and the "old guard" of the 12 Victorian teams that made up the VFL (Victorian Football League) were challenged when the VFL became the AFL (Australian Football League) , which is currently made up of 10 Victorian teams, plus 2 each from South Australia and Western Australia and one each from New South Wales and Queensland. Each week during the season it is state vs. state and passions can run high. As a Melbourne taxi driver I am sometimes at the "coal face" of that interstate war and will deliberately avoid intending taxi passengers wearing football colours from outside Victoria - and particularly when they are wearing the colours of the loosing team.

Dad and ted-e bear waving from his nursing home

OK finally that's football off my chest, although I could write a lot more.

In 1980's my Father and Step Mother moved to Perth from Melbourne. In the lead up to Dads retirement he announced they would be moving there as my step brother and sisters live in and around Perth and the maternal call is far stronger than the paternal (don't EVER get between a granny or a great granny and her grand children or you could become a victim to a "near death experience" - only joking grannies).

So far my wife Sandra and I have visited Perth about 14 times and each time got to know a little more of one of the worlds most isolated cities - and I should say as a Victorian that the Western Australians are VERY parochial. Even products made in WA are prominently displayed in shops bearing the "Made in WA" logo rather than a "Made in Australia" logo seen in all other parts of Australia. I've even seen a van delivering eggs and the slogan on the van - "Laid in WA!" Just wished I'd had my camera handy that day.

Most of our stays in Perth have been 3 - 4 days as a stop over on the way to or from overseas destinations (1990 London/Paris, 2002 Hong Kong/Macau, 2007 Europe/Dubai), however in 2005 we again flew to Perth, spent 4 days in the great city of Perth and then a further 10 days in a rental car and travelled to Hyden, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Albany, Walpole, Mandurah, dropped off the rental car in Fremantle and finally took the ferry across to Rottnest Island and a couple of nights stay before returning to Melbourne. I've also been to Perth in 2007 to meet up with my brother and visit Dad who was unwell at the time.

2009 and after seeing Dad in his nursing home, another road trip and the part of the S.West of WA that we'd missed on the earlier trip - Bunbury and spectacular and expensive Margaret River.

Many "easterners" make the pilgrimage to Perth during the footy season and journey to Subiaco Oval. Most stay a few days (as I've done but for family reasons), but others make a holiday of the trip and enjoy all that Perth has to offer.

The city spreads its way along the Indian Ocean coast for a distance of about 90 kilometres (Joondalup to Mandurah) and is "hemmed in" by the Escarpment (range of low hills). It is home to some of Australia's richest people, who have done well on the mineral resources of the vastness of the state of Western Australia.

My favourite places are Kings Park that overlooks the spectacular Perth city skyline and the inland waterway of the Swan River where dolphins can been seen cavorting almost at the edge of the city. Perth is home to many fine eateries and I'd suggest at least a very long weekend visit for first timers - and a warning, you'll be back - even outside the football season.

. . . and the final word on football - Carn the Mighty Magpies

Up date - Feb 2010

Sadly my father passed away 9th Feb 2010 and his funeral was held on Thursday 18th Feb. Sadly missed. R.I.P. Dad

• Pros:Fine beaches and great people
• Cons:Too hot in summer !!!!!!!!