There just aren't enough days in the semester, and the problem is the mid-semester break. Due to the date of Easter, instead of 7 weeks of instruction and then a 2-week break, this year it's only 6 weeks of instructions. That means that some assignments have significant portions of their research or writing time within the break. As I'll be away in New Zealand for the entirety of the break it means that I've had to make some choices. The first is that I've had to disregard the optional assignments, although this also has to do with the due dates of other assignments. Property is difficult and I'll be going in to a 100% exam, meaning I'll have to know everything cold. The second choice is whether I'll be able to finish the components I can prior to the break or take my laptop to New Zealand and have a working vacation. I'll have to see how I go. My New Zealand trip was planned before all these assignments were promulgated.
In relation to my assignments, I've been reading several scholarly articles and I've quickly come to a realization, legal scholars suffer from a complete lack or want of a sense of brevity. As with history or other arts topics, legal scholars are erudite, linguistically well-rounded and capable of using language that non-experts would understand but seem unable to succinctly express their theses. Scientists, on the other hand, use technical language that requires years of study to decipher but have the ability to be brief; ironically, legal documents given to a lawyer are called "briefs". The ideal would be someone with the expressive abilities of an artist coupled with the brevity of a scientist. I think Bill Bryson comes closest to this level of perfection but would someone please tell me if they ever find legal scholar like that?
This weekend a university cross-country tradition called Inward Bound took place. Teams from all the residences are blindfolded and driven out to various locations. From there, they have to make their way to a designated end point using only compasses, maps and their wits. I wish everyone safe success, especially the Fenner teams.
And in local news, a fellow Roman was appointed Police Commissioner of Canberra. Roman Quaedvlieg was appointed to the post a few days ago promising to focus on alcohol-related crime and dangerous driving. I include this news only for the fact that he and I share our first names. I'm sure the ACT is all the richer for having a Roman in charge of something.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
21 Days
It's been 3 weeks since my last weekly update, and for that I apologize. It's just been very hectic but I've finally got everything out of the way. Be sure to check out the photos of my Perth trip as I've just added them. Now let's see what's happened in the last 21 days.
Something I forgot to mention in my last weekly post was the annual Fenner Hall Commencement Dinner. Like last year, this year's dinner was held at the National Museum of Australia. However, I was a little disappointed with this year's event. The food was good, but not great, and the main course was fish --- some sort of salmon dish. That's alright in itself, but there was no meat dish and no vegetarian option. I appreciate the thought, and dessert was alright, even if it came out a little late, but it could have been better. Still, I met some interesting people so it wasn't all bad.
The Winter Olympics ended and I believe I can say that they were a resounding success, not just for Canada. From what I've read online, everyone seems to have enjoyed the games, which have come in at budget, I believe. Just as important was Canada's podium success. From no gold medals as a host, Canada set a new Winter Olympics record by taking 14 gold, including the coveted men's hockey gold in a close game. I think it kind of speaks to prejudices about Canadians when the last Olympic event is hockey. I would like to say well done, Vancouver. You may not have the greatest weather, but you've got spirit.
On the home front, we had a rather troubling event at Fenner Hall a few weeks back. There was a small fire in someone's room but that set off their sprinkler system and because the fire alarm sounded, we all had to evacuate.. The sprinkler proceeded to flood the 4th floor with the disgustingly black water contained in the pipes. The water seeped through the floor and proceeded to cause decreasing water damage all the way to the ground floor. Luckily I live on the 6th floor so I was not affected. The emergency services arrived and the fire department spent the next few hours cleaning up the mess.
Because the floors were soaked, there was a question about what to do with those residents who couldn't go back to their rooms. Residents from floors unaffected were asked to provide sleeping bags and pillows, if they could, to those less fortunate. With the night's activities, I was just too full of adrenaline to go to sleep so I stayed up until 06:00 the next morning. One stairwell was essentially closed due to water and throughout the South Tower the water left a stale smell in the air. After a day, the floors had dried out enough that everyone could go back to their rooms. The moral of this story seems to be live on the top floor.
It got me thinking, though, about what I call the "Fire Drill Dilemma". Although conducting fire drills would appear to be necessary so that everyone knows what they're doing, if you do them too often, when there's a real emergency people just don't believe it. I wonder how this problem can be resolved?
Last Sunday was one of the premier horse races in Canberra, the Black Opal Stakes. I was working at the racecourse and it was pretty busy, though not as busy as previous years. This was due to the weather as it rained for quite a few of the races, but it didn't affect the running of the main event. I'm sure a few fortunes were made and many more were lost, all in good fun, though, I'm sure.
Speaking of money, I was pleased to hear that Canada will be switching to plastic money starting next year. Australia has been using plastic money for almost 15 years, I think, and Australians swear by it. It lasts longer, can go through the wash, can be taken into the water, is recyclable and harder to counterfeit. I just hope the Bank of Canada comes up with interesting designs. This is one area where Canada can learn from Australia though I fear it will give the Americans something else to poke fun at. And one more thing, Canadian money isn't paper in the true sense of the word. The currency, like the American, is made from a cotton weave, like jeans, that is called cotton paper but there's no wood pulp in it.
In fitness news, I've started running 8km twice per week to get my fitness up for umpiring season. Speaking of which, I officiated my first game of the pre-season yesterday in Queanbeyan. It was a beautiful day, 30C and sunny. That's the great thing about the season in Canberra, it starts out around 30C and sunny, dips to about 10C windy and rainy, and finishes off back around 20C in September. The regular season doesn't start until the first week of April but I have to be in peak form for it.
Also there was an event by the lake today called Skyfire, much like the Symphony of Fire in Canada. Sponsored by a radio station, fireworks are set off to music on the lake. I walked down to the lake and managed to get a seat on the water's edge. Several thousand people made their way down for the 20-minute show, which was quite spectacular. I don't know, though, maybe next year I'll just watch it from somewhere closer to home.
Well, that's it. 3 weeks summed up in a few succinct paragraphs. I'll be resuming the regular pattern starting next Saturday but only for a while as I'm off to New Zealand again for the break. We'll see how that adventure goes.
Something I forgot to mention in my last weekly post was the annual Fenner Hall Commencement Dinner. Like last year, this year's dinner was held at the National Museum of Australia. However, I was a little disappointed with this year's event. The food was good, but not great, and the main course was fish --- some sort of salmon dish. That's alright in itself, but there was no meat dish and no vegetarian option. I appreciate the thought, and dessert was alright, even if it came out a little late, but it could have been better. Still, I met some interesting people so it wasn't all bad.
The Winter Olympics ended and I believe I can say that they were a resounding success, not just for Canada. From what I've read online, everyone seems to have enjoyed the games, which have come in at budget, I believe. Just as important was Canada's podium success. From no gold medals as a host, Canada set a new Winter Olympics record by taking 14 gold, including the coveted men's hockey gold in a close game. I think it kind of speaks to prejudices about Canadians when the last Olympic event is hockey. I would like to say well done, Vancouver. You may not have the greatest weather, but you've got spirit.
On the home front, we had a rather troubling event at Fenner Hall a few weeks back. There was a small fire in someone's room but that set off their sprinkler system and because the fire alarm sounded, we all had to evacuate.. The sprinkler proceeded to flood the 4th floor with the disgustingly black water contained in the pipes. The water seeped through the floor and proceeded to cause decreasing water damage all the way to the ground floor. Luckily I live on the 6th floor so I was not affected. The emergency services arrived and the fire department spent the next few hours cleaning up the mess.
Because the floors were soaked, there was a question about what to do with those residents who couldn't go back to their rooms. Residents from floors unaffected were asked to provide sleeping bags and pillows, if they could, to those less fortunate. With the night's activities, I was just too full of adrenaline to go to sleep so I stayed up until 06:00 the next morning. One stairwell was essentially closed due to water and throughout the South Tower the water left a stale smell in the air. After a day, the floors had dried out enough that everyone could go back to their rooms. The moral of this story seems to be live on the top floor.
It got me thinking, though, about what I call the "Fire Drill Dilemma". Although conducting fire drills would appear to be necessary so that everyone knows what they're doing, if you do them too often, when there's a real emergency people just don't believe it. I wonder how this problem can be resolved?
Last Sunday was one of the premier horse races in Canberra, the Black Opal Stakes. I was working at the racecourse and it was pretty busy, though not as busy as previous years. This was due to the weather as it rained for quite a few of the races, but it didn't affect the running of the main event. I'm sure a few fortunes were made and many more were lost, all in good fun, though, I'm sure.
Speaking of money, I was pleased to hear that Canada will be switching to plastic money starting next year. Australia has been using plastic money for almost 15 years, I think, and Australians swear by it. It lasts longer, can go through the wash, can be taken into the water, is recyclable and harder to counterfeit. I just hope the Bank of Canada comes up with interesting designs. This is one area where Canada can learn from Australia though I fear it will give the Americans something else to poke fun at. And one more thing, Canadian money isn't paper in the true sense of the word. The currency, like the American, is made from a cotton weave, like jeans, that is called cotton paper but there's no wood pulp in it.
In fitness news, I've started running 8km twice per week to get my fitness up for umpiring season. Speaking of which, I officiated my first game of the pre-season yesterday in Queanbeyan. It was a beautiful day, 30C and sunny. That's the great thing about the season in Canberra, it starts out around 30C and sunny, dips to about 10C windy and rainy, and finishes off back around 20C in September. The regular season doesn't start until the first week of April but I have to be in peak form for it.
Also there was an event by the lake today called Skyfire, much like the Symphony of Fire in Canada. Sponsored by a radio station, fireworks are set off to music on the lake. I walked down to the lake and managed to get a seat on the water's edge. Several thousand people made their way down for the 20-minute show, which was quite spectacular. I don't know, though, maybe next year I'll just watch it from somewhere closer to home.
Well, that's it. 3 weeks summed up in a few succinct paragraphs. I'll be resuming the regular pattern starting next Saturday but only for a while as I'm off to New Zealand again for the break. We'll see how that adventure goes.
Monday, March 15, 2010
A Walk in the Park
Perth is home to one of the finest urban parks in the world. King's Park is located on a rise just outside the central business district. Created for the citizens Perth to enjoy some peace in the city, King's Park is quite large and holds a splendid collection of native and foreign flora.
I entered King's Park via an avenue lined by large karri trees. Once in the park, you can walk any of several trails that lead you through native bushland and botanical gardens. There are also several war memorials with great views of the city. There's even a large double-helixed called the DNA Tower from which you get a good view of the park. From there you realize that the groomed portion is just a small portion of the whole, the majority is native bushland. Interestingly, there's even a wishing well that was out of order. Think about that for a second.
It felt as though I had walked about half the park by the end of the afternoon but it could only have been a small percentage. I made my way back to the hostel where I had to lie down for a while. All that walking had taken its toll on my muscles and I wanted to be rested up for that night. I wanted to check out Northbridge, Perth's night life center.
After nightfall I explored Northbridge. At first it didn't look like much but as I made my way further in it transformed into a bustling hive of lights and people. Clubs and restaurants were open and there seemed to be a myriad of people milling about, having a good time. It was a warm night with a cool breeze so I imagine it was a great night to eat out. The night before it had been Chinese New Year's and I had heard the fireworks form the hostel. It really is the area that anyone who's anyone finds themselves in.
I decided that before I left I had to get some night photos of Perth's skyscrapers from the other side of the Swan River. I walked to the south bank of Perth Water and managed to get some good photographs. I slept well, though only for a short time, as I had to leave early to catch my flight.
Perth is my second favourite city in Australia. After Darwin, I think Perth is where I'd live if I had a choice. The climate is wonderful, it's a nice city, it's not too big and not too busy. I don't understand why anyone would want to leave. Then again, the Western Australians are a little funny. Being so isolated has maybe given them a slight case of collective cabin fever. Nevertheless, I think it's worth the risk to live in Perth. A well spent trip indeed.
I entered King's Park via an avenue lined by large karri trees. Once in the park, you can walk any of several trails that lead you through native bushland and botanical gardens. There are also several war memorials with great views of the city. There's even a large double-helixed called the DNA Tower from which you get a good view of the park. From there you realize that the groomed portion is just a small portion of the whole, the majority is native bushland. Interestingly, there's even a wishing well that was out of order. Think about that for a second.
It felt as though I had walked about half the park by the end of the afternoon but it could only have been a small percentage. I made my way back to the hostel where I had to lie down for a while. All that walking had taken its toll on my muscles and I wanted to be rested up for that night. I wanted to check out Northbridge, Perth's night life center.
After nightfall I explored Northbridge. At first it didn't look like much but as I made my way further in it transformed into a bustling hive of lights and people. Clubs and restaurants were open and there seemed to be a myriad of people milling about, having a good time. It was a warm night with a cool breeze so I imagine it was a great night to eat out. The night before it had been Chinese New Year's and I had heard the fireworks form the hostel. It really is the area that anyone who's anyone finds themselves in.
I decided that before I left I had to get some night photos of Perth's skyscrapers from the other side of the Swan River. I walked to the south bank of Perth Water and managed to get some good photographs. I slept well, though only for a short time, as I had to leave early to catch my flight.
Perth is my second favourite city in Australia. After Darwin, I think Perth is where I'd live if I had a choice. The climate is wonderful, it's a nice city, it's not too big and not too busy. I don't understand why anyone would want to leave. Then again, the Western Australians are a little funny. Being so isolated has maybe given them a slight case of collective cabin fever. Nevertheless, I think it's worth the risk to live in Perth. A well spent trip indeed.
The Doctor
Fremantle, Perth's port, is slightly older than its "bigger sister". When I say older, I mean by only a few days. However, Fremantle has been a port city continuously since the 1830s, which isn't too bad if you think about it. At one point a goodly distance from the city it is now just another suburb of Perth, although the residents object when you point this out.
First, though, I stopped by the Western Australian Parliament as it's open only a two days per week. Unfortunately no photography is allowed inside so I have no pictures of it. I can't understand why and it actually irritates me a great deal. Is there really any sort of security risk? Anyway, the Parliament is built in a sort of Italian style that suits the warm Western Australian climate. On the tour there were the usual stops to the Legislative Assembly, some hallways, works of art, though the Legislative Council was closed due to renovations. It's a nice building but it should be open to photography.
Afterwards I made my way to the central train station to catch a train to Fremantle. Luckily trains to Fremantle are fairly frequent so I didn't have to wait long. The ride itself didn't take very long, only about 30 minutes. I disembarked at Fremantle Station and made my way into town. Fremantle has a fairly large collection of Victorian buildings.
Fremantle has a special claim to fame in that it is the home of the "Fremantle Doctor". On some hot days a cool sea breeze blows into Perth from the approximate direction of Fremantle and is called the Fremantle Doctor. In case you're wondering why, it's because it makes you feel better, like any good doctor.
As I wandered around I made my way firstly to the Round House, a former small prison. Now a historical site, it is the home of the 13:00 Gun that fires every day at that time, which it did just as I arrived. The building made of stone with a tunnel underneath that let whalers carry their catches from the port to processing centers in the city is a rather nice museum. It gives you a fairly good idea what early life in Fremantle was like. There are plenty of photographs and other artifacts in what used to be the prisoners' rooms. Not many were housed at any one time.
I spent the whole afternoon wandering around Fremantle. I stopped by the Fremantle Prison but didn't go in as the entry, I felt, was too expensive. I walked through parks and made my way to the harbour. All sorts of ships were docked, from large bulk carriers to small fishing vessels. There was even a cruise liner that departed in the late afternoon. After it had left I took a peak inside the passenger terminal, having never been in one so big before. As twilight set in I made it to South Point so that I could watch the sunset. As Fremantle is nestled on the eastern Indian Ocean, the sun sets quite spectacularly over the ocean. It ended up being quite a good sunset and the lighthouse made for a good photograph.
I took the train back to my hostel and ran into my roommates on the patio. We all got to talking and eventually broke into an impromptu acapella version of What I Got, by who I can't remember. We had a great night, laughing and sharing stories. I went to bed pleased with the day I'd had.
First, though, I stopped by the Western Australian Parliament as it's open only a two days per week. Unfortunately no photography is allowed inside so I have no pictures of it. I can't understand why and it actually irritates me a great deal. Is there really any sort of security risk? Anyway, the Parliament is built in a sort of Italian style that suits the warm Western Australian climate. On the tour there were the usual stops to the Legislative Assembly, some hallways, works of art, though the Legislative Council was closed due to renovations. It's a nice building but it should be open to photography.
Afterwards I made my way to the central train station to catch a train to Fremantle. Luckily trains to Fremantle are fairly frequent so I didn't have to wait long. The ride itself didn't take very long, only about 30 minutes. I disembarked at Fremantle Station and made my way into town. Fremantle has a fairly large collection of Victorian buildings.
Fremantle has a special claim to fame in that it is the home of the "Fremantle Doctor". On some hot days a cool sea breeze blows into Perth from the approximate direction of Fremantle and is called the Fremantle Doctor. In case you're wondering why, it's because it makes you feel better, like any good doctor.
As I wandered around I made my way firstly to the Round House, a former small prison. Now a historical site, it is the home of the 13:00 Gun that fires every day at that time, which it did just as I arrived. The building made of stone with a tunnel underneath that let whalers carry their catches from the port to processing centers in the city is a rather nice museum. It gives you a fairly good idea what early life in Fremantle was like. There are plenty of photographs and other artifacts in what used to be the prisoners' rooms. Not many were housed at any one time.
I spent the whole afternoon wandering around Fremantle. I stopped by the Fremantle Prison but didn't go in as the entry, I felt, was too expensive. I walked through parks and made my way to the harbour. All sorts of ships were docked, from large bulk carriers to small fishing vessels. There was even a cruise liner that departed in the late afternoon. After it had left I took a peak inside the passenger terminal, having never been in one so big before. As twilight set in I made it to South Point so that I could watch the sunset. As Fremantle is nestled on the eastern Indian Ocean, the sun sets quite spectacularly over the ocean. It ended up being quite a good sunset and the lighthouse made for a good photograph.
I took the train back to my hostel and ran into my roommates on the patio. We all got to talking and eventually broke into an impromptu acapella version of What I Got, by who I can't remember. We had a great night, laughing and sharing stories. I went to bed pleased with the day I'd had.
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Golden West
I don't imagine that there are many finer cities in Australia's than Perth. I stepped out into a beautifully sunny and warm day. I always imagined that Perth has this kind of weather year-round. That's a fallacy of course, but it was nice to have a wish granted anyway.
As is my custom, I spent my first day exploring the city. Through the many skyscrapers I made my way to the Swan Bells, a bell tower built to house bells from London's St. Martin in the Fields. It's certainly one of Perth most architecturally distinctive edifices, a towering spire of glass. I paid the admission and walked up the stairs to the ringing room where a ringing demonstration was under way. There's an art to ringing bells beyond mere brute strength. You have to stop the bell part way through its swing so that the clapper can make contact with the side. Not much strength is required to produce sounds on even very large bells but in order to make tunes more or less strength may be required in order to make the bells sound in correct time. After the demonstration all participants got to ring some bells, including myself. It was quite an experience to make music on a such a large instrument.
The Swan Bells were moved from their original home in London after it was decided that new bells were needed; these had been cast in the 1720s. Instead of melting them down they were given to Perth in 1988 to celebrated the bicentennial of European colonization in Australia. I think Perth has done admirably in giving the bells a great new home.
In case anyone ever asks you, the art of bell ringing is known as "campanology", named for the Campania region of Italy. Bell ringing sequences are given unusual names such as a Reverse Canterbury Pleasure. Also, just so you know, a peal of bells is ringing through all possible combinations; therefore, a set of 6 bells will have to be rung through all 720 combinations (6!=6x5x4x3x2x1) while 12 bells have 479 001 600 possible combinations that must be rung for a true peal!
After I'd finished with the bells, I explored the rest of the tower. The great thing about this place is that you can see how everything works. Just above the ringing room is the belfry and you can watch the bells swinging. Above that there's a small museum dedicated to the history of bells and then there's an observation deck.
Happy with the Swan Bells, I marched a little more around the city and found the grounds of Government House, the residence of the state Governor, open. It's an unusual house that recalls the architecture of the Tower of London but the grounds are well-kept. Like most old government buildings, Government House is on a large plot surrounded by skyscrapers and busy commercial land.
I was quite tired after all this walking so I decided to return to the youth hostel to rest up. I met my other roommates, one of whom was Irish while the other two were German. In my opinion, German is the most common language spoken in Australian youth hostels after English. I don't know why Germans seem to be such a large portion of the backpacker population Down Under, but there you go. The trip I had planned for the next day I expected would be quite interesting as I would be travelling to Fremantle, Perth's port city.
As is my custom, I spent my first day exploring the city. Through the many skyscrapers I made my way to the Swan Bells, a bell tower built to house bells from London's St. Martin in the Fields. It's certainly one of Perth most architecturally distinctive edifices, a towering spire of glass. I paid the admission and walked up the stairs to the ringing room where a ringing demonstration was under way. There's an art to ringing bells beyond mere brute strength. You have to stop the bell part way through its swing so that the clapper can make contact with the side. Not much strength is required to produce sounds on even very large bells but in order to make tunes more or less strength may be required in order to make the bells sound in correct time. After the demonstration all participants got to ring some bells, including myself. It was quite an experience to make music on a such a large instrument.
The Swan Bells were moved from their original home in London after it was decided that new bells were needed; these had been cast in the 1720s. Instead of melting them down they were given to Perth in 1988 to celebrated the bicentennial of European colonization in Australia. I think Perth has done admirably in giving the bells a great new home.
In case anyone ever asks you, the art of bell ringing is known as "campanology", named for the Campania region of Italy. Bell ringing sequences are given unusual names such as a Reverse Canterbury Pleasure. Also, just so you know, a peal of bells is ringing through all possible combinations; therefore, a set of 6 bells will have to be rung through all 720 combinations (6!=6x5x4x3x2x1) while 12 bells have 479 001 600 possible combinations that must be rung for a true peal!
After I'd finished with the bells, I explored the rest of the tower. The great thing about this place is that you can see how everything works. Just above the ringing room is the belfry and you can watch the bells swinging. Above that there's a small museum dedicated to the history of bells and then there's an observation deck.
Happy with the Swan Bells, I marched a little more around the city and found the grounds of Government House, the residence of the state Governor, open. It's an unusual house that recalls the architecture of the Tower of London but the grounds are well-kept. Like most old government buildings, Government House is on a large plot surrounded by skyscrapers and busy commercial land.
I was quite tired after all this walking so I decided to return to the youth hostel to rest up. I met my other roommates, one of whom was Irish while the other two were German. In my opinion, German is the most common language spoken in Australian youth hostels after English. I don't know why Germans seem to be such a large portion of the backpacker population Down Under, but there you go. The trip I had planned for the next day I expected would be quite interesting as I would be travelling to Fremantle, Perth's port city.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
The Last Outpost
Perth, Western Australia's capital, is often claimed to be the most isolated city in the world, but that isn't true. Auckland is the most isolated metropolis (city of 1 million+ furthest from the next city of 1 million+) by being 56 kilometers further from Sydney than Perth is from Adelaide. Even if you define a city as having 500 000+, Perth still doesn't make the cut. In that case, the most isolated city is Honolulu. However, Perth is the most isolated city in Australia and the world if you only count overland distances. You begin to understand this isolation when you fly to Perth.
Perth was the last mainland capital city of Australia I had left to see and I'd decided that I'd earned a break just before undergraduate courses began. I organized the hostel and the flight and was on my way. I think my Perth trip was the first one where I paid for everything. On my Adelaide trip last August, I think I put one or two meals on my mom's credit card but this time it was all me.
The trip from Canberra to Perth required a brief stop in Melbourne but once in flight, it quickly becomes obvious just how far away Perth is. Out of Melbourne you fairly quickly reach the Great Australian Bight but then it's nothing but kilometer upon kilometer of blue ocean until you hit the Western Australian coast. Even once you've hit that, all that there is below you is an endless expanse of arid waste. Finally, you see some farms below you, then a river or two, then a highway, then suburbs and you know you've arrived. Perth, the great western metropolis.
Perth was founded in 1829 on the banks of the Swan River establishing the Swan River Colony, however, Fremantle (now a suburb of Perth) and the town of Albany are slightly older. Perth was founded in what was then New Holland as a way of ensuring British dominion from possible encroachments by the French particularly, but also by the Germans and Dutch. The Dutch had been some of the first Europeans to visit Western Australia, de Vlamingh did so in 1606, but believing it to be essentially desert, they chose not to colonize. Unfortunately, while Perth's position made strategic sense it did isolate its inhabitants from the rest of Australia and in some ways, they still are; in WA there's a small separatist movement. In any event, the colony got started and resisted convict transportation until about 1850 when it was decided that the labour shortage required convicts. They weren't transported for very long but WA was the last colony to stop convict transportation in 1868. For a long time it was assumed that WA was mostly barren of minerals until discoveries in the 1950s found huge gold and other valuable mineral resources in the remote interior. As the mining boom took off in the 1960s, much of the wealth found its way to Perth. From essentially a largish provincial city Perth exploded into a vast wealthy metropolis, attracting people from all the world over. To this day, although WA has only 10% of Australia's population, it is responsible for something like 25% of Australia's economic activity. However, the modern building boom has meant that Perth lacks many of the old Victorian buildings present in Sydney and Melbourne.
As I explored the city on my first night there, I couldn't help but compare Perth to other cities I've been to. I thought of Perth as a sort of mix between Adelaide's architecture and Brisbane's architecture and climate. Being subtropical, it was a particularly warm and pleasant night. However, I think the best comparison I can come up with is Miami. There are palm trees, warm nights, hot days, sunshine and a pleasant cooling sea breeze. I instantly liked Perth. It is a well-kept, busy, interesting and beautiful cosmopolitan city. It may be the last outpost of Australia, but it has all the best parts rolled into one.
Perth was the last mainland capital city of Australia I had left to see and I'd decided that I'd earned a break just before undergraduate courses began. I organized the hostel and the flight and was on my way. I think my Perth trip was the first one where I paid for everything. On my Adelaide trip last August, I think I put one or two meals on my mom's credit card but this time it was all me.
The trip from Canberra to Perth required a brief stop in Melbourne but once in flight, it quickly becomes obvious just how far away Perth is. Out of Melbourne you fairly quickly reach the Great Australian Bight but then it's nothing but kilometer upon kilometer of blue ocean until you hit the Western Australian coast. Even once you've hit that, all that there is below you is an endless expanse of arid waste. Finally, you see some farms below you, then a river or two, then a highway, then suburbs and you know you've arrived. Perth, the great western metropolis.
Perth was founded in 1829 on the banks of the Swan River establishing the Swan River Colony, however, Fremantle (now a suburb of Perth) and the town of Albany are slightly older. Perth was founded in what was then New Holland as a way of ensuring British dominion from possible encroachments by the French particularly, but also by the Germans and Dutch. The Dutch had been some of the first Europeans to visit Western Australia, de Vlamingh did so in 1606, but believing it to be essentially desert, they chose not to colonize. Unfortunately, while Perth's position made strategic sense it did isolate its inhabitants from the rest of Australia and in some ways, they still are; in WA there's a small separatist movement. In any event, the colony got started and resisted convict transportation until about 1850 when it was decided that the labour shortage required convicts. They weren't transported for very long but WA was the last colony to stop convict transportation in 1868. For a long time it was assumed that WA was mostly barren of minerals until discoveries in the 1950s found huge gold and other valuable mineral resources in the remote interior. As the mining boom took off in the 1960s, much of the wealth found its way to Perth. From essentially a largish provincial city Perth exploded into a vast wealthy metropolis, attracting people from all the world over. To this day, although WA has only 10% of Australia's population, it is responsible for something like 25% of Australia's economic activity. However, the modern building boom has meant that Perth lacks many of the old Victorian buildings present in Sydney and Melbourne.
As I explored the city on my first night there, I couldn't help but compare Perth to other cities I've been to. I thought of Perth as a sort of mix between Adelaide's architecture and Brisbane's architecture and climate. Being subtropical, it was a particularly warm and pleasant night. However, I think the best comparison I can come up with is Miami. There are palm trees, warm nights, hot days, sunshine and a pleasant cooling sea breeze. I instantly liked Perth. It is a well-kept, busy, interesting and beautiful cosmopolitan city. It may be the last outpost of Australia, but it has all the best parts rolled into one.
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