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About Breaking News Program Dates Feedback Donate Contact Industry Cluster Message Board		Enterprising Rural Communities Study Tour 2004 – Australia Friday, November 12, 2004 Our journey is almost halfway over. We're all well into the routine of eating a quick breakfast in the morning, quickly packing, and boarding the bus. Tall, smooth-barked gum trees and the mushroom shaped tree tops of the eucalyptus trees passing by the bus window are an accepted part of the landscape now. Row upon row of grape vines, stretching for acres, are so common we don't even comment. At times the soft, Aussie accent is hardly noticeable. [1, 2, 6] Today we travel. We make our way to the Melbourne Airport to board a flight to Perth. This is the second time on the tour when we discover that clocks are deceiving and that the orderly progression of time from now to the future is an illusion. We board our flight for Perth at 12:30 in the afternoon, travel for 3.5 hours and arrive at Perth Airport at around 1:00 pm. For us today is three hours longer than your typical day. It seems that even the linear progression of time is not immune from the influence of mankind. Today we stay in Subiaco (pronounced su-b-ACK-o), an upscale suburb of Perth. And it's a free day. There's time to wash clothes, catch up on the news, and wander Hay Street, filled with small shops, cafes, and pubs. A short walk away is King's Park, 1,000 acres in the middle of the City of Perth consisting of natural bushland, developed parkland, and a botanic garden. The park was established in 1872 as Perth Park. The name was changed in 1901 to mark the accession to the throne of King Edward VII in England and the visit to Perth of his son the Duke of Cornwall and Princess Mary (later King George and Queen Mary). I enter the park and almost immediately feel I'm hundreds of miles away from the city, deep in bushland. The pungent, lemony smell of the gum trees permeate the air. As I walk along I hear a low, furious buzzing sound. It's a huge ball of bees, far up in the trees. [3]. Walking along a little further I hear some scratching off the path. Amazed, I see a little parrot "grazing" along the ground, making a feast of the grass found there. A little further on I see another on. [4, 5] Walking for another half an hour or so, I come to the main entrance to the park. I realize then that the park is set high above the harbor at Perth, offering an incredible view of the city skyline. [7] I make my way into the botanic section of the garden, coming up the "glass bridge," which isn't actually made of glass, but has transparent sides to enhance views of the gardens. [8] I leave you today with images from the park. It's a time to recharge, regroup, and reflect. Tomorrow we begin the Western Australia portion of the tour. We'll soon be out of the lush green coast and on to the arid region on the other side of the Darling Mountain Range. [9-17]
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