Kings Park was established at the end of the 19th century and covers 1,000 acres of Mt Eliza, overlooking Perth. It is mainly bushland, but includes many cultivated areas showcasing the flora of WA, and botanical gardens. There is an elevated treetop walkway, so you can get a better view of the colourful birds. Up the far end, where we didn’t go, there are child-friendly interactive things. In addition to the usual information centre, coffee place, and shop, there is a memorial to the Western Australians who died in the two World Wars, and another to the victims of the Bali bombing. Also, the Aussies are keen on commemorating notable Australians, especially if they were influential in WA. So there are plaques everywhere: some for various women’s groups, perhaps active in the suffrage movement, often merely for existing at all – the WA Macedonian Women’s Group for example, for their contribution to something or other. There are lots of men honoured too – local politicos, some bloke who was the chaplain in the goldfields, anyone who in some way made things a little better. The best thing, though, is the fantastic views it offers of the Swan River, and Perth itself. It really is worth the trip for that alone. The picture shows a typical view.

We entered the park by climbing the 242-step Jacob’s Ladder, and noticed that, when we left, around 6pm, the steps were being used as an impromptu jogging track by a surprisingly large number of people, some just running up and back down several times. Back home you have to join a gym for that sort of thing.