Way Out West - Part 2 Trivia Quiz

Answer: Margaret River

If you like wine, the Margaret River region offers over 100 wineries, as well as craft breweries and distilleries. Margaret River is also a world-famous surfing spot. There are hundreds of caves in the area, six of which are open to the general public. If you are an experienced spelunker and have the right equipment, other caves can be accessed with a required permit.

Answer: Lake Clifton

Lake Clifton is famous for its thrombolites, being home to the largest reef of living thrombolites in the Southern Hemisphere. They have the appearance of rocks and, along with stromatolites, are the rarest and oldest "living fossils" on Earth. They are created by the activities of micro-organisms, predominantly bacteria.

The difference between stromatolites and thrombolites is in their structure. Thrombolites (named from the Greek word "thrombos", meaning clot) have, as their name implies, a clotted structure, whereas stromatolites (named from the Greek word "stroma", meaning mattress or bed covering) have a layered structure. Both thrombolites and stromatolites can be seen in Western Australia.

Answer: South Perth

The first British settlers arrived in Western Australia in 1829. Shenton's Mill, commonly known as "the Old Mill", was built not long after that, in 1835. It is located in the suburb of South Perth, across the river from, and within full view of, the capital city of Perth.

Its original purpose was to provide flour for the newly established colony. It is now a well-known historic landmark and tourist attraction. It is heritage-listed under the National Trust.

Answer: Busselton

The construction of the Busselton jetty started in 1864. Over the years it has been added to, and now it is over 1.8 kilometres (over 1.1 miles) in length. Its original purpose was to facilitate trade and to support the local timber industry. These days it is a major tourist attraction.

At the end of the jetty is an underwater observatory which is 8 metres (26 feet) below sea level where people can view the the local marine life, mainly corals, sponges and fish, through its windows. For those who cannot walk the distance to the observatory, there is a small hourly train which one can catch.

The blue buildings pictured house the interpretative centre, gift shop and museum.

Answer: Walpole

Walpole is located on the southern coast of Western Australia, approximately a 5-hour drive south of Perth. The forest, known as the Valley of the Giants, is home to a tree-top walk, which is 40 metres (130 feet) above the forest floor and provides breathtaking views of the forest. The red tingle trees can grow to a height of 45 metres (148 feet) and are only found in the Walpole area. The karri trees typically grow to a height of 61 metres (200 feet) but have been known to grow as high as 90 metres (300 feet), making them the tallest trees in Western Australia.

Answer: Cervantes

Cervantes is approximately 200 kilometres (124 miles) north of Perth. It was named after the author Miguel de Cervantes (author of "Don Quixote"). Nearby is the Nambung National Park which is home to The Pinnacles, thousands of weathered pillars of limestone (originally formed from seashells) which protrude from a sandy desert. Cervantes is also home to Lake Thetis, famous for its stromatolites. Stromatolites have the appearance of rocks; they are "living fossils", created by micro-organisms, predominantly bacteria, and, along with thrombolites, are the rarest and oldest living life-forms on Earth.

Answer: New Norcia

New Norcia was named after the town of Norcia, Spain, the birthplace of St Benedict, after whom the Benedictine order was named. The monks established a mission, an orphanage, and schools. New Norcia has a complex and controversial history. Today it is mostly visited by tourists for its history, heritage sites, architecture and art gallery. Nearby is the New Norcia Station, a ground station for the European Space Agency.

Answer: Northam

Silo art refers to giant murals painted on the side of silos (very tall buildings used to store grain or raw materials for cement). The artwork on the silos at Northam were the first ones in Australia and were completed in 2015. Since then, other towns have followed suit and there is a silo art trail that one can explore through the south of Western Australia. Only eight of the silos at Northam have been painted; at one end, four with bright multi-coloured abstract patterns and at the other end, four with sepia-toned steampunk themes. Northam is also popular for hot-air ballooning adventures. Travelling in a hot-air balloon at dawn over the wheatfields and farms of the Avon Valley is a never-to-be-forgotten experience.

Answer: Hamelin Bay

Hamelin Bay is home to three species of stingrays (smooth, black and eagle rays). They are not aggressive and if you stand still in the shallow water, they will swim around you and glide over your feet. It is recommended not to touch them because their stings are extremely painful, but tourists can't resist petting them.

There have also been numerous shipwrecks at Hamelin Bay and there is a wreck trail with a number of wrecks that divers can explore.

Answer: Collie

Collie is a town in the south-west region of Western Australia, just over a 2-hour drive south of the capital city of Perth. The nearby Wellington Dam, on the Collie River, is home to the biggest dam mural in the world. Entitled "Reflections", it was designed and painted by Guido Van Helten. It covers 8,000 square metres (over 86,000 square feet). I was fortunate enough to be able to watch the artist finishing the sixth and final panel the day before it was officially opened in February 2021. Collie is also home to the Collie Mural Trail, displaying over 40 murals on the sides of the town's buildings.

Many people think the town of Collie was named after the colliery (the coal mine and its associated buildings), an obvious assumption. But, in fact, it was named after Alexander Collie, a Scottish surgeon and botanist who explored the region in 1829.