by Dave | Sep 1, 2023 | Lifestyle, MADCAT Photography, News, Our Journey, Photo Tips, Photo Tours
The Photo Tour
Prints & Photo Gifts ~ Photo Tips ~ Links ~ Directions
The Parkerville Tavern, Parkerville, Mundaring, Western Australia
If you’re looking for somewhere new to eat in the Perth Hills, we’ve found a great country pub surrounded by nature with a superbly modern & varied menu, and a bit of a colourful history!
The Parkerville Tavern is a little off the beaten track in a small suburb of Mundaring called Parkerville (who’d have guessed!) which sits across the road from the 59km Railway Reserves Heritage Trail near Jane Brook & the original location of the Parkerville Station.
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by Dave | Nov 11, 2023 | Lifestyle, News, Photo Tours, Shopping
There are some great new Local Markets springing up in Wanneroo and we have been approached by the City of Wanneroo to write a short guest blog post for their upcomming Tourism website DiscoverWanneroo.com.au about some of these local markets.
We thought we’d take the opportunity to post an extended article here so you can see more of the images and our thoughts on the Local Markets.
The 2 Markets we have picked to visit are the Eden Beach Farmers Market and the Yanchep Monthly Market.
Farmers Market at Eden Beach, Jindalee
Eden Beach Farmers Market
Wanneroo is home to some of the best local produce in Perth so it makes sense that it is also a great location for Markets. Wanneroo also has some of the best beaches in Perth so when we heard about the newly reinstated Farmers Market at Eden Beach, Jindalee we were very excited.
The market is held every Saturday from 8am to 12pm and is located in a recently developed park right on the foreshore. There is an excellent children’s playground right next door and plenty of parking, you could not ask for a better location for a local Farmers Market.
Below is a slideshow of photos from our walk around the Market:
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When we returned a few weeks later to stock up on locally grown garlic the Market had a completely new layout, a few more stalls and a giant bouncy castle for the kids. We loved the variety in layout and products available though it was good to see many of the same stalls still around, it certainly looks like the market is growing stronger every week ?
Bouncy Castle at Eden Beach Farmers Market, Jindalee
Local stallholders get to show off their handmade crafts, goods & services along side local WA growers selling their freshly picked fruit and veg. The Eden Beach Farmers Market is definitely a great way to get your weekly produce, have a bit of family fun and get some fresh sea air.
There are also plenty of tasty treats on offer from the various food trucks, ranging from gourmet hotdogs, to tasty Italian snacks and excellent looking fresh baked bread (get in early before it’s all gone).
Watch the slideshow below to see just a few of the stalls we visited at the Market:
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If you are interested in more information about Eden Beach Farmers Market then check out their website at thelocalfarmersmarket.com.au. This Market is sponsored by Satterley, the land developers at Eden Beach.
Yanchep Monthly Markets, Yanchep Sports Club, Wanneroo, Western Australia
Yanchep Monthly Markets
The other local Market we visited in Wanneroo is the Yanchep Monthly Markets which are held on the last Sunday of the Month from January to November in the grounds of the Yanchep Sports Club.
This Market has been running a lot longer than the Eden Beach Farmers Market and has in excess of 50 stall holders, including a pet food truck, yes dogs are welcome!
The Treat Truck for Dog Snacks, Yanchep Monthly Markets, Wanneroo, Western Australia
Here is our slideshow of photos from our walk around the Market:
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There are a wide variety of stallholders at the Yanchep Monthly Market including fresh fruit & veg, fresh olives & honey, takeaway food, local crafts & artists, health products like organic soaps and candles and much more.
Our friends from Native Animal Rescue also had their stall at the Market promoting the great work they do helping our native wildlife ? They were parked right next door to the Jamaican Chicken food stall, lucky the chickens aren’t an endangered species 
Animal Rescue & Jamaican Chicken, Yanchep Monthly Markets, Wanneroo, Western Australia
Just a few days ago we were at Native Animal Rescue photographing some of their gorgeous native wildlife which we will be putting on a wide range of products with a donation going back to the organisation, watch this space for news …
Kyle the Brushtail Possum, Native Animal Rescue, Perth, Western Australia
Watch the slideshow below to see a small sample of some of the stallholders at the Yanchep Monthly Martket:
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There is also plenty of entertainment on offer including demonstrations, free tastings and local bands playing through out the day. The Sports Bar is open from 11am and the Bistro serves lunch.
The Yanchep Monthly Market runs from 9am to 2pm with lots to do for all the family. If you are interested in the Yanchep Monthly Markets visit their Facebook page or contact the organiser Clare Sharp on 0407523445.
Wanneroo Market
Although we didn’t visit the Wanneroo Market for this article it is is also a great place to get your locally grown fresh fruit and veg. It is a much larger Market with permanent stalls (as opposed to the other two markets) and is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and on Public Holidays.
With a large range of stalls selling anything from garden items to household items, a dedicated food hall, deli hall and several variety stall areas, there is a lot to see and do for all the family.
Cheers,
Dave & Maggie
by Dave | Sep 28, 2023 | Lifestyle, MADCAT Photography, News, Our Journey, Photo Tips, Photo Walks, Shopping
Noble Falls Photo Walk – Part 2
Environment ~ Photo Tips ~ Shop ~ Links ~ Directions
Last time we visited Noble Falls in Gidgegannup there was barely a trickle of water flowing over the rocks. Not so this time, the falls are in full flow and a truly amazing sight to see.
Wooroloo Brook, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
The weather was perfect, blue skies and puffy white clouds making it an ideal day for a hike around Noble Falls along Wooroloo Brook and back the other side. Also great conditions for taking some photos of this beautiful area.
The falls themselves are visible from the car park and can be approached from either side with ease. Despite being so close to the road and car park it retains that feeling of being out in the natural world.
As I mentioned above the falls are in full flow, allowing for some amazing long(ish) exposures to be captured.
Waterfall in Full Flow, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
I generally avoid using filters so getting long exposures during the daytime can be a bit of a challenge. I do sometimes use a Neutral Density filter to get much longer exposure times but in this instance I was able to achieve shutter speeds of around 1/5th sec which still gives the water a nice smooth look.
Anything lower than around 1/30th sec will start to give you that flowing effect on the water, just make sure you’re using a tripod.
Flowing Waters, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Maggie has acquired a new-found interest in photography lately and I managed to pull myself away from the myriad of natural photo opportunities to grab this shot of her using her iPhone to get some pics of the incredibly colourful Wattle bushes.
You can see one of Maggie’s Wattle pics in Part 1 of this blog series.
Maggie the Photographer, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
The two available walk trails both start on the north side of Wooroloo Brook and follow the river to the north-west as it meanders through the bush.
The paths are very well maintained and signposted and so are easily accessible to anyone with a moderate level of fitness.
The shorter trail is 1.5 km return and great if you just want to see the falls and a bit of the river. It doesn’t take long to reach the first bridge across the river which signals the return crossing for this shorter trail.
Bridge for the Short Walk, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Bridge for the Short Walk, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
The photo opportunities here are endless, especially at this time of year and with such perfect weather.
All around the ground was covered with a lush green carpet which was teaming with small yellow flowers showing the signs of the beginning of our wildflower season.
Contrasting the lush green was the typically Western Australian red dirt that made up the soil and trail paths.
Standing on the first bridge is a nice spot to get some photos up and down the river.
View North of the Bridge, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
View South of the Bridge, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Shortly after bypassing the bridge over Wooroloo Brook for the shorter trail we came across a shallow ford which created a mini version of Noble Falls, less spectacular but still an amazing sight.
It’s well worth the extra distance to see the ford even if you’re going to turn around and return to the first bridge.
Ford River Crossing, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Ford River Crossing, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Ford River Crossing, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
The walk along the fast flowing river was unbelievably luscious & green, spring really is a great time of year to be out in nature.
Lusciously Green, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Lusciously Green, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
After following the river for a while the path opens up onto a bitumen road, Kooringal Vale, and then turns left on to Brennan Rise for a while.
According to the trail guide (which we were not using) there is a dry weather optional route here which takes a left down onto the “Kangaroo Track” and then back up to Kooringal Vale.
Kooringal Vale, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Sadly, we didn’t notice any signs so we missed the “Kangaroo Track” but I would recommend taking this track for a slightly more interesting walk.
Note to self, always take a trail guide with you!
Continue along Brennan Rise across the Wooroloo Brook bridge and rejoin the dirt trail at the corner of Brennan Rise & Old Coach Road.
Brennan Rise Bridge, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Rejoin the Dirt Trail, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Rejoin the Dirt Trail, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
From here the trail continues back along the river towards Noble Falls. Again, having the trail guide will help you take the correct route as there are two possible paths you could take.
The trail guide recommends you take a left to the lower fire-break path which follows the river however we missed the sign and went straight on following the higher fire-break path which you will eventually join anyway. Either way the views are still amazing ?
High Fire-Break, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Whichever route you took you’ll eventually come across a sharp bend in the river offering another great photo opportunity.
Bend in the River, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
What forest wouldn’t be complete without an old rusty car wreck? Not to disappoint there is one just off the path here not far past the river bend. It always pays to keep your eyes open.
Did I mention lots of great photo opportunities!
Old Rusty Car, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Not much further along you’ll find yourself approaching Toodyay Road and returning to Noble Falls end the end of the walk trail.
By now it was approaching 5pm and the sun was getting low enough to add some nice coloured light to the scenery, however from this side of the river it was getting tricky to get a decent shot of the falls without lens flare or exposure problems.
Cascading Falls, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
If you do want to get some photo’s at this time of day make sure that you keep the sun’s flare outside of the field of view and use a lens hood to minimise the risks.
As you can see below I still got a bit of lens flare and the edges of the clouds are blown out, but if I had turned my camera any further to the right too much of the image would have become overexposed.
Another way to approach situations like this would be to use a tripod and take multiple exposures which can be merged later on with software such as Adobe Lightroom.
Lens Flare, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
When shooting into the sun becomes a problem I like to try a few different ideas such as switching to a longer lens and getting in close for a few abstract shots …
Crystal Chaos, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
or some cool reflections …
Noble Reflections, Noble Falls, Perth, Western Australia
Noble Falls is definitely a great place to visit for a day out in the Perth Hills with plenty of photo opportunities, amazing scenery and 2 walk trails to choose from.
There are plenty of facilities at Noble Falls too, there’s a big car park, a picnic & barbecue area, toilets and the Noble Falls Tavern is just across the road with stunning views over the falls and very good quality food.
We highly recommend making a trip there any time of year but early spring when the water is flowing and the weather is good would be the best.
Also you can take your dog there too ?
Cheers,
Dave
Environmental Issues
When visiting natural environments such as this please be respectful of the flora and fauna, take your litter home and treat the environment with respect.
Leave No Trace
Take Nothing but Pictures
Leave Nothing but Footprints
Kill Nothing but Time
Keep Nothing But Memories
Burn Nothing but Calories
Original Quotes
“Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.”
~ Quote: Chief Seattle (Dkhw’Duw’Absh chief, c. 1786 – June 7, 2023)
“This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.”
~ Quote: Chief Seattle (Dkhw’Duw’Absh chief, c. 1786 – June 7, 2023)
“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home.”
~ Australian Aboriginal Proverb
Photo Tips
All images in this article I took on my Canon 5D MKII with an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens or an EF 70-200mm f4L USM Lens unless otherwise stated and processed in Lightroom CC & ON1 Photo 10.5 & Photoshop CC.
Shooting Long Exposures
A tripod is pretty much essential for getting good results with long exposures.
You can get a water trail effect with exposures longer than 1/30th sec but around 1/5th sec or longer will give a better result. the best way to learn is to experiment with different settings.
To achieve longer exposure times you can do 1 or more of the following:
- Reduce your ISO to the minimum setting, this will have no effect on image quality.
- Shoot later in the day when the natural light is lower, this will have no effect on image quality unless it is too dark to use lower ISO settings.
- Use a Neutral Density and / or a Polarising filter, this will affect image quality marginally depending on the quality of the filters you use.
- Reduce your aperture setting to it’s minimum (usually around F22 or higher). This will have minimal effect on image quality depending on your lens.Reduce your ISO to the minimum setting, this will have no effect on image quality.
- Overexpose your image by increasing your shutter speed with your camera’s exposure compensation function or manually. This will effect the quality of your image depending on how much you overexpose the image and how good your are at post processing your images. Always bear in mind that overexposed highlights are much harder to recover in post processing.
- Place a tissue over the front of your lens, this will result in a terrible photo and give everyone around you a good laugh ?
Get Good Photo Editing Software
You will need to post process your images to get the most out of them. Software tools such as Adobe Lightroom & On1 Photo 10.5 are affordable and essential for getting the best out of your photos.
Free trials or licensed products are available for Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop & ON1 Photo 10.5 at the following links:
Related Clothing & Photo Products
We’re planning whole range of clothing & products featuring our “Noble Falls” images here are a few samples of what we have in our store:
Ebb and Flow, Noble Falls iPhone Case design by Dave Catley featuring Noble Falls winter water flow available from our MADCAT.RedBubble.com store.
Ebb and Flow, Noble Falls Hardcover Journal design by Dave Catley featuring Noble Falls winter water flow available from our MADCAT.RedBubble.com store.
Ebb and Flow, Noble Falls Round Beach Towel design by Dave Catley featuring Noble Falls winter water flow available from our Dave-Catley.pixels.com store.
Ebb and Flow, Noble Falls Tote Bag design by Dave Catley featuring Noble Falls winter water flow available from our Dave-Catley.pixels.com store.
Ebb and Flow, Noble Falls Mug design by Dave Catley featuring Noble Falls winter water flow available from our MADCAT.RedBubble.com store.
Useful Links
Directions
Noble Falls is located just of Toodyay Road in the township of Gidgegannup, City of Swan approx 40 km northeast of Perth.
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by Dave | Jul 2, 2023 | Lifestyle, MADCAT Photography, News, Our Journey, Photo Tips, Photo Walks, Shopping
The Photo Walk – Part 2
Environment ~ Photo Tips ~ Shop ~ Links ~ Directions
Once you’ve finished exploring the vine covered fairy grotto for which Perth’s “Secret Garden” is now famous for you can carry on walking to the other side of this amazing reserve and discover the more traditional paperbark trees you would expect to find in a wetland.
Welcome to Part 2 of our Photo Walk around “Perth’s Secret Garden” …
Paperbark Trees, The Secret Garden Perth, Western Australia
The textures and tones from these Paperbark trees combined with the dappled light shining through the branches makes for some amazing photo opportunities.
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by Dave | Jun 10, 2023 | Lifestyle, MADCAT Photography, News, Our Journey, Photo Tips, Photo Walks
The Photo Walk – Part 1
Photo Tips ~ Shop ~ Environment ~ Links ~ Directions
Here in Perth we are blessed with a wealth of little known magical locations to explore & photograph right in the middle of our inner & outer suburbs.
The Secret Garden, Perth, Western Australia
Perth’s “Secret Garden” is one such place, located in a relatively small wetland area in the City of Stirling you could easily drive past this place without ever guessing what was hidden on the other side of a seemingly impenetrable wall of 20′ high bamboo.
Here is Part 1 of our Photo Walk around “Perth’s Secret Garden” …
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by Dave | May 17, 2023 | Lifestyle, MADCAT Photography, News, Our Journey, Photo Tours
The Photo Tour
Photo Tips ~ Links ~ Directions
Entrance & Grounds, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
While visiting Mash Brewery for lunch a few weeks ago we came across a new pub in the Swan Valley right next door to the Duckstein (must go there again sometime soon) called “The Henley Brook” (a.k.a. “The Hen”).
This is our Photo Tour of “The Henley Brook” in which we hope to give you a visual guide of our visit along with short notes describing our personal experience at this exciting new venue.
Entrance & Grounds, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
“The Hen”, as it’s affectionately called, is found on a large property on West Swan Road with lots of open grass areas for families to enjoy, plenty of parking and a humorous “Hen” theme used extensively throughout the venue.
We always love a good story tied in with a bit of history and The Hen certainly delivers both. The Hen’s story relates to the original settlers that owned the property, the Edwards family.
Known as The Hen, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
The original Edwards family home still exists at the back of the property and is now heritage listed. It was built back in 1849 by Richard Edwards and his sons, one of the first families to settle in the Swan River Colony.
You can’t beat a great story behind a venue, for us it adds an emotional attachment and shows that the owners care about more than just the money ? Check out The Henley Brook website to read their story.
Log Fire, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
The pub itself is beautifully rustic inside & out with a log fire in the centre adding to the traditional “local pub” friendly atmosphere that us Poms remember so fondly from back in the “good ol’ days” before we move out here to paradise ?
Indoor Seating, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
There’s plenty of seating without feeling like your cramped up in a chicken coop (pun intended ?) and there’s a traditional style bar along the length of one wall.
Comfy Seating, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
There’s also the comfy seating area to relax in if you’ve run round like a headless chicken all day with great views of the extensive grounds provided by the large windows situated around the building.
Outdoor Seating, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
The outdoor seating is also spacious & rustic and situated near to a large area setup for the chicks (& kids) to play in.
Beers on Tap, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
Moving on to the more important aspect of any pub, it’s selection of beers, or more importantly, it’s selection of Craft Beers!
This is where The Hen really stands out from the flock.
Beers on Tap, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
Whilst not a brewery itself The Hen includes in it’s beer selection the largest range of locally brewed Craft Beers I have seen in any pub around Perth.
As you can see from the chalk board behind the bar they have embraced local Craft Beer in a big way and include beers from many of the popular local breweries including Little Creatures, Mash, Colonial, Feral, Nail & Last Drop.
Our Beers, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
Not only has The Hen embraced local Craft Beers but they also stock a variety of bottled Craft Beers from around the world.
It’s going to take a while but we’re going to have to work our way through all those Craft Beers. By the end of it we may even have learned something about beer tasting beyond the novice level that we’re at now, I’m pretty sure I can already tell a Pils from a Pale Ale!
To start our Craft Beer Journey at The Hen we both tried something new to us. Maggie went with the Last Drop Pils which she really enjoyed. Ironically we hadn’t heard of the Last Drop Brewery before (despite it being the oldest operating brewery in WA!!) so it was a pleasant surprise to discover a new local brewery to visit.
I picked the Nail Stout much to Maggie’s dismay when she tasted and subsequently tried to steal it! It was beautifully smooth and tasty (insert knowledgeable beer tasting comments here) and definitely one of the best Stouts I have ever tasted!
Our Lunch, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
Of course lunch cannot consist of beer alone and there were plenty of tasty looking dishes on the menu.
As we often do we went with a selection of smaller plates to share to avoid over eating and get a bit of variety.
First I picked the Chilli Salt Squid with a salad of lychee, pickled radish & lime aioli. The mix of flavours was a delight and the addition of the lychee made it an amazing dish.
Maggie went with the Texas Hickory BBQ Lamb Ribs as her selection and it turned out to be the sticky, messy, tasty & indulgent dish that BBQ Ribs always should be.
For our third dish we went with the Lemon Prawn Arancini Balls with red pepper & basil coulis and confit garlic. This dish was a disaster! Well, when I say disaster it was really yummy and we loved it but there was not enough of that amazing confit garlic! Someone tell the chef to triple the garlic next time!
Looking Peckish, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
One thing you’ll probably notice as you look around The Hen is all the hens! They’re everywhere and I’m pretty sure that this one with our table number on her back was definitely eyeing up our ribs …
I know normal hens don’t eat meat but those ribs were very tasty and who knows what a metal hen will eat, when it gets a little peckish!!!
Eye of the Hen, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
The great thing about being a photographer is that you’re always looking to find quirky subject matter for photos. Apparently this habit of taking photos of almost everything in sight can be a bit annoying to people with you who aren’t photographers ?
I called this one “The Eye of the Hen”, who knows, maybe someone will write a song about it ?
John the Friendly Patron, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
We were all set to leave when this guy asked us as we walked past his table “are you connoisseurs?”.
Note entirely sure what he meant we entered into a conversation with him (Maggie talks the way I take pictures <ducks quickly>) resulting in us not leaving for another 30 odd minutes while we had a great chat with John the Local from Ellenbrook.
It turns out that John the Local really appreciates his beer so we had a lot in common from the start.
Awesome Staff, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
It also turned out that John knows some of the staff very well and he introduced us to the extremely enthusiastic barman, Josh. Of course I had to grab a picture of Josh with Nicole, one of the waitresses. I have to say that Josh was definitely the more eager of the two to get in front of the camera but they both looked great in the shot ?
It was obvious by watching and talking to the staff at The Hen that they are happy & enthusiastic about their jobs which adds a lot to the natural ambience of the venue and certainly makes it a place we will be returning to often ?
Cocks, Hens and Nests, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
On the way out we had to pay a quick visit to the toilets and we loved the sense of humour and consistency with the whole Hen theme that went into naming the Hens (Ladies), Cocks (Gents) & Nesting (Parenting) rooms ?
Hens Everywhere, The Henley Brook, Swan Valley, Western Australia
We also noticed this cute Hen on the way out guarding the entrance, she must be the GuardiHen …
I hope you enjoy a visit to The Hen as much as we did ?
Cheers
Dave
Photo Tips
All images in this article I took on my iPhone 6s and processed in Lightroom CC & ON1 Photo 10.5
Watch out for upcoming guides on how I use Lightroom CC, ON1 Photo 10.5 & Adobe Photoshop CC to process my images.
Free trials are available for both Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop & ON1 Photo 10.5 at the following links:
Useful Links
Directions
by Dave | May 5, 2023 | Lifestyle, MADCAT Photography, News, Our Journey, Photo Tips, Photo Walks
Environment ~ Photo Tips ~ Shop ~ Links ~ Directions
You can find Part 1 of this blog here to read about our trip to the foot of the falls.
There was definitely a lot more action at the foot of the Falls though they were far from being at their most exciting I suspect we missed their best performance by a few weeks.
Bottom of the Falls, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Unlike my last waterfall trip I actually remembered to bring my tripod with me this time and not leave it in the boot of the car, so this was a great opportunity to play around with some longer shutter speeds.
Bottom of the Falls, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Armed with my Tripod plus ND8 & Polarising filters I was able to get some nice long exposures of up to 3 secs, even though it was early afternoon with very little cloud cover.
Bottom of the Falls, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Bottom of the Falls, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Having got some nice wide angle long exposure shots I decided to switch to my 70-200 lens and try to get some higher speed close-ups of the water crashing over the rocks.
Water Rapids, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Water Rapids, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Water Rapids, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Water Splashes, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Water Splashes, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Water Ribbon, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Shortly beyond the foot of the Falls the river transforms back into a quiet, peaceful vision of beauty. Such a stark contrast to the chaos occurring just a few feet away, nature is always so full of surprises.
Serenity after the Falls, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Having got some great photos and made a new Magpie friend we decided to head back to the car so we climbed back up to the top of the Falls and retraced our steps back to the car park.
On the way back I spotted the ruins of one of the old railway buildings which looked ideal for a grungy & moody image.
Ruins of a Railway Building, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Just as we got back to the visitor area a friendly hiker mentioned to us that there was a Roo with her baby just up ahead. Awesome, I can never resist the chance to get some wildlife shots and apart from our friendly Magpie the wildlife had been a bit reticent to show itself.
Mum & Baby Roo, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Mum and baby proved to be very accommodating and I managed to get some gorgeous shots of both.
These sorts of shots may look easy to just snap away but can actually be quite technical to get the depth of field and shutter speeds just right.
It’s always important to make sure you focus on the animals eyes, of course this can be tricky when there are two sets of eyes of equal importance! Getting just the right depth of field to keep both animals in focus but blur out the background is crucial.
To complicate matters the light was starting to drop of making it harder to get the shutter speeds I needed to freeze any motion so I had to up my ISO to 800 to allow for the already reduced depth of field from a 200mm lens and give me shutter speeds of at least 1/200th sec, which was still pushing my luck.
Mum & Baby Roo, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Mum & Baby Roo, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
We’d had a great day out and got some great shots so to top it off we decided to sit under the trees, relax and have a quiet beer with nature. What I love about just sitting in the outdoors is that you start to notice all the things that you’d normally miss. The birds ignore you and just do their thing, kangaroos wander past, even the insect life seems to have more purpose.
At one point two kangaroos suddenly hopped out of the bush with the back one barking very loudly and the front one seemingly running away, I don’t think I’ve heard a Kangaroo make a noise before. We guessed that it might have been some kind of mating activity, but who knows ?
As the light started to fade and the temperature cooled more kangaroos appeared leaping through the bush at high speed. Not one to miss an opportunity up came my camera with my 70-200mm lens and I started snapping away just in case I was lucky enough to get an interesting shot. The light was too low to stand a chance of freezing any motion and it all happened to fast to change my ISO so the shots all came out a bit blurry.
Not to be put off I picked the best one and added a bit more motion to the background and turned it into and action shot with a bit of a surreal look to it. Best part of the shot is that you can just make out a baby joey in the pouch of the roo at the back, probably my favourite shot of the day ?
Speedy Roos, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Abstract Red Tipped Leaf, John Forrest National Park, Western Australia
Cheers,
Dave
Environmental Issues
When visiting natural environments such as this please be respectful of the flora and fauna, take your litter home and treat the environment with respect.
Leave No Trace
Take Nothing but Pictures
Leave Nothing but Footprints
Kill Nothing but Time
Keep Nothing But Memories
Burn Nothing but Calories
Original Quotes
“Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints.”
~ Quote: Chief Seattle (Dkhw’Duw’Absh chief, c. 1786 – June 7, 2023)
“This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth.”
~ Quote: Chief Seattle (Dkhw’Duw’Absh chief, c. 1786 – June 7, 2023)
“We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love… and then we return home.”
~ Australian Aboriginal Proverb
Photo Tips
All images in this article were either taken on an iPhone 6s or with Dave’s Canon 5D MKII with an EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Lens or an EF 70-200mm f4L USM Lens and processed in Lightroom CC & ON1 Photo 10.5 & Photoshop CC.
Get Good Photo Editing Software
You will need to post process your images to get the most out of them. Software tools such as Adobe Lightroom & On1 Photo 10.5 are affordable and essential for getting the best out of your photos.
Free trials or licensed products are available for Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop & ON1 Photo 10.5 at the following links:
Related Clothing & Photo Products
As usual we’re planning a whole range of clothing & products featuring our “John Forrest” images.
Meanwhile you can take a look at all of the amazing images and products that we currently have available in our shop, all based on Dave’s photography.
Moonscape, Bunker Bay, Margaret River – Round Beach Towel
Useful Information
Parking & Facilities:
There is a very large amount of parking around the visitor area as well as a many barbecue & picnic areas, toilets information boards and a Tavern. This is also the starting point for all of the walk trails in the area.
Walk Trails:
There are numerous walk trails that you can follow from the visitor area including the popular Eagle View Walk Trail:
- Eagle’s View Walk Trail. 15km return, Class 4, allow 5hrs
- John Forrest Heritage Trail. 10.5km return, Class 3, allow 3hrs
- Wildflower Walk Trail. 4km return, Class 2, allow 1.5hrs
- Glen Brook Trail. 2.2km return, Class 2, allow 45mins
- National Park Falls Trail. 2km return, Class 2, allow 1hr
- Jane Brook Promenande. 1km return, Class 1, allow 30mins
Check out the links below for more information about John Forrest National Park and it’s walk trails,
If you’re looking for more interesting walk trails around Perth then make sure to check out “The Life of Py” Hiking, Photography & Travel Blog he’s done a great job of documenting a lot of our local walk trails which we will be working our way through.
Directions
John Forrest National Park is located in Hovea in the Shire of Mundaring, Western Australia.
Like Lesmurdie Falls it is also situated on the Darling Scarp, one of Australia’s largest geological fault lines and the iconic entrance to the region known as Perth Hills.
To get into the Park take one of the 3 junctions off Great Eastern Highway onto Park Road.
The first turning onto Park Road will take you on a longer scenic drive through the beautiful forest, whilst the second turning onto Park Road is the fastest way to get to the visitor area and car park.
There is a fee for entering the visitor area which usually works on a trust system and costs $12 per car unless you have an Annual All Park Pass (as we do) which costs $55.
by Dave | May 2, 2023 | Featured, MADCAT Photography, News
Dave has created Landscape & Wildlife Photography for over 10 years and has some stunning images from around Western Australia to Turn Your Walls into Windows with magnificent views.
Solitude, Monkey Mia, Shark Bay, Western Australia
You can purchase Dave’s Images as Prints, Canvas, Metal Prints and much more and will make an amazing addition to your home, your office or your Art Collection.
And don’t forget that many of Dave’s images are available here on our awesome photo products:
Ocean Tranquility, Yanchep, Perth, Western Australia
Dave’s work has been featured in many publications over the years, including:
- Experience Perth Holiday Planner
- Sunset Coast Holiday Planner
- Swan Valley Holiday Guide & other Brochures
- Mandurah & Peel Holiday Planner
- Coral Coast Hoilday Planner
- Mindarie Marina Website & Brochures
- Capricorn Yanchep Website
- Rottnest Fast Ferries Website & Brochures
South Perth Vista, Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia
If you would like to have some of Dave’s Art to Turn Your Walls into Windows then visit our MADCAT Photography Website to pick a print that will give your walls that natural feeling!
Sleepy Duck, Yanchep National Park, Perth, Western Australia
