From South Freo Dog Beach towards the Power Station, and back!

It’s wonderful walking along the bike and footpath from near Fremantle Sailing Club, where the Clippers are right now, towards the heritage listed, but forlorn and forgotten old South Fremantle Power Station and back again. So many vistas. So many scenes. Here’s our Editor’s snaps of his stroll along this route on Wednesday morning just gone. Enjoy!

After walking south on Marine Terrace, South Fremantle, we crossed and found our way onto a path that took us through the sand hill and onto South Beach Dog Beach. Always a treat. Always action of one sort or another there! Pretty much next to the Freo Sailing Club where the Clippers are tied up just now.

Then back to the walking and bicycle path and onwards south. Next stop the beginnings of the South Beach Park, with South Beach proper just behind the hessian fencing designed to keep the sand at bay when the summer breezes freshen up. Always time to chat to another dog walker here! And to admire the range of bikes locked up while their owners swim. The sauna is just out of sight on the left, but the easy chairs in front of it are just in the frame.

Then off again, past the kiosk, to which we will return, and past the fancy apartments, The Islands – in North Coogee, according to the Post Office, but in South Freo to everyone else!

And then the water appears at CY O‘Connor Beach and a few early morning swimmers. You can also see ships out in Gage Roads awaiting their turns to enter Fremantle Harbour.

And then the park area at CY O’Connor, where a coffee and breakfast snacks van awaits you!

But we don’t linger. Coffee later at the Conti is the plan. Just a few minutes later the old South Freo Power Station comes into view. As I have said on many occasions, the failure of governments to save and restore this beautiful, but decaying, heritage building is A Crime of Two Centuries. Truly it’s time for action!

And then the beach appears on the right and the Power Station looks larger, immediately adjacent to the fashionable Port Coogee locality in the City of Cockburn. We have left the City of Fremantle at this point. As we arrive here, Marie climbs out of these rocks, nymph-like, and then disappears.

Or so we thought. Suddenly Marie appears again waving at us, Docker-fan like, from the beach on the other side of the rocks, as she heads home to South Freo after her morning ritual.

We head home too, passing the City of Cockburn demarcation zone near CY O’Connor Beach.

And once again we pass The Islands.

We then spot North Mole and the Red Lighthouse in the distance to the north, across the water busy with fast moving craft just off South Beach.

And then we return to the greenery of South Beach Park. Being back at the Park is relaxing. The Djiti Djiti Willy Wagtail says hello. Sometimes they will fly to you and land on your hand if you are specially attentive to them! But not this morning! That, by the way, is a great children’s play area, with the kiosk and the new toilet and washroom facilities in the background.

And the basketball court area too! High School kids and Uni students are now on holidays, as you can see!

And at the kiosk, and nearby, families and friends are enjoying a breakfast catch up – after a swim no doubt.

Or possibly after their morning exercises!

Or admiring the pink and grey galahs.

Now we are nearly back where we started. There are the masts at the Sailing Club.

And the change of guard is on too, with Mums strolling to and from South Beach as little ones resist sleep.

And now back to the beginning of Marine Terrace, South Freo, looking north. (Sealanes will be readying themselves for the Seasonal rush just before Christmas!)

And back to the beginnings of South Beach too, and the vibrant morning coffee and cafe strip all the way north along South Terrace back to Fremantle. In our case, our next stop is the Conti for coffee!