Brownies' Trip to Western Australia Day 4

We woke up earlier today as we had to reach the Guide House by 9am. We had the honour of meeting Liz Butson, the State Commissioner of Girl Guides Western Australia. We were also very touched that they specially opened the Guide Shop for us on that day (the Guide Shop is only open on Thursdays and Fridays and the first Saturday of the month).

Outside the Guide House

The Girl Guides in Western Australia knit teddies all year round to comfort children travelling to hospitals in ambulances. The teddies are donated to St John Ambulance and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Liz Butson - State Commissioner

Volunteers come to the Guide House to help out with the packing of Guide News to be sent out the Guiders in WA.

Liz Butson with one of the Volunteers

The Guider of Morley Girl Guides came to the Guide House specially to meet us

We had some free time before lunch so we went to Murray St Mall to look around which is of walking distance from our hotel. Our lunch was at a Chinese dim sum restaurant.

Siew Mai & Cha Siew Bao


Their Signature Dish - Fried Cuttlefish

Zhu Chang Fen

Hungry?

Waitresses @ Work

After lunch, we went to Garden City Shopping Centre at Booragoon. It was huge! The major department stores and supermarkets can be found there - Kmart, David Jones, Myer, Coles, Woolsworth...

There were also bookshops, craft stores, bakeries... We had a light dinner at the foodcourt after our shopping.

Sharing a Subway Sandwich

KFC fans

We arrived at the Stratton Community Hall early. =) A guider who was from another area heard about our visit with the Midland Butterfly Guides came down specially to see us.

SC Brownies & Midland Butterfly Guides

Beading a Kangaroo

New Found Friends

After making the beaded kangaroo, we went out of the hall for sing-along. One of the songs that we sang was the National Anthem of Australia - Advance Australia Fair.

After the sing-along, we toasted marshmallows over a fire and enjoyed the Australia Girl Guides Cookies.

Click to listen to Advance Australia Fair

Toasting Marshmallows

Oops! My Marshmallow is Burnt

Can't Wait to Eat it

Say Brownies ~

By the time we got back to the hotel, it was already 8.30pm. We had pizza, garlic bread and fortune cookies for supper plus the fresh apricots that were bought from the supermarket in the afternoon.

Brownies' Trip to Western Australia Day 3

Our first stop on the 3rd day was Yanchep National Park which is about 42km north of Perth. We were introduced to the Australian Aboriginal Culture - artwork, music, dance, tools and weapons.

Yanchep National Park

Dot Painting

Applying Body Paint

Making Music with Clap Sticks

A didgeridoo is hollowed by termites and the aborigines pushed hot charcoal through it to get rid of any termite that may still be hiding within. The mouthpiece of the didgeridoo is coated with beeswax and one has to vibrate the lips to create the sound. We were told that playing the didgeridoo is quite easy but the breathing technique is difficult to master.

Playing the Didgeridoo



Souvenir Shop @ Yanchep National Park

It was a hot day (about 32 degree Celsius) but the underground Crystal Cave at Yanchep National Park was cool. We were amazed by how the stalactites and stalagmites were formed. When a stalactite and stalagmite meet, they form a column and for this to happen, it may takes hundreds or thousands or years.

Inside the Crystal Cave

These Stalactites that are Hollow are known as 'Straws'

Columns

Main course for lunch was baked potato with bacon, mushroom and cheese. We had a choice of vanilla or strawberry ice-cream with scones.

Main Course

Dessert

We travelled further north to Lancelin after our lunch for the most thrilling activity of our tour - Desert Storm Adventure. We rode on the monster truck before sand boarding over the sand dunes.

Monster Truck

Sand Boarding

Wheee~

Struggling up the Dunes

We were lucky to be given a longer time than usual for sand boarding but had to miss dinner. Fortunately, we had a late lunch and were given cookies to munch on during our ride to Rosher Hall.

We were late for the unit meeting with Morley Girl Guides as the GPS broke down and we lost our way. The poor driver had to purchase a directory from the petrol kiosk at A$40! We were happy and relieved when we finally arrived.

Morley Girl Guides

Singing Christmas Carols

We took turns to bake Anzac biscuits that women in Australia and New Zealand used to bake for the soldiers during the First World War. Anzac Day falls on 25th of April and the Morley Girl Guides will camp over at Rosher Hall the night before and wake up very early in the morning.

Enjoying the Biscuits

We also made different types of Christmas decorations.

Making Friends

When shall we Meet Again?

The Morley Girl Guides gave each of us a goody bag before we left. After the unit meeting, we went back to the hotel to enjoy the apple strudel with mangoes and fruit juice. It was a long but enjoyable day.