^{No matter how wonderful a trip away is, it’s always wonderful to return home. And for me, I’m going from one tourist destination to another, as South West Western Australia – where I call home – attracts tourists from around Australia and from overseas. It has a Mediterranean climate, with exquisite fine sand white beaches, crystal clear water, superb surf, fishing – both boat fishing, jetties and off the beaches – wonderful coastal walks and views, some of the best wineries in Australia, olive groves, boutique breweries, fine restaurants, great cafes, an abundance of wildflowers including native orchids, amazing wildlife including a variety of birds, galleries and a strong colony of some of the country’s best artisans.}

^{Even aging Hollywood star Nicholas Cage is currently here filming a movie about him battling baddie Aussie surfers. Really? Not sure if this one will make the Oscars. But I bet Cage is enjoying the job. He has rented a home locally for himself and his family, a few minutes walk from the beach – so hopefully he is having some great downtime in our region. I haven’t spotted Nick yet, although he has appeared in the local newspaper, snapped shopping at my favourite local Asian grocer! He kindly posed for photos with the shop owners and staff. They said they knew he wasn’t an Aussie customer because of the western cowboy boots he was wearing on a hot spring day. Hopefully, he has swapped them for some thongs – that’s Aussie for flip flops footwear.}

^{Some surfie friends have got ‘extra’ roles in the movie, so I expect I will hear some inside goss!}

^{It is spring here, and I have returned from Japan to very hot unseasonal weather – more like the height of summer. The beaches are almost at their best, with winter seaweed disappearing, and the water is warm enough to swim. The dolphin pods sparkle in the sun, as they hunt waves to surf. Spring is idyllic.}

^{It’s also picnic time, before the summer flies hit! Afternoon drinks and tasty food enjoyed with friends for late afternoon gatherings by the beach – BYO wine, beer and food! Or a lunchtime beach barbecue! I regularly pack bento boxes for spur of the moments picnics at this time of year.}

^{The warmer weather brings out the small birds. Always a challenge for me to photograph as they move so quickly. Our local ospreys can be seen out and about, hunting for fish and other food. Apparently, they pair for life! This area is a birdie paradise – there is a local chapter of Bird Australia, and if you want to join one of their bird spotting walks, they will always welcome you as a guest.}

^{The resident King lizards are out thrilling visitors at nearby Point Picquet, where, at this time of the year, the whale season is drawing to a close.}

^{During the whale season – from around June to the end of November, you can spot four species of whales passing through the South West’s Geographe Bay – often within a few hundred metres from the shore at a place called Point Piquet – southern rights, humpbacks, minkies, and pygmy blue whales. Not too pgymy, actually. They are huge, and it is a thrill to see them up close on their annual migration.}

^{Kangaroos? Of course. They won’t need to go far before spotting them. They frequent the old Dunsborough golf course and just about every paddock and bushland. You will often find them in the early morning on my tiny front lawn patch, feeding! WA has no koalas in the wild, but you will find plenty of other cute native animals.}

^{The tourism interest in our region has seen the growth of excellent fine dining restaurants, casual cafes, and wonderful bakeries including a German baker who set up shop in the bush near Dunsborough, using refurbished old wood fired ovens. It’s worth the trek out of town to buy his bread.}

^{There are also major outdoor events in this region such as the upcoming Ironman Western Australia, being held in Busselton on December 3. It attracts a massive field of competitors, as the place to go for a personal best, with the bike and run courses amongst the flattest on the global Ironman circuit. It also has qualifying slots for next year’s IRONMAN World Championship.} 

^{On the same weekend, surfers will be gathering in the South West for the Yallingup Malibu Classic, Western Australia’s premier longboarding contest.}

^{I mentioned wineries earlier. The South West of WA is one of Australia’s most famous wine producing areas, with almost 100 wineries from major wine producers to small boutique establishments.}

^{Arts? Of course! Artisans are scattered across the South West. Every year, usually in September, they open their studio doors to the public in the 16 day Open Studios Event. This year it included 166 local artists. You will find some of their work on public foreshores and parks in the region.}

^{Sun, surf, wine, good food, wildlife, wildflowers and a vibrant arts/crafts scene. Did I mention the glorious sunsets and sunrises? I’m sometimes unsure why I ever leave home!}

^{Direct flights to South West Western Australia are also now available from both Melbourne and Sydney on the East coast, attracting a lot of visitors from Australia's East Coast. Gosh, you might even spot me out and about with my camera} – Note: All photos in this story have been taken by me.

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