The Western Australia capital has neighbours even more attractive than when Natalie Imbruglia was on Ramsay Street, says DAMIAN “country bumpkin” HALL The lure of the bright lights? Give me fields full of cow pats any day. Cities are all very well, but I’m a country boy.I’m happiest when munching carrots, I see Worzel Gummidge as the king of fashion and have only just realised that not everyone marries their cousin. Gloucestershire born and Gloucestershire bred, strong in the arm and thick in the head (except I have quite weedy arms). Now as cities go, Perth’s very fine indeed. One of the cleanest, safest, shiniest cities you’re ever likely to see. With some superb beaches (surely the best city beaches in Oz), friendly locals and glorious weather. But if I’m in any city for more than a week I want to get away, just for a bit, to somewhere green and natural. Luckily Perth has better neighbouring attractions than England’s World Cup hotel and I’ve been lucky enough to experience them (that’s getaways from Perth, rather than Coleen Rooney and her cloned chums). First up, one of Australia’s most beautiful islands: Rottnest. “Rotto”, as the locals call it, was originally named “Rattenest”, by Dutch explorer Willem de Vlamingh, who thought he saw a lot of rats there. They were in fact quokkas, an indigenous marsupial, that’s sort of half rat, half wallaby and very cute. The far more sensible Noongar Aboriginal people named the idyllic isle Wadjemup, meaning “place across the water”, but where would Australia be if they didn’t rename everything when they got here, eh?
