Howdy folks, I’m on my first Taste Mastering trip of 2014, a six hour self-drive adventure from Perth up to Kalbarri National Park and Geraldton on Australia’s Coral Coast.

One of the many highlights of the drive was the devouring of a Caltex service station award-winning pie in Dongara.

Ladies and Gents, I can honestly say this was the best pie I’ve eaten in Western Australia. It ticks all the boxes in my Good Pie Guide, deep filled, plenty of meat, real tasty, and most importantly of all HOLDS ITS FORM! No hot pie filling dripping down my arm for me, no Sir.

If you take the Indian Ocean Drive to Kalbarri you get to really appreciate the dramatic coastline and can imagine the Dutch trading ships sailing round the coast hundreds of years ago (with a lot of them not making it). There’re a lot of shipwrecks and stories out there, one of the most famous being the notorious shipwreck, mutiny, executions and punishments which surrounded the wrecking of the Batavia. Gruesome, chilling and heroic stuff.

Another in 1839 saw Lieutenant George Grey shipwrecked near the mouth of the Murchison River and having to WALK back to Perth, and that’s where we start our adventure folks. Not walking back to Perth, but at the Murchison River.

It’s a bit dry at the moment, but depending where and when it rains can change the Murchison  into an unforgiving, raging torrent overnight…

…and I wouldn’t mind having this view from my window at home, it’s Nature’s Window!

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I love Perth. I’ve been here just over four months now, and ever since we arrived we’ve been greeted with such warmth and made to feel at home.

And that’s just the thing folks, I really DO feel at home!

Perth is a big vibrant city with a great community feel. It’s Australias sunniest capital city with over 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, 19 beaches, loads of great bars and restaurants, is a really easy place to live and extremely family friendly. I’ll have been here for six months when my Taste Mastering contract expires in February, but if you’ve only got a couple of days, here’re some top tips.

The Early Bird: Get up with the sunrise and go for a run, bike ride or canoe along the Swan River. Perth is such a great place first thing in the morning, with people of all ages out and about exercising in the numerous parks and open spaces. They’ve got the weather so enjoy the outdoors lifestyle.

Breakfast: After all that exercise you’re gonna need a hearty brekkie. There are so many great spots for breakfast in the city and more and more are popping up every week. My favourite is Uncle Joe’s Mess Hall on King Street, a retro barbers and café rolled into one. Treat yourself to a cold drip coffee whilst waiting for a haircut.

Hit The Beach: The only decision is, which one?! Perth has 19 beaches to choose from. The perfect spot for a swim, surf and snorkel is Cottesloe, but then you’ve got the historic seaside town of Scarborough with its impressive surf breaks. Fancy a spot of beach fishing? Then head to the clean, quiet waters of Floreat and City Beach, or for a day out with the kids relax in the calm waters of Mettam’s Pool. The list goes on….

Great Spaces: Kings Park is one of the largest inner city parks in the world with fantastic views overlooking Perth City and the Swan River. Take a free guided tour through the Botanic Gardens, connect with nature with over 3,000 species of the State’s unique flora, walk amongst the tree-tops on the Lotterywest Federation Walkway, or do as I do and have a sausage sizzle on one of the free gas BBQs around the park.

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So Ladies and Gents, the last leg of my trip around Australia’s South West brings me to Manjimup, where over 80% of the shire is made up of National Park and forestry.

Manjimup, situated in the Southern Forests region, is an agricultural hot spot, home of the Pink Lady apple, delicious marron and famous black truffle (more on them later).

It’s quite remarkable that such a small pocket of Western Australia grows such an abundance and variety of produce. The locals say it’s probably down to the fertility of the soil, purity of the rainfall and 365 growing days a year.  To celebrate the diversity of the horticultural industry in the region, the Manjimup Cherry Harmony Festival, a unique community event, is held every year.

And I was invited to take part in the Cherry Stone Spitting Competition! Ooooh yeahhh!! I’m not the most amazing photographer in the world, but I reckon this is the best photo I’ve ever taken. Our tie-dye hero is taking part in the warm-up heats and LOOK! you can see the cherry stone flying through the air and everything!

I arrived in Manjimup the evening before the festival to meet with the organisers and it was here that I was to meet my main competition for the next day’s stone spitting extravaganza……Mr. Rob Palmer.

For folk back in England, Rob is a handy man on Australian home improvement programs and also won their version of Strictly a couple of years ago. But he’s not light on his feet, he’s a big brute of a fella and could spit a cherry stone through a concrete block I reckon. During our practice spit he tried to psyche me out a little bit, comparing me with the capitulating England cricket team, saying I’d choke on the big day (metaphorically and quite literally).

But I wasn’t put off, I’m the Taste Master! I was determined. I was focused. I was dedicated.

….I was hiding cherries in my pocket to practice at home that night.

Before the big showdown I visited Kay Gravett who grows russelberries, quite a tart fruit which are unique to the region. Kay grows the raspberry-esque fruit in her garden and uses it in all kinds of jams and chutneys, just another example of the diversity of produce in the Southern Forests region.

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