reprage

This post deviates from the general theme of 3D printing and software curiosities. It is ‘ancient’ history from an old travel blog I was writing while traveling around Australia.

What are the associations you make with a place like ‘Margaret River’? Rolling hills, peppered with boutique new world wineries redefining an old world industry? A rustic coastline that nature has lovingly crafted with the full might of the Indian Ocean and gales stemming from the roaring 40’s? Or perhaps images of a 15,000 hectare national park providing one of the last refuges to our indigenous marsupials springs to mind?

Despite Margaret River being only a few hours away; Meech and I have yet been able to visit. So you will have to forgive me if my initial association with Margaret River is fast food franchises. No! I haven’t finally lost my mind, well possibly…

West Australians appear to have a rabid taste for chicken! Deep fried, barbequed, wrapped in pitta bread; you name it, you can have a 15 year old cook it, box it and conveniently sell it to you - all without leaving the comforts of your very own car. Now along with the usual suspects of KFC, Red Rooster and Nando’s we have two very unique and very Western Australian additions to the mix; “Chicken Treat” and “Chooks”. Fortunately for the fine folk of Narrogin we have not one, but BOTH fine eating establishments.

Chooks (or River Rooster as it was once known) originated from what has become known as THE food and wine destination of Western Australia: Margaret River. Admittedly Chooks is a much classier establishment than Chicken Treat which proudly claims “in-car service” on its oversized backlit sign. Honestly, Chicken Treat looks like a joke. But no, it is a real place that apparently sells very real chicken “treats”. Maybe it is a sign of the times; a division between the classes, the rough end of town that eats at Chicken Treat and the top end eating at Chooks. At one end of the spectrum you could have an overworked single mum being harassed by her children, “Karn mum, giz us Chicken Treats”; and at the other end, a check-out-chick bragging to her mates, “Far out, Frank went all out last night. Splashed out on Chooks and everything. I really think he might be the one…”

Alright hold up a tick. Don’t go thinking this place is completely full of hicks; Narrogin does have actual restaurants – the kind that serve food on real plates; a friend after some Googling found this restaurant in Narrogin: “Albert’s Poolside Restaurant”. I have not met Albert yet, or found his poolside restaurant; but it certainly sounds like it is only for the Narrogin elite. Not only is it a restaurant, but as the name implies it has some sort of swimming pool involved. I don’t think just anyone can stroll up to Albert’s place and get in; I think you have to be in the know…

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