My role involved ordering stationery, clearing photocopier paper jams, replacing fax machine thermal rolls and delivering mail to individual mail slots on each floor (these were the days when people still sent internal memos in yellow manilla envelopes sealed with string). My desk on the 18th floor was blessed with a panoramic view over Circular Quay and the Opera House, while windows at the opposite end of the floor delivered unrivalled views of the Harbour Bridge. As a recently settled migrant it was a breathtaking introduction to Sydney and its magnificent harbour.
In 1990-91, Australia was weathering “the recession we had to have.” Globally, IBM lost USD2.83 billion in 1991. At the time, this was one of the largest corporate losses in American history, while the Australian operation was its worst-performing subsidiary. I recall sitting in a sales meeting watching managers white-boarding missed sales targets at an alarming rate. Until then, the Australian subsidiary had always reported stable year-on-year growth.
Months earlier IBM Australia had celebrated a record increase in sales to AUD1.7 billion and an after-tax profit of $135 million. The once unstoppable subsidiary subsequently announced losses of more than $300 million in 1991, on a staggering 30% drop in revenue, to about $1.2 billion. Understandably my contract was terminated early. Although, to my surprise, IBM paid out its full residual value.
This is the first and only time I’ve ever been made redundant. I recall collecting my final paycheck from the mailroom on a Friday evening. On a whim, I walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge to clear my head, and catch the train home from Milton’s Point.
As the sun loomed low in the sky, I reflected on the harsh reality of finding work amid an increasingly dire recession. I needed to decide my fate. Would I stay in Australia, having arrived just nine months earlier? Or was it time to throw in the towel and return to New Zealand? I recall vividly how vulnerable I felt.
I needn’t have worried. My time at IBM reflected positively on me and my resume. Within a week I’d secure a job as a desktop researcher at International Data Corporation (IDC), a reputable industry analyst firm. It confirmed my appointment on a Wednesday with a start date for the following Monday. I decided to use the intervening period to go travelling. Otherwise, it’d be 18 months or more since finishing my travels in Europe before I’d have time off again.
I walked into a local travel agency and told them I had five days of leave to fill. Where could I go? And could I schedule any travel that maximised my time away? Within an hour we’d booked me on an afternoon flight to Perth, returning overnight on Sunday, arriving in Sydney early Monday morning ready to start work. I returned home, packed my bag, updated my flat mates and headed for the airport. By Wednesday evening I was checking into a hostel in Perth.
I spent the next five days exploring the best the city had to offer. I caught a one-way ferry cruise down the Swan River to Fremantle and spent an afternoon exploring this pioneering seaside town. This was just a few years after Australia had won the America’s Cup, so the port area had been completely rejuvenated. Along the way I ticked off its colonial highlights including the Round House, a 19th Century prison, and the nearby Whalers Tunnel.
I also took a cruise upriver to the Houghton winery where I discovered the delights of its Tawny Port. I recall guests participated in a wine tasting as we cruised, followed by lunch and a further tasting at the winery’s riverside cellar door. It would be fair to say that we returned to the city a little worse for wear.
Keen to see as much as possible, I hired a car and drove up to the Pinnacles at Nambung National Park. This incredible natural phenomenon lies about 190km or 2.5 hours north of Perth. The Pinnacles are amazing natural limestone structures, formed approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago after the sea receded and left deposits of seashells. Over time, coastal winds removed the surrounding sand, leaving the pillars exposed to the elements. The resulting pinnacles range in height and dimension - some stand as high as 3.5 metres.
Back then you could drive around these towering structures by following a designated touring route. I recall taking photos of them and my car dwarfed by more than one impressive pinnacle. I also drove to the coast near Cervantes to check out the area’s soaring white sand dunes. On my way home I visited the renowned Scarborough Beach to watch the sun setting over the Indian Ocean. It was a truly memorable day trip.
I also spent time exploring Kings Park and taking in its iconic view of Perth Water, a wide sweeping inland bay on the Swan River in central Perth. It’s the scene that opens this blog post. As for other sights in Perth, I’m unsure what else I saw on that trip. For example, did I visit the Perth Mint? I imagine I did as back then I always tried to tick off every major tourist sight listed for any location I visited.
The overnight flight to Sydney was uneventful, and all too brief. I recall shaving in the airport bathroom in Sydney and changing into my smart casual work clothes before heading to North Sydney. This was the start of what ultimately became a 21-year career in the technology industry. I've been back to Perth at least twice since, once in 2009 and again for business in March 2014.
I walked into a local travel agency and told them I had five days of leave to fill. Where could I go? And could I schedule any travel that maximised my time away? Within an hour we’d booked me on an afternoon flight to Perth, returning overnight on Sunday, arriving in Sydney early Monday morning ready to start work. I returned home, packed my bag, updated my flat mates and headed for the airport. By Wednesday evening I was checking into a hostel in Perth.
I spent the next five days exploring the best the city had to offer. I caught a one-way ferry cruise down the Swan River to Fremantle and spent an afternoon exploring this pioneering seaside town. This was just a few years after Australia had won the America’s Cup, so the port area had been completely rejuvenated. Along the way I ticked off its colonial highlights including the Round House, a 19th Century prison, and the nearby Whalers Tunnel.
I also took a cruise upriver to the Houghton winery where I discovered the delights of its Tawny Port. I recall guests participated in a wine tasting as we cruised, followed by lunch and a further tasting at the winery’s riverside cellar door. It would be fair to say that we returned to the city a little worse for wear.
Keen to see as much as possible, I hired a car and drove up to the Pinnacles at Nambung National Park. This incredible natural phenomenon lies about 190km or 2.5 hours north of Perth. The Pinnacles are amazing natural limestone structures, formed approximately 25,000 to 30,000 years ago after the sea receded and left deposits of seashells. Over time, coastal winds removed the surrounding sand, leaving the pillars exposed to the elements. The resulting pinnacles range in height and dimension - some stand as high as 3.5 metres.
Back then you could drive around these towering structures by following a designated touring route. I recall taking photos of them and my car dwarfed by more than one impressive pinnacle. I also drove to the coast near Cervantes to check out the area’s soaring white sand dunes. On my way home I visited the renowned Scarborough Beach to watch the sun setting over the Indian Ocean. It was a truly memorable day trip.
I also spent time exploring Kings Park and taking in its iconic view of Perth Water, a wide sweeping inland bay on the Swan River in central Perth. It’s the scene that opens this blog post. As for other sights in Perth, I’m unsure what else I saw on that trip. For example, did I visit the Perth Mint? I imagine I did as back then I always tried to tick off every major tourist sight listed for any location I visited.
The overnight flight to Sydney was uneventful, and all too brief. I recall shaving in the airport bathroom in Sydney and changing into my smart casual work clothes before heading to North Sydney. This was the start of what ultimately became a 21-year career in the technology industry. I've been back to Perth at least twice since, once in 2009 and again for business in March 2014.
NOTE: 3 December
I’ve yet to find any photos I took during this trip other than the image that opens this post. For now, I’ve illustrated it with images taken from the web.
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