Another windy night and a neighbour told us people who were on this site before have headed for home, beaten by the wind but they are crossing the Nullabor so I think they’ll have a lot more to deal with yet. Maybe the next time we go away we’ll remember that March and September are the windiest months and avoid them.
Geraldton isn’t lively on a Sunday. We missed the Market that was on near the Info Centre but we weren’t looking for it anyway, just stumbled on it coming back from the Wharf. There are 7 big ships waiting offshore so I think even the big dock is closed on Sundays. We had a very tasty lunch of Fish & Chips at the wharf but before that we went to see the memorial to the Sydney, it’s a real work of art. The dome is made with seagull shapes, one for each sailor who died and because it’s on a hill overlooking the sea I think it will look fantastic as a silhouette against the sunset so we’re going back again later.
There is a good Museum here, recently built with plenty of information about the various wrecks and also salvaged materials. There are also displays related to mining in the area, fishing and Aboriginal history. The Abrolhos Islands have been the scene of most wrecks and fishermen put huts there for use during the Lobster season now apparently there are plans to make islands available for tourists –book your own island for a holiday. It will be interesting to see how that develops.
There are lovely new buildings around the town and the colours of some remind me of new brightly coloured Qld houses. The modern “row houses” look terrific. No shops are open in the centre of town but the shopping centre in Sunset Beach was open so we don’t have to resort to our “K rations” now. The fridge isn’t big (unless you’re lifting it or finding space for it) so we can’t stock up for more than a few days.
Tomorrow we’re heading down the coast to Cervantes to see the Pinnacles – maybe we’ll find windmills and Don Quixote.
Memorial to the sailors who died on the Sydney when it was sunk by the Kormoran in 1941.
A seagull represents the soul of a sailor, there is a seagull for every sailor who died.
Another of Alex’s sunsets.
Statue of the “waiting woman”.
More than 40 people set off to Indonesia in an identical boat to get help for survivors of the Batavia shipwreck. They made it .
Two relics of 20th Century industry.
Stylish new row houses.
Comments on: "Geraldton 2" (6)
Great pics; though our pics of the HMAS Sydney memorial surpass yours – (they included the then PM Kevin Rudd)!
Love the stylish coloured row of townhouses; don’t think they were there 2 years ago.
Cervantes was where we had our ‘accident’ – where John ran me over, our first night out of Perth. After losing 8 days returning to Perth to have the car and tent repaired, we decided to give the Pinnacles a miss but made a promise to do it another time as it is only 3 hours or so from Perth. I can give you Mary & Doug’s (McNab’s) phone no if you want a ‘base’ while you ‘do’ Perth. They cope really well with visitors.
When are you due back? Hope you have time to do the South-West. If so, hope you will see the site where Mornington Mill used to be (Harvey) and the town of Burekup. The General Store can point to the back of Lil Child’s home – go and say “hello” and have a “cuppa”. If it is a Friday night you can sign into the Burekup Hall, Sportsman’s Club, and have a nice meal (for about $8) and cheap drinks (‘cos volunteers ‘man’ the bar). Lil nearly always walks down there on a Friday night.
Cheers
Cindy
Alex wants to be back by the end of the month but how we get there depends on how quickly they fix the car. It’s most likely that we’ll be heading east fairly soon. Maybe we’ll go via Kalgoorlie and come back again to te South-West. Thanks for the offer of hospitality, we’ll see how we go.
Hi Sue n’Alec. I’m enjoying your trip almost as much as you are— not quite as windy here in sleepy old Moore Park! . Keep up the blogging!
Rhonda bought me ‘Batavia’ by Peter Fitzsimons for my birthday. Terrific read – especially if you are travelling near the Abrolhos (Portuguese for “Keep your eyes open.”) Nothing remotely exciting has happened here — I did go and have my toenails clipped by a podiatrist at the cost of $9 per nail!
All the very best — Fred the bread (I’l explain that later).
Hi Fred, glad we’re keeping you amused! History learning changes completely when you actually visit these places, I was so bored by all the explorers stuff we did at school but seeing where the wrecks were or the type of country the people hacked their way through makes me have more empathy for them. I could see a couple more islands today but am not sure if the Abrolhos are close enough to be seen from shore. Had a laugh about your toenails, they must be special!
The seagull dome is incredible as a memorial.
There is symbolism in so many parts it’s stunning, incredible thought has gone into it, the people who created it are brilliant.