Geraldton

Geraldton was our next stop, the wheat fields were amazing, the scenery was different to what we had seen and the extra places we visited on the way also made it worthwhile.   Our first stop was Gregory (Port Gregory to some).  They are know for their pink lake and my it was pink.  From here we head further south and visited Horricks another small fishing hamlet.  We then continued driving and the next desination was Northhampton.  A town steep in lots of history and many impressive period buildings.  We finally arrived at Geraldton and the kids spotted their first golden arches since leaving Broome.  So you know what we had for lunch that day.  How could you not we they all bat their eyelashes at you.

It really is pink!

Road into Horricks

Old catholic church in Northhampton

We knew that it had lots of industry on the foreshore similar to Geelong and it was described by another traveller as being Geelong on the west coast.  At first I thought oh yeah I can't see that but after being in the town for a few days it reminded me more of home than I had expected.    When we finally arrived at our caravan park I went in to pay and while Nigel and the kids waited in the car a drunken permanent resident drove into the cable gate and pulled it out of the ground.  Drama straight off.  This was a positive for the kids.  Not so much for Nigel and I.  We thought, 'What the heck have we got our selves into?'

This tree sat alone in a paddock surrounded by wheat.
Pretty!

The first morning in Geraldton we headed to  the HMAS Sydney II memorial.  It was constructed many years ago to give families of lost sailors the chance to mourn their beloved sons, husbands, uncles, grandfathers.  I was a touching memorial and the guide was extremely passionate about how the  memorial was built.  Nearly everything you see and look at is a symbol of such things.  Just amazing really.  It really made me feel for the families and the importance of the find the Sydney several years ago.  Our history is an important part of us and we need to treasure the good and the bad.

HMAS Sydney II Memorial

One of the bollards that came of the
Geraldton dock that moored
vessel to the pier.

The kids listening to the guide explain why the names
are below the wavy line.
(It represents that they are under the water)

The upturned propeller is a symbol for a dead ship.

Each sailor is represented by a silver gull each.  An in turn each
of them is touching one another.  645 silver gulls in flight for each
of the 645 men lost at sea.

This is the new memorial built to show the coordinates of the now
found HMAS Sydney II. 

The waiting woman.  Her
hand is often held and is often polished and
spotless when the rest of her is tarnished.

When you look through her she is showing you
the way to the position of the vessel
now found.  She waits no longer to
find out were they are at rest

The replica bow of the ship is also in the background and is said to be the only part of the vessel that has separated
from the remainder of the ship.  The strange thing is that the memorial was built approx. 5 years before they found her
and that so many of the little details are true and correct.  The artist obviously had a sixth sense.

From the memorial we then headed to the WA Museum but firstly we looked at all the beautiful sailing clippers that were dock at the marina.  They were only a day away from resuming the next leg of the race so we wandered the length of the marina and checked out each of the clippers.  They were truely spectacular vessels. It sounded very exciting so we decide then that we wanted to be back at the marina and wave the sailor goodbye and be involved in all the festivities.  After we had look around these vessels we headed in the Museum and followed the trail guides for the kids experience.  Jordan was busy reading and searching for clues while Austin zoomed from one side of the museum to the other finding his items.  It was indeed one of the better museums we have been to.

Each vessel is named in honour of the town they port in.

The Geraldton

The journey they take.

Boys at work in the museum kids corner!

After lunch we head to  Moore Lighthouse, the one of the tallest lighthouse in WA and then visited the Southgates dunes where we climbed to the top and then rolled back down.  It was lots of fun.  We had a ball.

Bloody big sand dune.

Charge!

Why not roll instead.

My turn!

Trying to push Dad down the sand dune.

Our last day in Geraldton we spent watching the Clipper Round the World Yachts begin their next leg of the race.  This leg took them from Geraldton around to New Zealand and then finally into the Gold Coast.  It was a lovely farewell that start around 10am and continued to 1pm.  They had a sails parade at around 11.30am and then began the race right on 1pm.  We watched it start standing next to an Englishman that had just sailed the first 3 legs of the race.  He was a little sad to be leaving the race but was a perfect person to have beside you because he explained it all to us.  It was a nice day.

The Scots in their racing attire........kilts

Goodbye!

Sails Parade

The 4 leg begun!

 

While at Geraldton the kids made the most of the new foreshore park they have put in.  We spent each day at the park for at least an hour letting the kids run wild.  It was a great park for it and the kids loved visiting it.

We really enjoyed or time in Geraldton and would imagine that even more improvements will be made to the foreshore area when we return.  When ever that may be.  On our way out of town is the small community of Greenough.  They have a lovely old settlement and a leaning tree.  Due to the high winds this gum tree has grown sideways and is a very photographed item in WA.  So we stopped to do the exact same thing.

We are off to Jurien Bay now.  Hopefully the wind will stop blowing.   As if!!!