31 May 10 – Geraldton

By Lou: Our stay in Cervantes was a short one. We checked into a caravan park after our sunset tour of the nearby Pinnacles and did a quick flick of the tent. We made dinner in the camp kitchen and enjoyed the company of a lovely Danish couple who were on their honeymoon. Both had travelled around Australia before, which is how they met, and they would love to love here permanently but it is extremely difficult for them to do so. A consolation was that they loved Our Mary and thought she did both Denmark and Australia proud.

Next day we set off for Geraldton and made lots of stops along the coast on the way. I think we passed through about 5 different shires along the way. One stretch of road would have 'No Camping' signs at every road off the highway, and then once you crossed into the next shire they were conspicuously absent. Wasn't impressed with Jurien Bay - getting a bit too developed for my liking. I did however like Green Head and Dongara. They're the types of town where you think, this cute and quite little town could take off, you know. And then you go to the real estate window and realise, judging by the hefty pricetag on a rundown old shack, that it already has taken off!

I was amazed at how big Geraldton was. The sprawl starts kilometres before the heart of town, in a narrow strip between the coast and sand dunes. We checked for mail, gave the car and trailer a wash, picked up some groceries, and held up traffic at a petrol station while we chatted to another family doing the 12 month trip. The mother was a teacher and said, give me 30 kids belonging to someone else and teaching's a delight; home schooling my own two is a nightmare! That made me feel so much better I only ate one packet of chips that day.

The HMAS Sydney memorial was lovely although Sam thought it sucked because I wouldn’t let him climb on the walls. For those who don’t know the story, a German ship, HSK Kormoran, bombed HMAS Sydney in 1941 off the coast of WA and by the time the smoke cleared the whole ship and its crew of 645 men had sunk. The exact site of the watery grave was not known until 67 years later when it was eventually located about 8 nautical miles from the scene of the principal battle site and at a depth of 2470 metres.


The Dome comprises 645 seagulls representing each of the 645 lost sailors. The waiting woman represents the anxious mothers and relatives looking for the return of their sons serving on the HMAS Sydney.
If you discount a rowdy, bored senseless 7 year old kid running around, it was a really poignant tribute.








By Craig: We passed through Dongara mid afternoon and decided to stop in this quiet seaside town. The bay was protected by large rock walls and as we sat having a late lunch we watched local fishing boats returning to the harbour.
















Geraldton held an interest for both Louise and I as it has a memorial to the HMAS Sydney. We had read an article recently about its discovery and I had read a piece on the ship when we were in Whyalla SA visiting another historic ship.


Just beyond Geraldton we found an overnight stop at Coronation Beach, a beaut spot with stacks of campsites and a great boardwalk up the hill to a lookout. In the distance you were able to see a beautiful coastline with big surf.