Geraldton 13/6 to 19/6

Pt Moore Lighthouse

We’re staying in a caravan park in Geraldton as we wanted to catch up with family and watch the State of Origin.  It seems like everyone we talk to in this caravan park is here to have repairs done – either to cars or caravan or both!  So far everything has gone well with both our cruiser and caravan....touch wood!

Town Beach

Back Beach - Windsurfer & Ship

Geraldton is, of course, on the coast.  It is yet another port city and we can see at least six large ships waiting off shore at the moment and a further three ships being loaded in the port.  There is a cycle/walking path along the coastline from Sunset Beach (where we’re staying) past the port and to the southern beaches.  Because of the wind over the last few days on the northern beaches there was a lot of seaweed deposited on the beach and it seemed like all the sand had ended up on the more sheltered southern beaches.  Of course we also saw the iconic lighthouse at Moore Point. 

  After changing our bike tubes to the ‘puncture resistant’ type and inserting green slime to hopefully prevent any more punctures, we enjoyed a bike ride beside the seaside into the city centre and beyond. 

St Francis Xavier Cathedral

Interior of Cathedral

 There is also a lot of history in Geraldton.  We did a tour of the St Francis Xavier Catholic Cathedral.  Our tour guide was a wonderful lady who was absolutely committed to imparting her knowledge about the cathedral and its architect – Monsignor John Cyril Hawes.  He was born in England and became an Anglican minister before converting to Catholicism and studying for the priesthood.  After being invited to Western Australia to help as a missionary, he undertook the building of this cathedral and fifteen other buildings in the diocese.  He was a talented craftsman, sculptor, stonemason, horseman, poet and painter.  After leaving Western Australia he lived in the Bahamas on Cat Island as a Franciscan Hermit.  A very interesting man, who left a legacy in this state in the forty years he lived here.  What amazed us were the colours inside the cathedral.  I have never seen so much orange in a church - before!  Although our guide did say that the original colour may have been more like ochre.  

Another of Monsignor Hawes Bldgs - Now Nazareth House

Lighthouse Keeper's House

Old Victoria Hospital

We also visited the old Victoria Hospital and Gaol and loved talking to the little old lady from the Historical Society at the ‘Old Lighthouse Keeper’s House’.

 Of course we also visited the magnificent HMAS Sydney II Memorial.  This memorial has many different elements which we were very lucky to have explained by one of the volunteer guides from this city.  The memorial is dedicated to the memory of the 645 men who lost their lives on the HMAS Sydney on the 19^th of November, 1941 and to the sacrifice they and their families made to ensure the security of Australia.  The main elements include a cupola of 645 seagulls each touching the other all rising towards the sky – representing the seamen who lost their lives and remain together on the seabed even today.  The importance of this as a national memorial is represented by the seven pillars – one for each state or territory of Australia.  I found the ‘Waiting Lady’statue of the lady waiting for her loved ones to return really embodied the way that the families of the sailors waited so long for news of their families and of the disaster itself.

We also spent hours at the Museum of Western Australia.  Because this is the Batavia Coast, reading about the Batavia and the massacre that ensued afterwards was more meaningful in this city so close to the disaster.  However we also learnt a lot more about the local area itself – including the indigenous people, the animals and the mining industry.  

Batavia Marina

Reflections - Chapman River Geraldton