Week 47/52 - Geraldton & Northhampton - driving and history

Hi everyone, and welcome to Week 47 of our 52 week tour DownUnder Western Australia. This week we leave Shark Bay and head on down south through Carnarvon, past Kalbarri to Geraldton. Unfortunately these are just travelling days, and time was not on our side, so the coastal town of Carnarvon with its banana plantations, and the seaside holiday town of Kalbarri with its beaches, fishing, and inland gorge country we will have to visit another time.

Just north of Geraldton we pass through the small town of Northampton - this is another one of Monsignor Hawes churches built from local stone. You may remember the architect priest Monsignor Hawes from our tour through the midwest in Week 25 and 26.

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And this is another one of Monsignor Hawes churches - the impressive St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Geraldton. Considered to be one of the most important of his churches, Monsignor Hawes drew the plans in Rome in 1914, and started work on the church in 1916., although not completed until 1938.

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Below you see the impressive memorial to the Australian ship, HMAS Sydney which sunk off the coast during WW2 during a battle in November 1941 - no one survived and no bodies were recovered. The memorial is built high on a hill over looking Geraldton and the Indian Ocean. The dome comprises 645 seagulls representing the people who died when the ship sunk. The sculpture of the lady represents loved ones looking out to sea and waiting in vain for their men to return. The wreck of the Sydney was not found until 2008.

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 It is an amazing experience to stand beneath the seagulls, and to read the names on the wall, and to feel their spirits and the pain of their loved ones. It is a quiet place for reflection.

Here is some words from the wall - they really struck me - as under the sea where they rest there is eternal silence -

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 Another from the memorial in Geraldton. The pillar in the background represents the bow of the ship.

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The area just south of Geraldton, near Greenough, is characterised by River Gums which have grown leaning over from the constant strong southerly winds that buffet the region.

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A bit blurry unfortunately as it is a drive along shot - crossing the Gascoyne River in Carnarvon. The river bed is dry for part of the year, and then floods when the rain comes.

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There are often very long distances between towns in Western Australia - especially in the northern two thirds. So roadhouses become a focal point for stops. Here is a photo of one of the typical looking roadhouses out here. This one is at Nanutarra.

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Sometimes when you have been driving for a long time, the passenger resorts to macro photography within the vehicle...........

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