Day 26 Geraldton 25/3/11

Woke early this morning as friends forgot the time difference and sent me happy birthday wishes.  I got up ealry and went for a walk along the beach which is just 50 metres from our van.  There were only a few other people on the beach and it was just before the sun came up so it was really lovely.  Very few shells on the beach and lots of seaweed but it was great to walk along the edge of the surf, occasionally get a bigger wave than expected and getting a little wet.

A photo taken on my walk looking towards Geraldton wharf

We had a look around Geraldton today which is four and a half hours north of Perth and the heart of the Coral Coast.  They have done some amazing things with the foreshore development including a large playground, a water park, public art and foot and cycle paths.  There is a red and white striped Point Moore Lighthouse and a busy marina and wharf. 

Also, about 100kms off the coast of Geraldton is an archipelago of 122 low lying isles called the Abrolhos Islands which are renowned for The unique marine environment, seabird colonies, seasonal rock lobster industry and a rich but gruesome maritime history.  This is where the Dutch Est Indies sailing ship, the Batavia,  ran aground in 1629 on one of the treacherous reefs.  Most of the passengers scrambled ashore but then a small group of mutineers embarked on a bloody slaughter that saw 125 men, women and children slain on the desolent isles.

We went to the HMAS Sydney Memorial which sits magnificently on a hill top and pays tribute to the 645 crew that were lost.  The HMAS Sydney was a World War II warship which had some great victories but was lost after her final battle with the German raider, the Kormoran, on 21 November 1941.  The ship was undiscovered until 2008 when it was found in waters off Shark Bay.  A silver dome has been erected and is made up of 645 silver seagulls which represents the lost sailors, while a wall shows ghost like photograps of te ship and the names of all the crew.  Nearby is a stele, a single dramatic shape representing the bow of the ship and also a bronze statue of a woman gaving desperately out to sea awaiting news of the ill fated HMAS Sydney.  It is an amazing memorial.

The HMAS Sydney Memorial

The dome is made of silver seagulls 

The statue of the woman looking out to sea 

The dome and the stele

We wandered around the shopping centre and had a coffee and cheesecake at Dome (a chain of cafe/restaurants) which was right on the beach. 

Dome Cafe/Restaurant

I then found out that Peter had organised a surprise dinner for my birthday.  I couldn't work out how as we had been together all the time but he told me that when I went to have a shower, he phoned one of the restaurants in the tourist guide and booked a table.  Then when we were looking around town he had to find out where it was so he would know where to go.  As it turned out it was not far from Dome (where I thought he was taking me) and also overlooked the beach.  We had a table which was right at the front and the walls were open which felt  like you were outside.  It was really lovely and we had a seafood platter. Peter is not a romantic by any stretch of the imagination but every now and then he does something like this which blows me away.

At my birthday dinner 

The seafood platter 

We are due to move on tomorrow but think we might stay another day.

cheers
Peter and Roz