Dongara Mill Motel
Dongara – Geraldton
After Mary and Ed (a lovely couple I met last night) left Cliff Head North this morning, I finished packing up and headed for Dongara – I want to ring Rod and Sharna to see if they’re home in Geraldton so I can visit. Dongara’s entrance is a huge lobster in a fishing boat, and the town reflects the coastal theme – a tidy seaside village. The Mill Motel on the highway has an old four storey mill house in the grounds – such a great building, and the colours of the bougainvillea in the garden set it off beautifully. I set off to Geraldton to do my chores and a spot of sightseeing. I proceeded to the waterfront and the CBD first, as the majority of the attractions I want to explore are around here. The port is very busy, there are ships loading wheat and iron ore, and there are at least nine waiting offshore to come in. The foreshore development is attractive and the beaches clean. Town Beach is right near the CBD and quite a few people were walking here.
The HMAS Sydney Memorial is truly magnificent – this is a very thought provoking and tasteful tribute to the 645 sailors who perished when the HMAS Sydney sank on 19 November, 1941 when engaging the German armed raider, HSK Kormoran – both ships were lost but most of the German sailors survived – all of the Sydney crew perished. There are several elements to the memorial – the central Dome of Souls, with its 645 seagulls joined is stunning as is the eternal flame. The statue of the mother searching the ocean for her sailor to come home – she waits no more – her gaze follows the coordinates where the ship was found, only 112 nautical miles off Steep Point. The Pool of Remembrance, with the seagull in the centre of the circle within a circle, marking the exact point on the map (the pool was built to commemorate the finding of the Sydney in 2008) and the Wall of Remembrance with the names of all of the lost in alphabetical order, symbolising that there’s no rank in death.
After I finished my grocery shopping, I headed out to Point Moore Lighthouse – the most South westerly point here – I was fascinated to see that they have made a lighthouse shaped shower in the parkland opposite. There has been an artificial osprey nest built on the top of a tall pole near the beach, I was lucky enough to catch a photo of an Osprey nesting in it. I headed back to town to get gas and then I headed out to Rod and Sharna’s. It was great to catch up with them and the family news. Rod took me for a drive around after we picked Ashla up from school – Geraldton sure has some magnificent real estate and the beach areas are great. We had a very relaxing afternoon and evening and I got very spoilt – a real bed, shower and magnificent meal – with great company. Thanks so much to the Sands family.
Dongara Lobster Entrance
Geraldton Streetscape
Geraldton Port
Paula at Point Moore
Osprey Artificial Nest
HMAS Sydney Memorial
HMAS Sydney Memorial Information
Dome of Remembrance
Pool of Remembrance
Woman Waiting at Memorial
Port and Town from Memorial
Closing the Circle Plaque
Ship Leaving Geraldton Port
Rod, Sharna and Ashla Sands
Paula's Wandering Australia 