Leaving "Double Beach Campsite" at Cape Burney and its colourful parrots, we decide to drive back to Greenough to visit the "Museum and Gardens".
The family home of John S. Maley was turned into a museum around 1930 and gives an odeaabout how the early settlers lived.. He, who was called the "King of the Flats", built the house and and a flour mill in 1860.
The mighty Greenough River flooded the "Fore flats" behind the dunes on 4 February 1888. The rich farmland (wheat) was ruined and most dwellings disappeared.. Mr Maley's house stayed intact, but he, who was called "The King of the Flats", lost his fortune and his mind. He died the following, deeply depressed.
We were shown around by a very knowledgeable lady, who told about the life of the settlers and about how to produce the finest wheat by silk screening.
She calls the arboriginals "First Nations People" and tells about how the White man treated them so badly.
I recall the movie "Rabit proof Fence".
It was noon, before we drove off towards Geraldton, a big and busy city.
The West Coastal Hwy took us through rich agricultural farm land to Northampton. The wheat fields are all dry and brown at this time of the year, which is the peak of the Australien summer. And there were no wild flowers blooming. People and tourist information leaflets talk about them. The right season seems to be August-September.
The strong winds from the sea makes many 10 m tall trees bend completely over. The top touches the ground making welcome shadow for a few cows and many sheep. We are in the country of "The Leaning Trees".
Around 1 pm we reach Northampton. A cool beer is all we are longing for. The local pub offers fun company and being close to our destination, we decide to take ample time for lunch. Hamburger (huge) for Hans, a fancy Mango-Tiger prawn meal for me. And a couple of "half strengh" beers.
A standing question when ordering a beer is: "Half or full strength?". With a tough Australian accent a complete mystrerious question. Now we know, that "half" iis 3,5% and full is 6,4.
The old "golddigger", in blue, is down from his far away bush around Sandstone and Leinster Mine for a couple of weeks' holiday. Another strong accent .... but it's worth the effort to try to understand.
A quick detour to the old railway, which was closed in 1957
Only another 25 kms before Horrocks Campsite, which lies where the Bowes River will break through the sand bank to flow into the Ocean in November.
It is warm, very windy - and lovely.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire