Geralton,Cevattes & Gingin.

Geraldton:

 

Drove to Geraldton via Northampton and all the way there the scenery changed drastically from red earth to lush green. We travelled through farming land growing Canola, Wheat, Barley and Lupin for Fodder; we found this information from the lady at the coffee shop we stopped at.

Geraldton is a busy Port for the transportation of  Iron Ore to other countries also grains from around the area.

 While we are here the car is booked in for a service and one of the men kindly gave us a lift back to the caravan park, later we walked the 3 klms into town and had a wander before picking up the car.

War Memorial for the sailers who died on S.S. SYDNEY.

 There is a big memorial here for the 650 sailors who died when the ship SS Sydney was sunk off the shores here during WW11 by a German Warship. The large Globe shape is made up of one Seagull for each sailor who died as a tribute to them.

A Seagull for every sailor who died:

Cervantes:

 

We have been spoilt with lovely weather until today!! It has turned wet and cold here in Cervantes which is a small fishing and tourist town. A popular spot called the Pinnacles is not far from here which makes Cervantes a popular place to stay. 
 

One of the many Pinicles in the Living Desert:

The Pinnacles were formed thousands of years ago from sand and limestone and range in size up to 5 metres tall and 2 metres thick at the base and are still growing. 

Sandstone Pinicles near Cervantes:

Gingin:

We had rain overnight at Cervantes and it hasn’t stopped all the way here. In the afternoon we had a look around this small town which I’m sure would look very nice on a sunny day. We were told that a place called New Norcia was worth a visit and isn’t very far from here so decided to find out.  It is a Benedictine Monastery which has been here since 1847 and is still being run by Monks to this day.

Old Monestory at New Norcia:

It consists of a Museum which displays and tells the history since 1847, of the Church school, flour mill, Hotel etc, that the monks ran and made their own wine and ale.

One of the many displays in the Museum, even made their own splints:

The local aborigines were involved with the monks and they shared their different cultures, both learning from each other. Also a Convent so the Nuns also taught the aboriginal and local children.

A homemade Bush Roller used for clearing the Scrub:


Gingin Discovery Centre:

This is an interesting place to visit especially if you are interested in Science and the Solar System. There is a world class public Observatory with the largest Telescope in Australia which is open to the public in the Evenings for Star Gazing etc.

You can experience the adventure of real science, learn about Australia's own gravitational interferometer and for gravity waves, you can climb the amazing Leaning Tower of Gingin, it is probably the leaniest Tower in the World with an angleof 15 degrees (Pisa leans only at 4.5 degrees) and at 45 metres tall you get an amazing view from the top.