24th
August: Denham
After
yesterday, today was a bit of an anti-climax. The wind which blows
here every night had dropped by 3.am and the day was lovely. In
winter, the climate here is great! (The skipper yesterday told Glen
that he sails every day of the year!)
We
decided to go up to the Old Homestead of the Peron sheep property.
The whole of the peninsular from Denham north is a National
Park,declared in 1993, the Francois Peron NP, named after the
zoologist on a French boat that came here in 1801 and 1803. (He
documented information on anthropology, oceanology, zoology, and
meteorology.) It became a 100,000 hectare sheep station until 1990
when it was purchased by the government. Originally managed from
Denham, the owner shifted operations out as he couldn't keep the
shearers out of the pub! It was marginal country with no ground
water and had to rely on salty bore water which comes out of the
ground at 40 C. There is a spa bath there but at that temperature,
the visitor is warned not to stay in too long lest he comes out like
a lobster! The old shearing shed still stands as do many of the
other buildings and throughout there are interpretative signs.
Now,
with an electrified fence across the narrowest part of the
peninsulaar some 60 km sto the south, there is a very real effort
being made to rid the area of foxes and feral cats through a baiting
campaign. Called Project Eden, many of the original species have
been bred in captivity and released here to repopulate the area,
including the Bilby, the Mallee Fowl and various little Australian
marsupials. It has been very successful.
We
had lunch at a local resort here overlooking the sea and walked home.
Gail went fishing again and caught a legal sized parrot fish which
she ate for tea.
This is one of 3 rather elaborate fish cleaning tables which underscores the role of fishing in Denham. I counted nearly 30 boat trailers there today and that's not the commercial operators!
The stainless steel tables have running water, a scrubbibg brush and rubbish bins with a roof overhead. All very fancy!
Tomorrow,
we move on to Kalbarri for a couple of days. I'm looking forward to
seeing those redd gorges and spectacular scenery again.
Well folks....all I can say is ...how will you all be able to settle down again when you get home? haha. I keep saying it, but what an amazing trip you are having. The pics of your day on the water were sparkling, and you looked so relaxed. Final preps are going on for our USA trip, and we look at each other and can't think of anything else to do. Take care all and stay well.Went to Mass in my old Parish church yesterday. Have hardly been there at all since we moved to Bargara...our life is bound up in St. James :) But I must say it did bring back many very happy memories of a time long ago when I was only 9 years old until Denis and I were married there. Keep having fun :) B
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