Day 15 6th May
Early morning ride, blue skies, explore the local sights and foreshore.
Sightseeing today in the local area and a short drive from Esperance to Cape Le Grand. I know most people would say Melbourne has the best beaches in the world….. well I think these beaches will be a close challenge to them. See what you think!
Matthew Flinders, remember him, the young man from Lincolnshire UK, mapped the continent in 1802, also record the land’s natural history. He normally sailed away from the mainland during the night, but in January 1802, he found the ship surrounded by reefs, rocks & islands, he thought it too risky, so sought shelter in this bay early in the evening, dropped anchor and stayed four days. Because of this he called it Lucky Bay.
The most spectacular coastal scenery is found in the south-west corner of this National Park, where massive granite and gneiss peaks rise from the coastal plain. The park’s rolling heathlands are home to pygmy possums, western grey kangaroos (also snakes, lizards, Echidna etc) and a diversity of colourful wildflowers including dense thickets of showy banksia.
Other highlights are Hellfire Bay, Thistle Cove & Frenchman Peak.
Whistling Rock
At Hellfire Bay, there is a wonderful ‘Dreamtime Story by the Indigenous Nyungar people. Dreamtime Stories are about truths and not necessarily literal, but it is said if you listen carefully….when the wind blows amongst the rocks you may hear the ancestors crying for the two children who were carried out to sea by mother walich the eagle.
She was angry when she saw that the children had stolen her eggs and taken her future from her. The early morning dew on the rocks and hills are the tears of the parents and family who watch and wait in vain for the children to return.
Looking at the video below I wondered if they were swept of the rocks, whilst looking for eggs, and the great sadness for the parents, maybe an eagle was soaring overhead, or perhaps walich did take them…..
Anchor points all along rocks for fishermen to secure their safety
Frenchman Peak as it looks similar to a military hat the French wore in the 1800’s
Allowed to drive on the beaches, $1000 for recovery if you are bogged
