Day 96 - 101, Geraldton ( Tue 30th Sept - Mon 05th Oct )

Geraldton

At Gerladton we stayed at the Big 4 caravan park which is about 5 kilometers north out of town, as it turns out it is also pretty close to where our new friends which we had met at Denham lived.

The Big 4 which is right on the beach is OK, not great but OK, the amenities were good and there was pool and jumping pillow for the kids so that was great, the problem is that the permanent residents section which is pretty average makes up a large part of the park.

I don't have a problem with permanent caravan park residents at all but for supposed Big 4 which is geared as a family park its a bit odd, I doubt that most of the residents want kids running around and making a racket.

The Platform Markets

Geraldton Market Foods

The markets are  held on the weekends at the old railway station platform, there you can get fresh fruit and veggies, preserved foods, arts and craft, secondhand nick nacks, even chickens and other pets.
On the day we were there there were quite a few stalls running the length of the old platform, and in the central area there were some nice take away food stalls selling a variety of delicious foods.

Home Made Preserves

Geraldton markets

HMAS Sydney II Memorial

Located on top of Mount Scott overlooking Geraldton and the Indian Ocean you will find the HMAS Sydney II Memorial, its dedicated to the 645 men who lost their lives on the HMAS Sydney in 1941.

The memorial consists of various monuments.

HMAS Sydney Memorial "Dome Of Souls"

The centre piece of the memorial "The Dome Of Souls" is a massive stainless steel dome depicting 645 seagulls, one for every man lost at sea.

HMAS Sydney Memorial "The Stele"

The tall granite structure, "The Stele" represents the bow of the HMAS Sydney

HMAS Sydney Memorial "Pool Of Remembrance"

The Pool Of Remembrance, the circular fountain show a map of the ocean with the position of the HMAS Sydney.

The Waiting Woman

There is a bronze statue of a woman looking out over the ocean, its known as the "waiting woman".

At the memorial there is also a wall on which you will find the  the names of all the crew of the HMAS Sydney, this memorial is a fantastic achievement by the people of Geraldton who have clearly put a lot of effort into it.
I highly recommend you see this if you are in Geraldton.

Museum

The Western Australian Museum-Geraldton  is a great place to learn about the heritage of the land, sea and people of the Mid west region.
The exhibits are very good and the staff are friendly and helpful,and  there are guided tours available if you like.

The Festival On The Foreshore

While we were at Geraldton there was a festival on, it was pretty good, the usual things you would expect to see, food stalls ride etc.

The Boys were especially interested in the Medieval display where there were sword fighting demonstrations and lots of weapons to look at. 

Grenough

Grenough treet View

Grenough is a historical town 24 kilometers south of Geraldton, we stopped and looked at this on the way out of town.
In Grenough you will find most of the original buildings dating back to the 1850's, each of them is furnished and has information boards describing the building and its occupants.

Grenough School

If you are up to a challenge there is an 1850's exam to do in the little school.

Grenough Gaol

Its quite eerie walking through the Gaol, the inmates didn't have too much fun in here I bet.



















You can imagine as you walk through the town how simple and at times tough life would have been, the buildings are generally pretty small and the furnishings are basic.

In the police officers residence its hard to imagine that the police officer, his wife and all 8 of their children lived in a house so small.









Grenough historical village also has a very nice information centre, cafe and shop, its here you can get your exam marked.
We enjoyed our visit to the village, it really gives a good insight into life in the 1800's, would definitely recommend a stop here


We really enjoyed our stay at Geraldton, its a very nice town and has a lot to offer, it seemed like the people there are very proud of there town and are welcoming and friendly.
We spent some time with new friends and learnt a fair bit about the town from them, even got a job offer LOL, thanks guys, hope to see you again soon.