Horrocks Beach

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April 28th 2012

Published: April 28th 2012

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MikeandTrishV

Northampton

...we thought we would get a coffee here, on ANZAC Day, no chance, but an interesting place.

Horrocks Beach & Northampton

26^th to 28^th April

Our next planned stopover was to be Horrocks Beach, 52klm North of Geraldton. Setting off from Geraldton the first thing we noticed since leaving Perth was that we were not travelling through sand dunes and coastal scrub which was predominantly bottlebrush. This country was farming country, albeit still sandy loam soils, the country supported pasture and crops, it was also undulating and we saw gum trees!

The first and only place we came to between Geraldton and Horrocks Beach was Northampton and one of the oldest settlements outside of Perth. In 1839, Lt George Grey reported ‘favourably’ on the area. Northampton was declared a town site in 1864 and the first railway in WA from Geraldton to Northampton was laid and completed in 1879. Lead and copper mining was influential in these early days with mines being established between 1848 and 1855. Today Northampton has basic general services for the local community including Horrocks Beach. With many fine old heritage buildings it is a quaint and interesting town to wander around.

22 klms west of Northampton is Horrocks Beach. Horrocks is the northern most of a series of small

Northampton

fishing-holiday villages which lie along the coast of the central west region. With simple fibro fishing/holiday shacks, streets which have ‘evolved’ out of the sand dunes through regular traffic and a quietness that takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the modern era. Like all these small fishing villages along the coast the population swells from the normal ‘hovering 300 to 500’ during the rock lobster season and during school holidays, but we have timed our visit just right and experience Horrocks in all its quiet splendour.

Horrocks was named after Joseph Lucas Horrocks, a convict who was sentenced to 14 years transportation for forgery and arrived in Fremantle in 1852. In Freo he worked in the medical section of the convict settlement and due to a chronic shortage of medical officers in the colony, was appointed medical attendant for the new settlement of Port Gregory in 1853, (just north of here and we will visit on our way to Kalbarri). Joseph was given an unconditional pardon in 1856 and spent the rest of his life, (he died in 1865), working in the Northampton – Champion Bay area running a store, agitating for improved conditions for convicts,

Northampton

and building a truly non-denominational church in Northampton. This church had separate Anglican and Nonconformists pulpits and a reading desk for anti-ritualists…wow.

Speaking with Rob & Maria who operate the Horrocks Beach Caravan Park (brilliant place to stay), it is obvious that Horrocks’ is the kind of place that attracts people that really want to escape from the pressures and crowds that usually inhabit beach resorts, we extended our stay by a day to lap up some more of ‘the vibe’ and ‘the serenity’ (lines borrowed from a famous Australian film), that Horrock’s has to offer. Don’t go straight up the highway as so many do, take the coast loop and see these great spots.

Additional photos below

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