Cape Leeuwin Light House

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20th October 2010
Today it rained and rained. Headed south of Margaret River to Augusta to visit the highest lighthouse on mainland Australia. This is also the most south westerly point of Australia and the point at which the Southern Ocean meets the Indian Ocean. 22 ships were shipwrecked here until the lighthouse was built in the 1895. There was one more shipwreck after the lighthouse was built in 1910. This ship was a smaller version of the Titanic, owned and built by the same company. Luckily everyone was rescued from the 'Pericles' when it sank. About 3000km south of here is Antarctica and about 7000km west from this point is South Africa and once ships had rounded the Cape of Good Hope they would catch the 'roaring forties' winds and end up on the west coast of Australia. In fact this Cape was name Cape Leeuwin, because it was actually discovered in the 1600s by the dutch. Leeuwin means lioness.
As you can see from the photos the weather really looks grey and blustery. Well, the pictures were right. We climbed the lighthouse and when we opened the door at the top the full force of the wind hit! Little bit scary but well worth the climb. This used to be a kerosene lamp lighthouse and the poor men who used to operate it had to carry two 30kg cans of kerosene to the very top every 4 hours. (Only in 1982 did the lighthouse become electric) If they ever let the light go out they were instantly dismissed! it was also just like a clock and the lighthouse keepers had to wind the mechanism up every two hours.
Augusta is a beautiful town and in some ways we are sorry we didn't camp there. The beach has a lot of enclosed rock pools and jetties to fish from. Augusta is described as 'the' place to fish, but I suspect everywhere in WA is pretty amazing fishing.
Ian and I went wine tasting in Margaret River last night which was absolutely fantastic. We will have to bring some back and share the experience.
Some things we have noticed: 1) everything (food included) is expensive in WA. 2) Lots and lots of people smoke 3) Margaret River has great employment opportunities and we are continually being served by young French, Swiss, German, Japanese travelers, 4) great roads 5) SAND everywhere 6) very, very friendly people.

For those lovely readers of this blog who are concerned about how Ian and I are surviving the caravan experience .... it is so far absolutely excellent!! Strange but true.

Hello Year 4, Hope your Assembly went well.

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Photos

Pink flower - everywhere
This little waxy flower is everywhere

Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
The lighthouse was built in 1895 from limestone quarried nearby but all the rest had to come from England

Lachlan, Xavier and Catherine
Knocking at the door - let us in before we blow away!!

At the top
At the top of the lighthouse

View from the top
The three stone houses for the lighthouse keepers and their families- used until 1982

Southern Ocean - Indian Ocean
Left - Southern Ocean
Right - Indian Ocean

The most south westerly point
Boys standing at the the most south westerly point of Australia

the red rocks
the day made these rocks look stunning