OK – so leaving Hyden next morning I drove through some more of the same country – wheat, trees, flats, hills. Nice country – quite like you’d expect to find “over east”.
I went through a little town called Corrigan – didn’t stop, didn’t pay much attention to it really. Just out the other side I saw a sign saying “Cemetery” with a tin cut out of a dog on top of it. I thought that was weird – why would anyone put a dog on top of the cemetery sign. But a little further down the road I came to the cemetery – and the reason there’s a dog on top of the sign – is because it was a dog cemetery. Very cute – very sad. I did cry just a little bit. But lovely that the locals like their dogs so much that they have a special place to bury them. Its a full on cemetery. All set out in rows. Headstones, names and dates of death, statues, etc. You even have to speak to the Shire Office about your plot – you can’t just go & plant your dog there without permission.
The Dog Cemetery
Some of the graves had personalised things on them – some had headstones that must have cost an absolute fortune. There was one “Bundy” grave – but no “Jacks” that I saw. I didn’t take a photo of the Bundy one – just didn’t seem right some how. But I did take a couple of snaps of some of the others, and this one was my favourite – I think it really shows how a dog can be a very special part of your life:
Naughty - but loved to the end?
This tells me that even if he was “defiant” – maybe he was a little bit of a naughty puppy – his people still loved him enough to not only bury him in the dog cemetery – but put a headstone up for him. Something tells me I might have liked Obi. Anyway, I didn’t hang around too long – it was making me a bit sad – but I thought it was great at the same time.
Another thing I drove past on the way to York was the Rabbit Proof Fence. I think there’s a movie with the name – I haven’t seen it – but think it was quite well received a few years ago. Anyway – the practicality of the fence was to stop the wascally wabbit from invading WA – as it was decimating the country over east. Unfortunately, by the time they started building the fence, the rabbits were already into WA – so then they had a go at Number 2 Fence – a bit further west of the first fence and then Number 3 – further west again. I’m not sure how successful the idea was overall – but it was a fair effort to put up the fences – as they had to be netted – I think they buried the netting fairly deep to stop the rabbits burrowing under them – and then the continual upkeep on the fence. Another amazing feat of Aussie hardwork.
From there I headed into the town of Quairading. Once again a small town – but it was interesting in the fact that I had a huge chat to the blokey running the information centre. Well – when I say I had a chat – I really had a listen – but its always good to hear what other people are up to and what they are doing. Amongst other things he was telling me he was about to head out on a big trip around the country with his son – with a camper trailer he is building himself!! I didn’t go into what he’d done with it so far – but hope he has a good trip. He was a lovely fellow – loved the little town, seemed to know about everyone & everything. Had good knowledge on the town – even down to telling me what to get from the local supermarket to have from lunch. I left him at the info centre & by the time I’d window shopped up the street he was at the supermarket – pointing out the bread rolls on special – the cold meat to get. It was a funny day.
The supermarket in this town (& in a few others I’d seen around) was actually a combo of supermarket, hardware store, electrical store, toy shop. They were all segregated from each other – but all in the same shop. I suppose it makes it economical to run it that way – would make your shopping trips a lot quicker.
From here it wasn’t far into York town. York is an historical town – been around since the 1880’s or earlier. So I wanted to go & have a look at it. It was late enough when I got there, so after a quick drive around town, I booked into the caravan park and relaxed for the afternoon. Its funny, for me, if I arrive in a van park by about 4 pm or so, I feel I’ve got a heap of time – and that I’m sitting around doing nothing. The grey nomads, on the other hand, are usually in & set up in parks by lunch time. Mind you – they are also out a lot earlier than me.
Next day I had a look around York – looked at a few of their old buildings, did the tour throught the courthouse & gaol – there are “original” graffitti still visible in the cells – including a handmade calendar – showing 3 or 4 months – in a cell about 4metres long by 1.5 metres wide – it would have been terrible.
York Town Hall
Mostly though I just walked around & looked in the shops, did a little chrissie shopping, a little Margie shopping, walked along the river, in the park, looked at a couple of the churches. Its a lovely little town – the people are very friendly (not as friendly as the bloke from Quairading but still nice).
another lovely building in the main street of York
From there, it was a drive back into Perth, to meet up with the Keens for possibly one last time, as they are going to be behind me from here. I decided to “pop” back into see them as it was going to be Judy’s 40th the next day.
I spent the 29th of November at York Caravan Park.
margiecrimmins 