Day 10 - Seven Spirit Bay and Port Essington For me, today promised to deliver one of the highlights of the trip: a visit to the Victoria Settlement, popularly known as Port Essington. This is the ruins of a fort established in1837 to protect Britain’s claim to Australia against the French and the Dutch. It was established strictly as a garrison town, as opposed to a free settler town. The idea was that it would be easier to maintain discipline and morale if they excluded free settlers who would want to by freehold land and indulge in commerce. As it was, the position was strategically chosen: the guns were mounted on a not-so-high cliff overlooking the water course, with a reef on the other side, thus forcing any vessel entering to come into range of this guns. Not that they were ever used in anger; now there’s a recurring theme in Australia's defence history. Anyhow, it was established and many prefabricated building erected on stone bases, such as the store, the marri...
Gee, you are really eating up the kilometres, Tathra so soon after leaving Queenscliff. You are only 3 hours from home. We love the park you are staying in. I think I mentioned in a previous comment that we will be staying there for a couple weeks at the beginning of November. Judy, I really hope you see a Southern Right but there aren't too many of them around any more. Let's know how you go.
ReplyDeleteSafe travels
John and Bev