A bit tired today, we are in a trance in Esperance!

After taking the morning off for washing and sleep in, visited the Esperance Wildflower Show. Foyer artwork above.

The usual collections of named specimens were inside. The President of the local wildflower society was very helpful with locations.

Dempster Head has an impressive Rotary Lookout and a walk around the headland. In 1863 the Dempster brothers leased 304,000 acres (123,026 ha) at Esperance and stocked it with sheep, cattle and horses. They had travelled overland from near Toodyay. A great great great great uncle in our family, Ben Hannett accompanied them and worked for the Dempsters as a foreman at Esperance.

Esperance white spider orchid

Looking out to islands of the Recherche Archipelago. The early visits by French explorers to the south western shores of Australia have left a legacy of French names of geographical features and locations. In 1792 Raymond Joseph de Bruni and Chevalier d’Entrecasteaux in the ship La Recherche, along with Huon de Kermadec in the ship L’Esperance visited the area. Sailing the Southern Ocean and buffeted by a storm they sought refuge. A young seaman, Ensign Le Grand, was keeping watch and guided the ship L’Esperance into the shelter of an island, Ile Observatoire, (Observatory Island). Cape Le Grand was named after him. Esperance Bay and the Recherche Archipelago take their names from the two ships.

Walkway around headland

Hakea

Prickly wattle

View west from Rotary Lookout

Taylor Street Clock Tower – looks old but isn’t! Part of Adventureland from 2005.

Esperance Port