Way Away in WA 2023 – Day 85 – Lincoln National Park

Lincoln National Park overlooks Boston Bay, the largest natural harbour in Australia, with granite headlands, sheltered bays and scenic offshore islands. On the southern side of the park are the massive, wind-formed sand dunes and the pounding surf of the Southern Ocean.

But first a quick look around town. The port above…

…the grain silos….

… and some statues. I took the oppor-tuna-ty to see this great casting. This tuna fisherman highlights the importance of the tuna industry to the towns economy.

Makybe Diva is the only horse to win three Melbourne Cups and the only mare to win it more than once. Makybe Diva is owned by Port Lincoln tuna fisherman Tony Santic, who named her after five of his employees – Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane, and Vanessa – by taking the first two letters from each of their names. I asked Makybe Diva about the 3200 metres Melbourne Cup length and she said it felt like a mare-athon.

She narrowly lost a race once, went to a bar and the bartender asked her, “Hey, why the long face?”

Matthew Flinders, the famous colonial navigator and explorer named parts of this area on his exploration and mapping of the coast in 1802.

Matthew Flinders and Trim the Cat.

Trim travelled the world with Flinders. Matthew Flinders wrote in memory of his cat: “To the Memory of Trim: The best and most illustrious of his race; The most affectionate of friends, faithful of servants, and best of creatures; He made the tour of the globe, and a voyage to Australia, which he circumnavigated, and was ever the delight and pleasure of his fellow voyagers.” I asked Trim how the wild seas on his voyages affected him and he told me. “They freaked meowt.”