Sometimes this blog doesn't always link the Photo album to the actual blog so you might need to click on the "Photos" button above.

Greg had suggested that we book our tour of the Ngilgi Caves with a Wadandi Cultural Custodian Josh Whiteland. Unfortunately, neither Josh or his partner responded to my numerous phone and text messages, so we did it alone …. Not even with any other tourists. I have at least benefited from this advice in a local tourist site. "Open your eyes to Country, if you're going to do a tour or an experience, I think the best way to do it is to immerse yourself into the experience but don't have expectation as to what you think it should be.". I could have done with this advice 25 years ago as I am repeatedly making the mistake of having "expectations".

Driving along Caves Rd., we saw a handwritten sign asking the sand truck drivers to slow down. Then we fell in behind a sand truck. Then we turned off to head down to Mokidup beach, as did the sand truck. Ah! Off to our right the hillside was scarred. Great gouges revealed golden sand. It was only on our way back an hour or so later that we realised that the three kilometres of country inland from the ocean had been giant sand dunes. Most people are unaware that in 1788 when the first settlers arrived in Sydney, Moore Park to Paddington consisted of three or four giant sand dunes. Basically, the car park for the SCG and the golf course were all sand.

Here at Mokidup we visited the beach and Ellensbrook Homestead. The car park at the 9:40 was almost full, with several dozen surfers taking advantage of excellent 2-3m waves. We stood and watched as a group of ten or so "older" women with backpacks and hiking poles walked off along a path that eventually took them to Ellensbrook Homestead where we caught up with them later. A table was laid out with tea/coffee scones biscuits fruit etc. They were being guided by a young indigenous guy and probably on a multi-day hike along the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park Walk (120ks). With all these Dutch and French names, I'll have to do a separate blog about the history of exploration of this coast.

Ellensbrook is a National Trust property and a young German man. He arrived in Western Australia 20 years ago, has spent 17 years in the Margaret River and 7 years at Ellensbrook. With few other tourists there, he gave us quite a bit of his time for over an hour as we explored the rooms.

Dreaming stories and a history of Ellensbrook are at the end of this blog.

Ellen was self-sufficient, producing butter to pay for day to day living and beef cattle provided profit. Unlike the Bussells (Busselton), the families who lived at the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse had it much tougher. They could only grow a few vegetables and every week they would walk the 10 miles to a farm to purchase meat, eggs and dairy and once a month a ship would arrive with packaged food and medical supplies.

Next stop ….. the mouth of the Margaret River. We spent a good half hour watching some 20 men and women surfing the two breaks off the southern side of the river from Surfers Point. After a brief stop at the mouth of the river and avoiding the Hooded Plovers eggs laid in the sand above the high tide mark, we asked "Sheila" for directions to the White Elephant Café. We are both idiots. If I'd read my notes properly, I would have known that the little coffee cart pulled to the side of the road at Surfers Point is the one where everyone queues for a coffee first thing every morning. I had googled Café and the White Elephant came up. "Sheila" took us to a community just a little further south and declared a house to be our destination. This wouldn't be the last time she let us down. She's a city girl and the wilds of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park just don't register.

She did manage to direct us to Voyager Estate. I think Lee is right when she says it has the most beautifully manicured gardens, and impressive cellar door which contrast with vineyards that are overgrown with "weeds "between the rows. It's to do with them progressing toward being certified as fully organic.

The sign near the front door states that there is no such thing as a brief visit to Voyager. Yes there is. I was on a mission; to try their Chenin Blanc. Mission accomplished. We did try several Cab Savs, however left with just two bottles of Chenin Blanc to drink as we progress across to Esperance over the next week.

"Sheila' hasn't got a clue where the township of Margaret River is. She thinks it's a roundabout on the outskirts of town. We stumbled upon Blue Ginger Fine Foods which also did meals. The food was "perfectly nice" quoting Ches. I doubt a tourist or visitor to Margaret River has eaten there. It's a locals kind place.

When I set "Sheila" the task of finding a route to Howard Park winery, she accidentally lead us through the main street of Margaret River, just to show us all the proper cafes where we might have had lunch in much more pleasant surroundings. She at least took us across country along roads lined with stunning wildflowers and into the vineyard where kangaroos were grazing.

I had a Howard Park Pinot Noir in Melbourne several weeks ago, and we were told that the Cab Sav Merlot was even better. We were on a mission to buy this for Ches to drink over the next two weeks. No such luck, however we did leave with 5 bottles: a Chenin Blanc, two Pinot Noir and two Moscato. It's also a wonderful cellar door venue and beautifully maintained estate.

We spent a pleasant evening with Jen and Greg at a wine bar in Dunsborough. It was a chance to get to know more about each other and our families. Greg and I share the same Great Grandfather, Robert "Bob" Crawford. He of the "Carbine" gold mine at Coolgardie. The downside was that Greg and I split the bill and he was on the loosing side after I ordered Pink Snapper. Whenever snapper is on offer, I cannot resist. On this occasion, two very small fillets came to $55.00. Perhaps the most expensive fish I've ever eaten and not particularly memorable. Sorry Greg, I still owe you for your hospitality and generosity.

Meekadariby - the story of Gnoocarnban and Ngorble

The area surrounding Ellensbrook homestead has archaeology dating back 12 thousand years to 17 thousand years, sharing so much throughout both Aboriginal and European history over this period. We (Wadandi Peoples) have been told through the generations many stories of significance to Wadandi history. For example, the story of Waljin and her love for flowers and singing, which led to the battle between Wolghine the Ocean Spirit who was jealous and wanted to keep Waljin in his sea cave, and Lilgi the Land Spirit, who flew Waljin across the sky saving her from Wolghine creating a rainbow. It is said that you can see the footprints left by the spirits during the battle in the reef in front of the Ellensbrook Homestead just south of Wolghine's cave. As well as the history of Meekadariby, the story of Gnoocarnban and Ngorble.

Gnoocarnban and Ngorble fell in love but they were not promised to be married through lore and the skin group system. Gnoocarnban feared the old man she was promised to, she said he had "Meel Karla Djedal" - eyes of fire coals. So, her and her love Ngorble ran away from the tribe, they ran up past the spring where they would hide away in a cave only coming out when the moon was full to hunt for their yongar (kangaroo) and collect meren (fruits and vegetables).

One day a clever old man came across the cave, and when he returned, he told all the tribe that they were hiding there. That night when Ngorble went out hunting, the clever old man speared him through the koort (heart) ending Ngorble's life.
The demma gnarnka (grandmothers) all dragged Gnoocarnban from the cave back to where the homestead now stands, where they began to prepare her for her marriage to the one she was promised to - the man with eyes of fire coals. The preparation for her marriage took many days, the old women worked Gnoocarnban so hard that one day she did not rise, and they say that her janga wiern (spirt dead) resides within the cave that her and the one she loved hid: "Where the Moon Bathes", Meekadariby. It is said that around the cave, on nights of the full moon, you can hear her cry.

Words: Wadandi Pibulman writer Sharnae Watson.

For thousands of years, the Wadandi people used Mokidup as a summer camping ground, using the spring-fed brook and the soak as a source of water. This later became relied upon by Ellen and Alfred Bussell for their domestic use and for their gardens and cattle farming. In 1857 Alfred and Ellen Bussell decided that because of the fresh water and fertile soils, this would be the perfect location for their home and ideal for farming beef and dairy cattle. With the help of the local Wadandi people and the Bussell servants, the Ellensbrook Homestead was built.

Ellen's daughters Edith and Franny Bussell lived and managed the farm from 1898 to 1917 and in 1899 Edith Bussell opened her 'Ellenbrook Farm Home' for Aboriginal children, which ran for 17 years. Working for the Bussells were Wadandi people Samuel Yebble Isaacs, Ngilgi, Nannup, Janie Lowe, David Nannup, Edican, Lizzie Fisher, Jimmie (Jemmy), Ralph and George Long. Samuel Yebble Isaacs has great ties to the history of this area, living at Ellensbrook through his teens into young adulthood when he then moved to Wall Cliff House and worked as a stockman.

While Samuel was working as a stockman in December 1876, he discovered the SS Georgette (Steam Ship). Along with Grace Bussell's help, they were able to save people who were aboard the sinking ship, and for this, Samuel received 100 hectares of land and received a bronze medallion for bravery from The Royal Humane Society. In more recent times, there has been a change to acknowledge his ties to the area such as Isaacs Road, and Yebble Road, and since 2021 the locality Yebble is named after him, which is spread near the hectares that he was awarded.

This is Ellen's obituary:

Ellen Bussell (1833-1877)

A correspondent at the Vasse speaks, with deep regret of the death of Mrs. Ellen Bussell, at the Margaret; inflammation of the brain having been the cause of this highly esteemed lady's death, at the early age of 44. It will be in the recollection of our readers that the survivors from the late disaster of the unfortunate S.S. Georgette were taken from the wreck to the hospitable residence of Mr. Bussell, and there received all the care and attention which their pitiable condition demanded. Mrs. Bussell and her family were unremitting in their attentions during the time that the Georgette's passengers remained under their roof, and it is feared that the anxiety excited in that lady's mind by the stranding of the vessel and its results brought on the illness which resulted in the death of a lady whose many estimable qualities had endeared her to an unusually large circle of relatives and friends, by whom she will be long and greatly mourned.