One of the big attractions in Fremantle is the museum of old shipwrecks. Apparently the ship trade between Holland and the East Indies was very lucrative for the Dutch. Unfortunately for them many ships had the bad habit of crashing into the reefs and shoals of Western Australia, or New Holland as they called it in those days. The Batavia was one such wreck. The remains of the stern have been painstakingly preserved and fitted together and sits inside a dramatic display in the museum.
Coincidentally, we leave today by ship for Sydney. The journey will take us around the southern part of Australia to see Tasmania, Adelaide and Melbourne. The thought crossed my mine while visiting the museum that seeing so many stories of shipwrecks might not have been the best idea before leaving by ship!
Later on we visited the famous Fremantle indoor market with displays of beautiful fruits and vegetables. Then in the evening we very much enjoyed seeing our friends Mike and Wendy for a lovely dinner along the Freo waterfront. They have been wonderful hosts and much beloved family friends since when I was born. We had fish and chips at the lovely restaurant called Kailis Fishmarket Cafe. As a last hurrah, Brenda and I rode the Ferris Wheel in the park and surveyed the three ships in port over a lovely red sunset.
