Ashley discovers another south coast gem

FINDING FANNY

Another South Coast Discovery

By Ashley Pearce

In the last edition (117) our changed plans due to the poor weather saw us venturing out east of Esperance up the Balladonia Track to discover the Deralinya and Bilbanya Homesteads. This whet our whistle for further discoveries in the area.

After a few days back in Esperance enjoying the likes of the Lucky Bay Brewery and fishing down at Dunn’s Beach we were looking for further adventures. As we were due to head back towards home within a couple of days and return in the future, we thought we would also check out a number of the free or low cost camps along the south coast between Esperance and Ravensthorpe. The first campsite to check out was Quagi Beach. We ventured 60 kilometres west of Esperance and took a left turn down Farrells Road heading south approximately 11 kilometres to the coast. We weren’t surprised to find the Quagi Beach camp site completely full given the time of the year. Quagi Beach campsite is managed by the Shire of Esperance and DBCA. The campsite includes 18 camp bays of varying sizes and a near new composting drop toilet. There is also a day use area with ample parking for visitors, sheltered picnic area and a viewing platform. This beach is quite sheltered. The area surrounding Quagi Beach Reserve is surrounded by DBCA managed area along with the Stokes National Park. The area is dominated

by rocky headlands and offers a range of activities such as swimming, fishing, snorkelling and kayaking and of course nature based camping. At $15 per night, per campsite this is bargain camping at its best. We have pinned this as a location to return to in the future. If you don’t have a 4WD then Quagi is an ideal location to camp. Just as we made our way down to the water the heavens opened again and we went back to the cars to find our next hidden gem. Back-tracking up Farrell Road some four kilometres, you take the track to the left to enter the Stokes National Park. Being rockier and more washed out, this track was easily negotiated using high clearance than needing to engage 4WD. Initially it follows farming land to the north until the track veers in a south westerly direction. Approximately three quarters of the way along we saw the sign to Moir Homestead Ruins. This area is managed by DBCA with a small car park that can handle larger vehicles, but you would struggle to turn around if you were towing your off road van or camper in. Leaving the car park, we entered the gates to see numerous buildings now only consisting of roofless limestone walls. The site includes the homestead (1873), blacksmith shop and shepherds camp and woolshed/stables built in 1880. These limestone ruins provide a visual focus to the cultural landscape of the historic pastoral property on which they are located along with providing an insight into the development of pastoralism in the south-west region of Western Australia. Its location at Fanny Cove near Esperance was a main entry point for gold prospectors travelling to the goldfields. These ruins provide a tangible reminder of a simple structure built c1880s based on Victorian Georgian model adapted to local conditions and built of local materials. Some history, back in 1873 Alexander and John Moir were granted a lease of 14,000 acres around Stokes Inlet. This was extended to 57,000 acres by 1888. The Moir’s established their homestead near the eastern shore of the Stokes Inlet to graze sheep through the coastal vegetation. Their production of wool was then shipped from nearby Fanny Cove along with sandalwood that was still in plentiful supply. They also turned their hand to growing barley and other grain crops as feed for stock.

Moir Homestead ruins.

Grave of John Moir.

A walk around the site sees numerous old buildings, a massive Moreton Bay fig and one of the biggest mulberry trees we had ever seen. Safe to say after our mulberry adventure at Rays Rocks we stocked up again and managed to get our hands stained red … again! One thing to be careful of is the wild bees in the area and many signs warn patrons of the bee risk. If you are allergic to bees, this is probably not an area to visit without appropriate medication if you get stung. It would be a slow trek back to the main road and back to Esperance. Walking further around we came across the grave site of John Moir. Details of John Moir’s death can be extracted from The Inquirer and Commercial News 9th May 1877: MURDER OF MR. JOHN MOIR. We have received reliable particulars of the death of Mr. John Moir, a settler near Esperance Bay, who it will be remembered was murdered by natives on his station the early part of last month. It appears that Mr. Moir had arrested and chained up two natives for some misconduct, which however our correspondent does not describe. Unsuspicious of any foul play Mr. Moir permitted the natives' women to remain at large with them. Nothing eventuated during the day, but in the evening, while Mr. Moir lay reading on a sofa in his house, the natives whom he had chained up rushed upon him, each armed with a blade of a pair of sheep shears and stabbed him in several vital parts of the body. It has transpired that the natives' women, who being thoroughly civilised and friendly, had free access to Mr. Moir's house, stealthily removed the key to the padlock which bound their husbands, and released them to carry out their murderous purpose.

The names of the natives are Tampin and Joe Fennatty. As history has now revealed there is more than likely two sides to the story and sadly, will be one story we are very likely to never know. Reflecting on this we walked further around the conveyer belt matting to the other areas of the ruins. All in all, an interesting insight into how these early pastoralists lived. National Park entry fees apply to each vehicle entering the Stokes National Park. Leaving the Moir Homestead ruins we ventured further south west to check out the Fanny Cove camp site. Not expecting much after the Quagi Beach site, we were very surprised to see how large and spacious these sites are. Nestled in coastal heath and just metres from the beach this site consists of four bays suitable for camper trailers or tents. The camp site has a drop toilet, picnic tables and not potable water. The best thing … this site remains totally free with the exception of the National Park entry fee. Lunch on the beach whilst we threw a line in was in order before heading off to check out the other camp site in the area at Shoal Cape. This is a camp site I wouldn’t recommend towing a trailer into but if you were tenting or swagging it would be perfect. Down from the camp site is a lovely bay that on the right day without southerly breezes would be perfect for a swim or snorkelling. Back to Fanny … did we find her? Found her cove but after extensive research we can still not find out why this pristine and beautiful area was named 'Fanny Cove'.

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