William Ricketts Sanctuary

Yes, today was another day of exploration and what a fabulous day it turned out to be. My exploration today took me up to Mount Dandenong to the William Ricketts Sanctuary. I have had this attraction on my list to see for a while but never really knew anything about it, except that there were sculptures throughout the bush, but it is so much more than that.

Now owned by Parks Victoria there is no entry fee, but they appreciate any donations. I chose to pay $5.00 for a self-walk audio tour, and am so glad I did. I learnt so much more than what I would have just walking around. Situated in a ferny glade in the Dandenongs, William Ricketts Sanctuary is a place of total beauty and spirituality, due to the 90 plus mystical sculptures positioned through the this idyllic location.

As well as the amazing sculptures the William Ricketts story is extremely interesting. Born in Richmond, Victoria in 1898 William Ricketts was a non trained potter, a jewellery maker and a violinist who settled permanently in stunning Mount Dandenong in 1934. Here he started his major artistic work, creating this amazing spiritual sculpture park.

From 1949 to 1960 he spent a lot of time in Central Australia, living with Pitjantjatjara and Arrernte Aboriginal people, whose traditions and culture inspired his spiritual sculptures. He worked on his sculptures until his death in 1993.

I would really recommend a visit to this attraction and also delving into the William Ricketts story - what an amazingly talented man.

Red Rock

Once again we didn't have a very big drive to get to Red Rock this morning! We drove a whole 76km and it took us just under an hour. As the crow flies it is only 12km from Wooli - but we aren't crows!!! Red Rock is once again a small seaside hamlet on the banks of the Corindi River with a population of around 270 people. Once again the caravan park we are staying at has the river on one side and the ocean on the other. This location had also been recommended to us by several other travellers and once again I am glad we have taken their advice. There are quite a few houses in the town but most are empty for most of the year and then full at Christmas, New Year and Easter.

We will give the fishing a bit of a go in the morning, weather permitting. Hopefully we have better luck than we did at Wooli. Shane got a couple of fish but they were undersized. 

Unfortunately this area has a sad history. The headland is reputedly the sight of a massacre of Gumbaynngir indigenous people in the 19th century. A memorial has been erected at the base of the headline to commemorate this. Aboriginal woman tend to avoid the area. The massacre is reputed to have started at Blackaders Creek when mounted police entered the camp. They started shooting and then pursued the survivors to the Corindi River where they continued shooting. Legend has it, some people were then driven off the headland. 

The headland may have been named Red Rock because the river went red from the blood of the indigenous people or the name may have been from the unique red rock formation. 

Tonight after yet another pretty heavy shower we were treated to an amazing rainbow.