We walked along C.Y. O'Connor Beach as part of our longer loop from the Omeo Wreck to South Beach but I felt this beach deserved a blog all to itself as it is absolutely stunning!
We came from the north after exploring Catherine Point (not worth the bother!) and were immediately struck by the number of seashells on this beach. There were many along the tide line but even more under water where the wavelets were breaking. Very pretty!
This is a designated dog beach but we found the dogs were very well behaved and having way too much fun to bother with us humans!
As you follow the beach south you can see things in the water just off shore. Not being a local I had no idea what these were until we came closer and I realised that what I could see where three different things - a shipwreck, the remains of an old jetty and off in the distance the statue of C.Y. O'Connor and his horse. (I only knew what this statue was because I had seen signs walking along the inland path and had been a bit non-plussed as there was no statue to be seen from the path). This is the beach on which CY O'Connor took his own life, incorrectly believing his Goldfields Pipeline was a failure.
The shipwreck is the SS Wyola, a steam tugboat which was damaged and then dismantled here at Robb Jetty - so not a shipwreck after all! The pylon stumps are all that remains of Robb Jetty once used to move cattle off ships to local abattoirs.
Wandering further south you come to the ruins of the Old South Fremantle Power Station ,which are not at all pretty but the art deco building has a strange sort of appeal. Do be careful with the kids around here as there were sharp pieces of metal and other hazards sticking through the sand.
Opposite are the remains of old infrastructure which is now covered in graffiti and keeps you guessing as to what was here (perhaps an abattoir?) There are bits of brick wall and twisted metal scattered among the rubble and the contrast with the blue, blue sea makes it somewhat appealing.
Beyond this you walk along Sue's Groyne to the north of Port Coogee Marina and Ngarkal Beach.
As we did this as part of a longer walk we had parked further away but there is limited parking at Sue's Groyne, ample parking at C.Y. O'Connor Reserve just north of the old power station or parking at the beach at North Coogee a little north of Catherine Point.
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I love wandering along trails, both marked and unmarked, and sharing my discoveries with my Out and About FNC community. If you enjoy reading my blogs please consider a small donation which will be used towards the costs of keeping the website up to date and relevant.
In the spirit of reconciliation Out and About- Family Nature Connection acknowledges the traditional owners of the Wadjak boodjar (Perth land) and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
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