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West Beach, Esperance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:West_Beach_WA.JPG
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Esperance is a small town on the Southern Ocean coastline of Western Australia. Located some 720 km (450 mi) to the southeast of Perth, it has a population approaching 10,000 people (2012 estimate).
Dutch explorer François Thijssen (also called Frans Thijsz) was the first person to sight the area that became Esperance, when he sailed on the Dutch vessel Gulden Zeepaert along the coast in 1627. In 1792, French explorer Bruni d'Enbtrecasteaux arrived on his ship Espérance. Coming ashore, he named the site after his ship. Subsequently British navigator Captain Matthew Flinders also sailed to Esperance in 1802. He gave names to other places in the area including Bay of Isles, Lucky Bay and Thistle Cove.
The Esperance area was firstsettled by whalers and sealers. Pirates also made it a haven. In their wake came pastoralists and miners. The discovery of gold in the 1890s sparked a gold rush to the area, helping Esperance accelerate its growth.
The beach in Esperancehttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Esperance_beaches.jpgTam
Esperance Marinahttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Esperance._WA._The_Marina.jpgAmanda SlaterEsperance was one of the towns where pieces of the space station Skylab fell onto the earth, having disintegrated over the Indian Ocean. The municipality of Esperance issued a $400 fine to the United States, a sum that was never paid. In April 2009, radio host Scott Barley of Highway Radio raised the funds from his morning show listeners and paid the fine on behalf of NASA.
Today Esperance has grown into a tourist destination. It is popular as a beach, surfing and diving destination. In addition, it has a number of salt lakes where red algae are found in the waters. The town has some of the most beautiful white-sand beaches in Australia.
Visiting Esperance
Take State Highway 40 from Perth heading east and southeast till it joins State Highway 1 at Ravensthorpe. Continue east on State Highway 1 to reach Esperance.
Places of Interest in Esperance
- Cape Le Grand National Park
National park located 56 km (35 mi) to the east of Esperance. - Esperance Museum
A jumble of curios stacked one over the other in this collection of old goods warehouse. Among the items include a 442-tonne steam train and debris from the 1979 crash of Skylab. - Historic Museum Village
Outdoor museum showcasing old buildings that were part of late 19th century Esperance. Among them include the police sergeants quarters, school house and courthouse, today readapted as cafes, art galleries and shops. - Pink Lake
Salt lake in the Goldfields-Esperance region, just 3 km to the west of Esperance.
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