Saturday, April 7, 2012

Picnic at Wave Rock

Yesterday was a good Friday for us. We went on a 345km road trip to Wave Rock. I have wanted to hang ten on "the wave" since I was a little girl and yesterday, finally, I did. There will be embarrassing pics of me trying my hardest (and failing!) to do the surfie chick thing soon enough, but there are other interesting things we saw on our journey there that I'd like to share with you first. Like the Corrigin Dog Cemetery. Yes. Really.


The Corrigin Dog Cemetery was established in 1974 by Paddy Wright following the death of his best mate Strike. It is the final resting place for over 80 well-loved pooches. If you feel like having your heart strings tugged, it is definetely the place to go. Honestly, you'd have to have a heart of stone not to be touched by this slightly wonky pet cemetery, in the middle of the bush.

Our little wander through the cemetery was quite a sniffly one, although I have to admit, our own loyal pooch, the Jedster, didn't show quite the same reverence and respect for his dearly departed doggie "brothers" as we did...he happily cocked his leg on more than a few of their graves (much to the girls dismay..."Muuuum, Jed's weeing on Shep's grave!")

Here are a few graves I found particularly touching
(got your tissues ready?)

Paddy's best friend Strike, the hound who started it all...

Rusty, faithful companion, loved by all who met him. Awwww.

This is Lassie's grave (not as famous, but just as loved as his namesake)

oh Tiny!
just the name was enough to start me blubbing

sometimes words aren't necessary...

is it o.k. to admit I like the tiles on this one?

and the concrete mosaics on this one?

I hope she is...

The last grave I'll show you is very special. It belongs to
faithful, loveable Rob and his master Reg. I can only presume Reg's ashes were scattered on Bob's grave by his family. The headstone reads: Finally at peace now. Resting with his old mate and friend Bobby. I bet that has you reaching for your tissues. 


I'll return on a less sombre note to share more of our trip in a few days x

p.s. Corrigin is 235km South-East of Perth. More info here  

20 comments:

  1. I was just about to ask where it was and you bet me to it. I didn't even know there were pet cemeteries how sad. Can't wait to see the pic of you "surfing the wave." x

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  2. What an interesting excursion - I have never been to a pet cemetry!

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  3. Oh my goodness Kylie - this is so sweet and so touching. Especially the last one! And as you say its the home-made nature of them all that make them sooo heartfelt and tissue inducing.

    I took off word verification recently as I also think its annoying (especially when you are going blind like I am!) but then I noticed I was starting to get spam. I'm trying to see if I can keep it under control but I may have to re-introduce it as well!

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  4. I like the idea of it, that way you wouldn't feel like you'd deserted your pooch when you move house and leave their bones under the apple tree!

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  5. Is it wrong that I'm smiling? Please pretend it's normal to be amused by a real pet cemetery.
    Look forward to seeing your other snapshots. Enjoy the rest of Easter.

    Lucy x

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  6. I did have a bit of a sniff at this post - never had a dog, but many many much loved pets are enjoying their eternal rest in my mum's back garden (and the wasteground just over the road). We're off to Edinburgh soon, and will no doubt be seeing the memorial to Greyfriars Bobby (dog who kept watch over his master's grave)

    Enjoy the rest of your trip and happy Easter xx

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  7. Awwww, that did make me a little sad. My constant companion, a 10-year-old shih tzu named Mister Ming, is getting older, and I have had to come to terms with the fact that I'll lose him someday.

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    1. Dana, that's sad. I felt the same way about my dog as he got older. I found it very hard to change my way of thinking about him ... that he was getting slower and slept longer during the day. I think they always remain as puppies in our minds. I hope Mr Ming lives to a ripe old age with great Asian dignity.

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  8. I did plan on getting a bit teary about the subject of this post, but fair-dinkum snorted when I read your comments about the tiles.

    I thought the same thing the minute I saw the first of the two photos ... shocking, I know.

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  9. Oh Lucy! What a heartwarming but heartwrenching place - the dog cemetery! It really is a testament to the way there can be such a bond of friendship between humans and animals, it's a little close to the bone at the moment as my parents told me a couple of weeks ago that they don't expect one of our family dogs, Kea, to last much longer :-( I remember when we picked her up as a puppy!

    Jem xXx

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  10. Sorry ... not a tissue in sight! Does that make me hard-hearted! Did chuckle over the black and white spotty one, though ;)!

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  11. Ahh, I'm not really a doggie person but substitute cats, and I totally get it. Though I chuckled at disrespectful Jed and his weeing! xxxx

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  12. aahh i was ok until the last one bless them both mans best friend. I to like those tiles ;-)) Sounds like you had a wonderful trip look forward to seeing the rest of your photo's, dee x

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  13. one word on the pet cemetery: eerie. this classifies in the little book of TRUE STORIES, by talking heads, and it does make me chuckle.
    but i understand too, that there's people who love their pets dearly.
    hungry for more of your trip, i think.
    n♥

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  14. aah bless the dog graveyard! I do love a good graveyard but never been to a pet one! Scarlett x

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  15. Maybe your dog was showing his own kind of respect? :)We have a pet cemetry on 'The Farm' which is some family land. I think there is a kitten (who was killed by it's Mum!!), a dog a goat and a sheep!

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  16. Hmm, I thought I had put in a comment but it's not there. likely got called away at the last minute. Thanks for sharing this and no not bad that you think those tiles are nice! :)

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  17. Oh that spotty tombstone! Looking forward to wave rock pics- curious to see if you were trying to hide any eggs there- could be tricky. melx

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  18. Doing a bit of catch up reading this week and I can't believe how many fascinating things you've seen and places you've been to lately. I'm so glad you took the time to do the dog cemetary, quirky, touching and interesting.

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