Had plans to visit the Beagle Bay, Lombadina and Ardyloon communities on my way up the Dampier Peninsula. I had my permit to visit community’s downloaded and attached to notes.

Beagle Bay, tick! It was the history that drew me to it. Established as a community in 1890 by French Trappist monks, it has a history of caring for stolen children. After the Trappists left for Palestine, in 1901, the mission was taken over German Pallottines and joined in 1907 by St John of God sisters from Ireland. The Beagle Bay church was completed in 1917 – it has a ceiling made of 4 gallon petrol tins that have been flattened and painted; a team of Aboriginal women decorated the interior with mother of pearl, cowrie, volute and olive snail shells. The result is a church which mixes Christian symbols, European mosaic techniques and “saltwater people” totems: dingoes, snakes, emus, fish, shields and spears.

In 1942 the Japanese invaded the WA coastline. Army Intelligence officers were staioned at Beagle Bay between 1942-44. The last Pallottine missionary left Beagle Bay in 2000. The community is now managed through its incorporated body, the Billard Aboriginal Corporation since 1996.

Author and ethnographer, Daisy Bates, began her life’s work at Beagle Bay Mission in the early 1900’s. Her accounts were among the first attempts at a serious study of Aboriginal Australian culture.

The community of about 300 people have access to a medical centre, bakery, general store, footy and basketball courts, and the Sacred Heart school that caters for kids from kindergarten to Yr 10.

No luck visiting Lombadina – on the day I arrived (checked at the roadhouse before I proceeded further down the road)……there was a community memorial service for one of their youngsters who had died in a car accident. Too sad!

Onwards to Ardyloon, or One Arm Point, also known as Bardi, with a population of about 500. Its hatchery has successfully produced trochus shell including reseeding the reef surrounding the area. Trochus shells are prized for their creamy white pearlescent colouring. Growing on atoll reefs, this sea snail has a conical spiralling shape and a camouflaged exterior allowing it to blend into the bright coral it grows alongside. The shells are used to make mother of pearl buttons, beads, pendants.

According to local indigenous, the name “One Arm Point’ originated from the tale of an unfortunate pearler, who had an accident with dynamite while attempting to catch fish using explosives in the bay.

‘No drones anywhere in the community’ were the signs, so after a brief drive around, off I went to my final destination for the day – Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. Unloaded stuff at bush tent and proceeded to restaurant/bar….and check out the infinity pool overlooking Catamaran Bay, just to the side of the bar!