Today the sun is set to shine and were headed to Albany to explore my family tree. My mums side of the family are all Spencer’s and direct decendents of the founder of Albany sir Richard Spencer. The timing couldn’t be better. There is a family open day planned at his estate called strawberry Hill from 12 – 3pm.
We arrive right on time and as we sign in a mention my bloodine and am ushered of to meet one of the historian’s in the new gallery/ visitor centre where we go through the family tree. We’re missing one piece of the puzzle, the name of Horry my grandfathers fathers name so we put that aside and go through the story of sir Richard Spencer. He was a very active man using his 9 sons to assist clearing land for farming. He was also very humble and accomodating with the local aboriginals giving thennpaid work and access to the land. So I decide to take the Aboriginal land tour that has just started.
There is an indigenous lady called mumma and her son who is a local aboriginal craft and history teacher for both aboriginals and other nationalities. We go through thebloacl plants and what there used for as well as stories about corroborees. We end with a rare red gum tree called Marri. It’s native to southern WA only and its sap has medicinal purposes including curing types of cancer as well as its main purpose being whatbhe called a flush out or as we know it a detox. He scrapes some of the tree a d offers it to the adults only and warns us you only need a small amount. About a nail full! I jump at the opportunity and heapsnof others follow.
We then go through the main estate and one of the guides is informed of my 5th generation blood line and gets very excited then takes me on a private tour.
We get photographed by the local paper the Albany advertiser and thank everyone for the extra attention. Then we visit Richards grave and hit the road back to Denmark.
I fit in a last fishing trip with the boys on the inlet. Leo catches his 1st fish every!
Tanya has a flood in the caravan which promotes a big clean up before we hit the road tomorrow.
