This post deviates from the general theme of 3D printing and software curiosities. It is ‘ancient’ history from an old travel blog I was writing while traveling around Australia.
Before we left on our little trip around the country, just about everyone I spoke to winced when I mentioned Meekatharra, with lots of parallels made to Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Cunnamulla. And it didn’t stop: throughout Western Australia when asked where we were headed next, we would gather an additional interesting horror tale about someone who had been to Meekatharra. Yet for the whole time we were in Meekatharra, we did not once get robbed, we did not once get assaulted nor have our car stolen or even broken into. Part of this is in no doubt due in part to good fortune, with the other part being that ‘Magical Meeka’ isn’t really that bad. In the myths I am about to share, there is undoubtedly a hint of truth, but in large I think you will find that they have been extent exaggerated each step down the bush telegraph. For example, one night a kid came into the hospital with cuts on their arms – they had hurt themselves breaking a couple of windows at the school. When the story got back to us via the telegraph it had turned into “Yeah, I heard someone ran round and broke all the windows at the hospital, they then were admitted into the hospital for treatment.”
Myth 1: The town’s only ambulance got stolen; two weeks later the Port Hedland Police rang “Ahhh, are you guys missing an ambulance? We found one dumped up here in Port Hedland.”
Myth 2: While we were in Meekatharra, someone stole a loaded gun when they broke into a house. Meech had just finished telling me about this when someone jiggled at our front door. “Eerrr, did you hear that? Yes? Can you check it out?” Huh? You just finish telling me that some crazy stole a gun and you now want me to investigate a suspect noise outside? Haven’t you seen ANY horror movies? My pasty white nerd skin is sensitive to harsh abrasions of the lead variety.
Myth 3: Meekatharra isn’t that bad anymore, there used to be a group of people that would break into peoples houses with sledge hammers. Just bust a hole into the side of the fibro shack or smack the door down. People would have to cover the holes with tarps – only to have the same robbers come back, climb through the hole and steal from you the next night. People started leaving money out in plain sight, so that they would just take the money and leave the rest of their stuff alone.
Myth 4: I am not going to go into details on this one. It is a horrendous act of animal cruelty.
Yup Meekatharra is definitely a bit rough round the edges and was the place I was most dreading (who wouldn’t after myths like the above?). But you know what? I really liked the place, met some very awesome people. Plus you haven’t really enjoyed a sunset until you have seen one over the range lands around Meekatharra. Nor have you truly experienced film as a medium till you have seen something at the Meekatharra Picture Gardens. Plus if you are a European ex-pat with romantic notions of kangaroos grazing in your front yard… well then real estate in Meekatharra is pretty damn good value.
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