What I See with Peter Fiorenza: Edith Cowan statue latest figure honoured, highlighting our unique story

This week I attended the unveiling of the Edith Cowan statue here in Geraldton. It was a lovely event that highlighted to me the significance of statues and sculptures in a town or city. These pieces of art help to add to the uniqueness of a place — they help set it apart. That is indeed the case in Geraldton. Those who spoke at the Edith Cowan unveiling ceremony focused on what this special trailblazing woman achieved and her special connection to the Mid West. Born on Glengarry Station east of Geraldton, Cowan, who suffered a tough upbringing, went on to become a lawyer and the first female parliamentarian in Australia. Her statue now stands proudly at the entrance to Edith Cowan Square, across from the courthouse. Cowan is the latest in a string of statues that help tell the story of this little part of the world we live in. And this story is like no other. A couple of hundred metres from the new bronze figure is another unique part of our history. The hero of the Batavia story — Wiebbe Hayes. It was Hayes who triumphantly rescued survivors from the evil clutches of Jeronimus Cornelisz following the wreck of the Batavia at the Abrolhos Islands in 1629. Hayes’ figure looks proudly across Champion Bay. From the foreshore, our history trail tracks its way to the steps of the iconic St Francis Xavier Cathedral and the statue of Monsignor John Hawes and his fox terrier dog, Dominie. Hawes is famous for not only designing the magnificent structure of our Catholic Cathedral, but a renowned trail of architecture throughout the region. Then, it’s up the hill, to the top of Mount Scott, the highest point in Geraldton and the haunting figure of the Waiting Woman cast in bronze at the HMAS Sydney II Memorial. The statue is considered a symbolic figure, one that represents the mothers, wives, sisters and daughters who waited for the return of the 645 sailors lost when the Sydney sank in 1941. These four impressive statues encapsulate a unique blend of history that belongs to no one else. Each, in their own right, bring attention to individual tales that are not common, tales that continue to create interest — simply, because there is nothing like them. Whether it is the story of the gallant Wiebbe Hayes, the fascinating John Cyril Hawes, the poignant waiting woman, or the trailblazing Edith Cowan that grabs your attention, we can truly say it is our story. Fiorenza hosts Sports Shed Saturday (9am to noon) and Fiorenza on Sunday (10am to noon) on Radio MAMA. He can also be heard on Radio Geraldton