Yallingup’s Caves House hotel was closed for renovations in 2003/4. The reno’s took some time and there were complaints when it was still closed for NYE 2004/05. It seemed to drag on forever.
Former Surfboard Manufacturer and Surfing WA President Tom Blaxell was there with his mate Martin Dempsey to enjoy the last beer before the bar was closed for reno’s.
These are Tom’s ‘last beer’ recollections.
The builders had moved in and Martin Dempsey and I were fortunate to know the caretaker, who let us stay in the old wooden Annexe out the front of Caves House. The builders were going to hoe into the bar the next day.
The following picture features Dave Williams riding in 69 State Titles held at Yalls. The original photo appeared on the front page of the West Australian from memory. It was poignant to me because I met Dave as a member of the Dolphin Surfriders around 1966 and of course the pic features a dolphin.
Photo: 2003/4 Tom in the front bar on the night before bar renovations. In the background is the painting of Dave Williams & the surfing dolphin at Yallingup. Photo courtesy Tom Blaxell.
Dolphins Surfriders Club had some movie footage of Dave and friends surfing Trigg Point in 59 on what would have been some of the first fibreglass boards imported into WA .
Dave sadly recently passed away, but will be fondly remembered by the many he touched with his ever abundant enthusiasm for life.
Photo: 2003/4 Tom and Martin on the same night in the front bar. It shows the last scratching’s on the darts blackboard before the bar was closed down for reno’s. Photo courtesy Tom Blaxell.
The Caves House caretaker, Woodsy, also put the shivers up me by telling me the ghost story of a lady called Molly, who apparently hung herself in a room upstairs. The story goes that she was there for her honeymoon, but became aware of her groom cheating on her and overcome with the grief of betrayal took her own life.
We went upstairs to the room, which overlooks the beer garden and I was overcome with a palpable haunted feeling. I didn’t get a lot of sleep that night because down in the deserted Annexe there were a lot of creaks and noises and my imagination was on high alert!
The other story of course is regarding the ghost track, which I have to say hasn’t given me the same feelings. Then there were the séances with Doc Naylor down in the Surfside cabins, seemingly communicating with Mick Henryon, the guy who drowned out at Yalls. A little spooky as well.
I remember there was a lot of annoyance from the locals about being displaced from their watering hole.
Yallingup’s Caves House hotel was closed for renovations in 2003/4. The reno’s took some time and there were complaints when it was still closed for NYE 2004/05. It seemed to drag on forever.
Former Surfboard Manufacturer and Surfing WA President Tom Blaxell was there with his mate Martin Dempsey to enjoy the last beer before the bar was closed for reno’s.
These are Tom’s ‘last beer’ recollections.
The builders had moved in and Martin Dempsey and I were fortunate to know the caretaker, who let us stay in the old wooden Annexe out the front of Caves House. The builders were going to hoe into the bar the next day.
The following picture features Dave Williams riding in 69 State Titles held at Yalls. The original photo appeared on the front page of the West Australian from memory. It was poignant to me because I met Dave as a member of the Dolphin Surfriders around 1966 and of course the pic features a dolphin.
Photo: 2003/4 Tom in the front bar on the night before bar renovations. In the background is the painting of Dave Williams & the surfing dolphin at Yallingup. Photo courtesy Tom Blaxell.
Dolphins Surfriders Club had some movie footage of Dave and friends surfing Trigg Point in 59 on what would have been some of the first fibreglass boards imported into WA .
Dave sadly recently passed away, but will be fondly remembered by the many he touched with his ever abundant enthusiasm for life.
Photo: 2003/4 Tom and Martin on the same night in the front bar. It shows the last scratching’s on the darts blackboard before the bar was closed down for reno’s. Photo courtesy Tom Blaxell.
The Caves House caretaker, Woodsy, also put the shivers up me by telling me the ghost story of a lady called Molly, who apparently hung herself in a room upstairs. The story goes that she was there for her honeymoon, but became aware of her groom cheating on her and overcome with the grief of betrayal took her own life.
We went upstairs to the room, which overlooks the beer garden and I was overcome with a palpable haunted feeling. I didn’t get a lot of sleep that night because down in the deserted Annexe there were a lot of creaks and noises and my imagination was on high alert!
The other story of course is regarding the ghost track, which I have to say hasn’t given me the same feelings. Then there were the séances with Doc Naylor down in the Surfside cabins, seemingly communicating with Mick Henryon, the guy who drowned out at Yalls. A little spooky as well.
I remember there was a lot of annoyance from the locals about being displaced from their watering hole.
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