Wanton Destruction at Yanchep

Fishing below the Mary Lindsay Homestead at Yanchep in 2011.
In 1933 Mary Lindsay wrote to the Editor of The West Australian Newspaper the following:
YANCHEP BEACH RESERVE

Sir, May I make an appeal to people who come to Yanchep Beach to restrain their vandalism. The beach is one of the finest and the Government, recognising this, has made a reserve of 40 acres for the benefit of the public, opposite one of the finest fishing reefs in any country. Bathing behind this reef is always sheltered, but 150 yards north of it splendid surfing can be enjoyed. There is at the south end of the camping reserve an almost land-locked bathing pool about a quarter of a mile long that is ideal for the enjoyment of children and non-swimmers. The land below and above this reserve constitutes my farming land, and I have for the last seven years tried to add to the convenience of the public, but they have responded by the utmost vandalism, so that now I am forced to keep someone on watch at week ends and holidays to protect my surrounding property. To mention only a few instances of wanton destruction. I have a well on the edge of the camping ground with splendid water, whereas the Government well is brackish, and situated between rocks that make it impossible of approach except by the very active. I, therefore, threw open my well to the public with the result that over twenty times I have had the 50ft. of rope necessary for the wheel to bring up water stolen. I should say well over 100 buckets or petrol tins have been stolen in the last few years. This well is out of action at present. The well is 49ft. deep, and all but the first 17ft., which are boarded in, being blasted through solid stone, and the man who was let down, after a car party camped there some time ago, to see the extent of cleaning required, found it had been filled with all sorts of rubbish, old books, clothing, empty food tins, and the aforesaid stone to a depth of over four feet. As it would be at least a full day's work for two men to bring all this up, it remains as it is — useless to the public, who have to walk some distance to my house to get water or else go without tea at their picnics. This year larger numbers than usual are coming to this camping ground on horses or in horse-drawn conveyances, and at special request I placed a large iron drum for water for their horses beside this well. Last Sunday the water was emptied out of this, and a party made their fire in it and did their cooking, with the result that one side was burnt through. For the rest of the summer, as far as I am concerned, people's horses can go thirsty. On a wet day some time ago a party in a large motor car broke into the kitchen of the hostel, and to dry their clothes and warm themselves they made a roaring fire in the oven instead of the fireplace, thus burning through an almost new stove; so I have had to replace it. I could fill columns with other acts of vandalism done by people who come to the beach in expensive cars, which fact I would like to emphasise because most of the destruction has been done by people in a position to know better. Yours, etc. MARY LINDSAY. Yanchep Estate.

Here is a photo of one side of her house taken this week.

In dire need of restoration and hopefully turned into a place for the public to take some pride in.