WHERE SKY MEETS SEA

ESPERANCE, ALONG THE REMOTE SOUTHERN COAST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA, IS A DESTINATION THAT REWARDS THOSE WILLING TO WANDER OFF THE BEATEN PATH

- KARTIKEYA SHANKAR

IN MAY 1973, THE UNITED STATES AND NASA launched their first space station, Skylab, into orbit. Six years later, fragments of this project rained down upon Esperance, a quiet town in Western Australia-a place so obscure that many Australians knew little of it. With a modest population of around 2,700, Esperance suddenly found itself thrust into the global spotlight.

Seizing the moment, the town's municipality issued a fine of USD 400 to the United States for "littering." In 2009, after nearly three decades, radio show host Scott Barley finally paid the fine on behalf of NASA by raising funds from his morning show listeners. A San Francisco newspaper offered USD 10,000 for the first piece of Skylab debris brought to their office, sparking a frenzy. Stan Thornton, a teenager, won with help from a Perth radio station and Qantas. The event secured Esperance's place in space-age history, attracting curiosity seekers to this gem on the Southern Ocean coastline, about 720 kilometres east-southeast of Perth.

Today, Esperance is home to one of the world's largest collections of Skylab debris. The Esperance Museum houses this extraordinary collection, including an oxygen tank, a nitrogen tank, and various pieces of insulation and metal. This permanent exhibit draws tourists, contributing to the town's sustained tourism industry. Esperance received close to 200,000 visitors in 2023.

"I was in my late thirties when Skylab crashed here. At that time, we seldom saw any tourists," said an 82-year-old local I encountered at the 33 Degrees pub at the Esperance Esplanade overlooking the stunning Bay of Isles.

Beyond its cosmic connection, Esperance

draws visitors to its pristine beaches, diverse wildlife, and rich Aboriginal history. The Indigenous residents, the Esperance Nyungar and the Ngadju, make up 4.1 per cent of the local population.