Kununurra to Broome

The weather is becoming warmer as we head out along the Great Northern Highway. 

 Fortunately for the first day we are mainly travelling south away from the direct sun so the air conditioner can stay off.  The road takes us down to Turkey Creek which is mainly just a roadhouse (but with gas) so filled up and an icecream under our belt we head for our first overnight rest stop at Leycesters Rest on the banks of the Ord River.

                                             the mighty Ord River in its early stages

We had hoped to venture out to the Bungle Bungles however the 52km dirt road was still closed to 2wd vehicles and certainly no vans could be taken out there.  The road report we read advised that there were still 3 water crossings to traverse so this area will have to wait till another day.

The campsite rest area is quite large, not a lot of shade and is above the river bed where the old road crossed the river by causeway.  After setting up we were able to take a walk down to the causeway and marvel at the width and the beauty of the river still with running water beneath the causeway.  This is the mighty river that runs into Lake Argyle where we stayed and then out to the coast at Wyndham.  Having seen the amount of water at one end it was interesting to see the river closer to its source in the mountains.

Cattle and horses are the main animals we have seen along this stretch of highway.  Also plenty of eagles feeding on road kill along the way.  We continue to marvel at the scenery and the vista changes constantly.  Our aim is to the do this trip at an earlier time in the year so as to hopefully avoid the smoke haze that is everywhere and prevents the view from being clear as it stretches to the horizon.  After Turkey Creek we come to Halls Creek and find it is quite a busy community.  Again gas to be had from the roadhouse (even a Coles Express Shell) so the 4c ticket came in handy.

some of the passing scenery

Lots of Boab trees everywhere and the greenery is the evidence of the great wet season earlier this year.  Creeks and rivers are sometimes dry but quite often there will be large waterholes looking cool and clear.

We called into one – Little Panton River – with another causeway, this time covered with water ankle deep so took advantage of the opportunity to get some water and wash the solar panel on top of the van.  Well Lawrie did, I took the photos and waded in the water.  This is a spot we plan to come back to next trip and spend a couple of days.  Not a large camp area but oh so beautiful with all those gum trees for shade.

            Little Panton River where we (well he) washed the solar panel on the top of the van.

We find another freebie (Mary Pool) on the Mary River and wow what a great spot for a lay over.  Lots of shade, lots of sand in the river, along with water and lots of other happy campers.  We counted over 30 that first night ranging from folks in a sedan and putting up small tents to campervans and caravans, yet there was plenty of room for all.  No one would have felt squashed close to another.  This spot was so great we decided to spend two nights.  We met up with another couple who had come on Friday and were hoping to spend nearly a week.  No problem with that as there were plenty of rubbish bins, toilets and even a dump point.  We used the water from the river for washing and for our showers so that helped save the water in the van’s tanks for important things like drinking.

a camp 'mate' at Mary Pool

fortunately her friends are further away

Thought we better push on towards Broome and reached Fitzroy Crossing, wow what a river. 

Fitzroy River from the road bridge

                                                             the 'old' Fitzroy River crossing

                                     the entry/exit at each end looks the same, soft sand so ????

So much water and as said before this is late in the ‘dry’ so what must it have looked like earlier this year.  You can see the vast flood plains as you drive out of the small village and now the road tends to straighten out and when you crest a small rise the road continues way out in front of you as far as the eye can see.  Cattle are resting under the trees around water as the day heats up and the smoke haze still around makes it look ‘hot’.

We spend another night at a rest stop before driving the 170km into Derby for a look around.  Again by morning cuppa time it is quite warm so we look for shade to park in.  This is not abundant in Derby but we do find a spot down a side street and take advantage of that before driving to the wharf area and taking a walk around the circuit. 

the wharf at low tide

Derby was the first town established in the Kimberley (1883) and cattle and wool were exported from here until the introduction of carrying cattle by trucks to the southern markets brought about the closing of the wharf in the 1970’s.  The wharf was again reopened in the 1990’s for the transportation of lead and zinc.  Derby is known to have Australia’s highest tides where the high tide can rise by up to 11m.  The tidal mud flats are exposed when the tide falls and the drive to the jetty takes you out past this area.   King Sound is also the mouth of the Fitzroy river and there are mangroves all around the water’s edge. 

We also visited the Prison Boab which is reputed to be approx. 1500 yrs old.  Legend is that during the time of the rounding up of the young Indigenous men of the Kimberley they were walked for many miles over days at a time to Derby and the last rest stop was at this Boab tree near the Myall Bore.  The bore is 330m deep and the trough was built in 1916/17 to water the herds being driven to Derby for transportation by ship.  The trough is said to be the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. 

After leaving Derby and rejoining the highway we again cross the Fitzroy River and then experience a large area of flood plain.  There are few trees but plenty of grassy vegetation and the road is long and straight with just gentle undulations.   It is only 170km to Broome but as it is rather hot by this time we plan to stop at the rest area approx. 115km from Broome.  A large roomy area there is no problem finding a spot and we even scored some shade so that was a bonus.  We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting outside reading and taking it easy.  Talking to my sister the next day from Broome we find out that it had been 39 degrees so no wonder we felt hot.

Rested and refreshed with 5 free nights under our belt since leaving Kununurra we arrived in Broome before cuppa time.  We have booked in for at least 3 nights and with a view like we have... why not? 

Fortunately a little cooler than yesterday we can take our time to explore this town of approx. 15,000 people.  Broome was settled in the early 1800’s by sheep pastoralists after William Dampier, the first recorded European landed in 1688.  It is said that he came ashore to bury a treasure chest.  Wonder if it was ever found??

Those early pastoralists discovered beds of the giant silver-lip pearl oyster (mother of pearl shell) which was in great demand in Europe and America for making buttons.  As the supply in shallow water became reduced the need for diving in deeper water grew and the local Indigenous people were used to free dive in depths up to 10m.  In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s Japanese divers were recruited to use the bulky helmet type dive suits in order to reach the deeper depths.  In the 1950’s mother of pearl was replaced by polyester for the making of buttons and the first cultured pearl farm was established in the area.  There are now many pearl farms in the unpolluted water around Broome.

Pearl Lugger display in Broome

honouring those brave men who went to the depths for the pearl shell