Day 31 (21 May) - Derby to Broome

Last night I posted the blog before we went to see the sunset at the Derby pier.  So here it is, this time without clouds to obstruct it.

It was only a relatively short drive to Broome but nothing in between except a Roebuck Roadhouse about 40km from Broome.  We pulled in for a break and morning tea to be greeted by this sign.

Not much but it seemed to be busy as this is the junction for the Great Northern Highway heading south towards Perth.

Arrived in Broome about midday to stay at RAC Cable Beach Holiday Park for the next 7 nights.  Nice spot under the shade of the trees which is nice in this 33-degree heat.

After we set up, we drove into the Hospital for Helen to have her monthly blood test.  After that we drove around and unexpectedly came to Matso’s Brewery on the outskirts of town.  Had a snack for lunch and of course a Mango Beer which I have come to like.  Unfortunately, it’s bloody expensive at twice the price of a regular beer.  Very nice all the same.

Drove around the inner town centre/China Town and were really surprised at the commercialism since we were here 18 years ago.  Improvements are expected over that time, but it has gone overboard.  We bought tickets at the Sun Outdoor Theatre for Monday night to see ‘The Dry’ with Eric Banna.  A quick shop at Woollies and back to Holiday Park.  Skipping the sunset viewing tonight but will certainly see at least one before we leave.

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Day 32 (22 May) – Broome

Today was a day I’ve been looking forward to.  A flight over the Horizontal Falls (couldn’t get the lake landing tour).  Helen was going to do some sight seeing in Broome as my flight was not returning until about 5pm.  I got picked up at 10.30 from the caravan park and the bus driver collected a few others on the way to the airport.  There was going to be two planes because they had extra people.  We took off over Broome town to the east and then turned north.  We flew at 5,500 feet over the boring Roebuck Plains for an hour.

Then over King Sound.

Before arriving at the Horizontal Falls and doing a couple of circuits.

After that we flew over the 1000 islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago on our way to Cape Leveque.

We flew past Quorn Island where BHP has an iron ore mine.  Terrible scars on the landscape but they are mining here because it has a very rich 67% ore purity.  BHP was fined by the regulator for burying construction equipment instead of shipping it out as it was cheaper to bury it and cop the fine.  The next island was Cockatoo Island which is also being mined.  This mine is closed for not being profitable and the pit is now full of sea water.  In the 1980s, Alan Bond built a resort at the top end of Cockatoo Island before he went bankrupt, and it’s still in use today although very run down.  The airstrip built for the mine is used for tourists for the resort and for another Horizontal Falls tour company,

We landed at Cape Leveque on the gravel airstrip.  This is the airstrip for Kooljamon Wilderness Resort where we will be staying for a couple of nights this week.  By this time I really needed to get out of this cramped plane.  My left hip was killing me and I was not able to straighten my right knee.

We had a nice Barramundi and chips for lunch and then the others on the plane went for a walk along the cliffs and a swim in the bay on the eastern side of the peninsular which is quite safe apparently – no sharks or crocs.  I stayed back and minded the bags as Helen and I will be doing that in a few days when we stay here.

Then back to the plane for the obligatory photo.  Who is that dork in the middle?

It was a one hour flight back to Broome along the beach and cliffs.  The sun was setting and the colours were just stunning.  The pilot zig zagged along the beach so we all could get a good look at the beach, cliffs and sunset.  Just stunning.  There were a lot of campers on the beach too.

As we approached the airport, we flew over the caravan park and landed into the sunset to end a magnificent flight and day out.

Helen’s Highlights/Minnie’s musings

I actually stayed around Cable beach and walked along the beach for a while. Huge expanse of sand before getting to the water. I then went back for a swim in the park pool and planted myself comfortably and read.

 It was a highlight knowing Michael was like a pig in mud enjoying his flight.  I watched him fly over on his return as he kept me informed of his location with regular texts.

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Day 33 (23 May) – Broome

Today we just toured Broome.  We drove down to the Port and walked out along the pier as far as allowed.  Very quiet as it’s a Sunday.  The only action was the fishermen and a ship that came into dock.

Then we drove along a dirt road around the southern point of the peninsular.  There were some magnificent views of the ocean, cliffs, and beaches.  We stopped at an old lighthouse that is still in use although now electric instead of kerosene.

Then it was time to return to Matso’s Brewery for another beer as I had a voucher for a free beer given to me following my flight yesterday.  We heard about some markets at the old courthouse so we dropped by to have a look.  Unfortunately they were packing up when we arrived and then there was not much to see.  There was an advertisement for ‘Brews on the Bay’ at the Mangrove Hotel so we went there and were sadly disappointed as it was supposed to be a food fair and the only food there was an Asian stall and the hotel kitchen itself.  Helen stepped in a piece of chewing gum that some dirty pig had spat on the ground and spent some time trying to get it off.

So we left there and went to Zander’s restaurant at Cable Beach (overlooking the beach) for lunch.  Nice feed, albeit expensive.

We decided to take a chance and drive along Cable Beach itself.  There is a concrete track going down to the beach and a few cars were already there.  So off we went.  Quite spectacular and the sand was rock hard.

By this time, it was mid-afternoon and we went back to a park at the south end of town and to see the remnants of the Catalina flying boats that were attacked and sunk by the Japanese in WWII.  It was low tide and the info I had said that you can see them at low tide.  Not us.  Maybe our eyesight is bad.  So back to the caravan and into the air-conditioning to finish this blog for today.

We walked to the beach to watch the sunset this afternoon.  It’s a popular pastime here in Broome.  Lots of people at the Surf Life Saving Club and a lot down on the beach.  It is spectacular though.

Helen’s Highlights/Minnie’s musings

There was a gallery here next to Matso’s which was the artwork of an artist who paints silos as well as other art works. She has done one in Whyalla in Victoria and is working on starting to do some around Broome next week. Lovely seeing her work.

We drove past a newish estate that the pilot yesterday told Michael was full of million-dollar homes. With that price tag I am wondering how they feel about the extremely poor telephone and internet service here. Cable beach and Broome are high tourist areas, and it is frustrating that the service is so hit and miss or actually just miss.

Complaint of the Day

Michael – “The telephone and internet service is dreadful!”

Helen – I decided I really needed some light-weight shorts as I only had denim ones. Naturally with a ‘Kmart’ and a ‘Best and Less’ I thought I would be right to get some. NO.  All the summer gear is gone in both stores and the clothes are all wintery clothes so no light-weight shorts for me. Obviously, they are controlled by colder climate states. Ridiculous.