DAY 23 21st August Broome to Port Hedland

DAY 23

21st August

Broome to Port Hedland

First day of our "Convoy"! 10 vehicles packed and ready to roll at 7am. Well we did it! Actually left at 6.50am. The road is very boring down the west coast so far. No animals just scrubby low bushes. A few red sabd dunes from the edge of the Great Sandy Desert. Called in to Sandfire Roadhouse for morning tea and was greeted by the welcoming committee of Peacocks.

Nev and his mates

The Convoy



We then headed into Port Hedland renowned for its port and iron ore. Ships the largest amount in the world from this port. Huge road trains all the way down the highway. The town consists of mining cars and huge trucks. There are also large solar salt ponds everywhere and they sip that as well. Interesting place but not pretty.

Iron ore trains can be 682 cars long.
Everything here is enormous!!







DAY 22 20th August Broome

DAY 22

20th August

Broome

We all got up early to go the Gaunthanume Point at low tide to see original dinasours footprints in the ancient rock. They are only visible at low tide which happened to be at 6.30am!! We clamboured down the rocks and found 2 prints. The original light house keeper alsobuilt a pool in the rock for his arthritic wife.

Dinasour footprint

Anastasia's Pool and our shadows!

Quiet day after that around town and packing up and food shopping before we head off down the west coast. Went to Pearl Luggers for a talk on the history of the pearl industry in Broome and the differences between pearls. Very interesting and extremely cruel in the early days using aborigines as slave labour.

At Broome we set up our camp with the awnings as we were therefor 5 days. This was our campsite.

                                                                  Our full campsite

DAY 21 19th August Broome

DAY 21

19th August

Broome

Up at 4.30am today as we are being picked up 5.20am for our Horizontal Waterfall Day. We went to the airport and boarded a seaplane for Buccaneer Archipelago and the Horizontal Falls. We flew over 1000s of islands and landed in the waters of Talbot Bay near a pontoon where you can stay the night. We had a cuppa and boarded a 500hp high powered rib "Jet Stream" to go through the falls the water was moving very fast and this was really exciting. Then back to pontoon for a swim in the shark cage and a cooked breakfast egg and bacon rolls, cereal, fruit and yogurt. Then back to the boat to go down Cyclone Creek and look at the stunning scenery. The colours are amazing and the rock formations are very interesting. Back to the pontoon for a change of boats and into a smaller 600hp rib for a very fast trip through both falls, the gaps are very small and water is flowing extremely fast.This was pretty amazing ride. We then boarded the seaplane and flew to One Arm Point andgot in to a 4x4 truck and visited a turtle hatchery. From here we went by truck to Cape Leveque for a barra lunch in the restaurant and then on to Beagle Bay for a cuppa and visit the old church with a peral shell alter. Then a bumpy 100km ride back to Broome arriving about 4.30pm. A very big day but unreal!!

Seaplane

Horizontal Falls from the air



The pontoon in Talbot Bay

500hp rib

DAY 20 18th August Broome

DAY 20

18th August

Broome

The boys went down to the Jetty to try their luck at fishing as the tide was right. Of course caught nothing! The girls went to town and looked at the shops. Met back at camp for lunch. Went in to China Town part of Broome and had a walk around.

Nev on the jetty

The colours are beautiful

Had to be at Cable Beach at 4pm for our camel ride. All drove down to the beach lucky the races were on (The Broome Cup) as it was not as crowded as usual. We drove down onto the sand and all parked in a row. We met our camels and had some photos and headed off on our trek down the beach. Our camel was Wangai and he was a youngster at 8years of age.

Wangai and us

The camel train on Cable Beach!!

Long shadows looked good

Went out to a restaurant at cable Beach for dinner for Fitzies birthday tonight a nice ending to another great day.

DAY 19 17th August Broome

DAY 19

17th August

Broome

Changed sites this morning so we could put up our little awning out the back as we are here for 5 nights, just gives a bit more shade and privacy. We are all camped together there are10 vehicles now all 20 people are here. Went into Broome and did a bit of shopping and lots of washing. Had to get a new windscreen asa chip we got on the Tanami had increased to a large crack right across the screen. Had lunch in town and headed for Malcolm Douglass Wildlife Park for the afternoon. It was good only a single wire fence between the crocodiles and us. You normally can't get so close. Wlaked all aroung and then watched athe show feeding a number of crocs and alligators and lots of infomation.

Mean looking!

Feeding time








Malcolm's Vehicle
He also has a good display of Australian birds there as well.

We then went down to the long jetty for the sunset.

We went back to camp for a welcome to everyone drink of champers and a bit of a talk about the trip.

Day 18 16th August Windjana Gorge to Broome

DAY 18

16th August

Windjana Gorge to Broome

We wanted to do the Gorge walk before we left today. Not a long way to go. We set off with our water and cameras. WOW!! what beautiful scenery, different from the other gorges very grey rocks and some red ones but water in the gorge and freshwater crocodiles everywhere.
Guess what Bob? We could see the barramundi in the water BUT there is NO fishing or NETTING! Nev was drooling watching them! The gorge is actually an ancient barrier reef system, limestone gorge and natural pools. We saw fruit bats, crocodiles, barra and lots of other fish and birds. The walk was 7km return and runs along the Lennard River. It was a great walk and we were back after taking lots of pictures about 9.30am.

                                                  Nev being very brave near a freshie!!

We left Windjana and headed for Derby. Drove to the jetty and had lunch there.While we were there a man caught a huge mullaway from the jetty. He didn't know what it was so he got his fish book out of hispocket to look it up. Another guy actually landed it for him and showed him how to hold it under the gills, he was so excited he was shaking. Good Fish!!!
After lunch headed pff to see The Prison Tree and Myalls Bore.The prison tree was used to hold aborigines waiting to be transported by police years ago. The Myall Bore is the longest one in the world and feeds 500 head of  cattle at a time.

Myall Bore and water trough

Prison Tree

Nev reckons I have let myself go since we have been away and put on some weight!!!

On to Broome arrived quite late and we are staying in a caravan park not really our cup of tea. We have a powered site which we do;t need and we were put on a slab. Not happy so will change sites in the morning. Met up with Wendy, Paul, Noelene, Stan, Peter, Robyn and jack and Pam are here now. The rest arrive tomorrow.

DAY 17 15th August Bungles to Windjana Gorge NP

Day 17

15th August
Bungle Bungles to Windjana Gorge



Scenery on the way

Left before the other as we have further to go. We wanted to stay the night at Windjana Gorge National Park and they went to Fitzroy Crossing Caravan Park. After the 53 kms out of the Bungles the road is bitumen. The boab trees are amazing! They look like old men along the side of the road.  Pulled in to Mary River for morning tea not much water but pretty river banks and old trees. Continued on to Fitzroy Crossing for lunch and got some information about Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge. Had hot chips for lunch a bit of a treat to day. Headed off on a dirt road to Tunnel Creek it was about 3.45pm so just enough time to walk through the creek. It was pitch black inside with freezing water about knee deep in places and bats. Very amazing place hasn't changed since we were here 23 years ago. Still great to see it all again. Continued on to Windjana Gorge National Park and pulled in for the night.There was a group of aboriginal women and girls helping some Perth uni students researching the plants of the area. Set up our camp and had an early night, long day and pretty tired.

Nev letting tyres down for more dirt near a Baob tree


Tunnel Creek is 750m long and runs through the Napier Range, it hastalactities descending from the roof.

 Tunnel Creek

DAY 16 14th August Bungle Bungles

Day 16

14th August Bungle Bungles

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUSSELL AND MUM J.!!

Hope you both have a great day!

It was a very cold night. Up bright and early. Robyn and Peter and Noelene went for a helicopter flight this morning (we did this last time we were here). We are moving camp to the northern camp “Kurrajong” tonight. We had a very long chat to Betty and Gerard, checked out their car and Nev discussed all the technical things and Betty and I checked out the inside of each others’ vehicles  before  heading off, will catch up with others later. Found our new campsite and headed off for the longer walks. The walks were to Echidna Chasm and Mini Palms Gorge. These involved a bit of clambouring over rocks but really worth it. This is such an amazing place. Very hot today and we were the only ones doing the Mini Palms walk. The wildflowers are beautiful with a small type of wattle flower showing up against thered rocksand green leaves. Looks really pretty.

Mini Palms Gorge



Echidna Chasm



Echidna Chasm

Wildflowers

End of a tiring day walking at th Bungles!


Mini Palm Valley