Broome

August 8, 2017

A boab tree - we must be in the Kimberleys.

sunset @ Cable Beach

the camels knocking off for the night









odometer reading 62,553
kms travelled today 195
kms travelled so far 12,722
campsite Broome Caravan Park

August 9, 2017

We drove out to Gantheaume Point but the prehistoric dinosaur footprints are only visible at low tide (today before sunrise & after sunset)

this is a concrete copy

this is the view of Cable Beach from Gantheaume Point
I love the contrast of the red dirt with the white sand

We went to the Mangrove Hotel after visiting the markets at Town Beach

Great place to watch the moon rise across the mud flats at Roebuck Bay

an iPhone doesn't do this scene justice - the moon was really red as it rose

this is a photo of a postcard - but this is how it looked to us


the illusion of a staircase to the moon











odometer 62,637
kms travelled today 84
kms travelled so far 12,806
campsite Broome Caravan Park

Port Hedland & Barn Hill Station

August 5, 2017

We think that every road train in Australia was on our road today - coming & going
the road from Newman to Port Hedland.
BHP Billiton claim to have the world's largest trains along this route (to rival Rio Tinto's Tom Price to Point Samson) so what's with all the trucks with 4 carriages??
To add to this there was 20kms of bridge/road works to contend with!

I couldn't get any closer & I did try to zoom - but there's 23 or more ships out on the horizon @ Port Hedland

The next time you put salt on your meal remember that we saw bulldozers & tip trucks driving all over Dampier Salt's Stockpile :)










odometer reading 61,864
kms travelled today 436
kms travelled so far 12,033
campsite Port Hedland DP @ Race Course - there had to be 50 caravans @ this free park
Port Hedland claims to be the gateway to the Pilbara - well for us it's the exit gate.

July 6, 2017

We travelled to Barn Hill Station

the caravans you see are dotted along the edge of the unpowered sites - where we are

We walked along the beach from our camp site & this is what we found
beautiful beach
beautiful rocks

check out the moon rising! good photo Les!







odometer reading 62,358
kms travelled today 494
kms travelled so far 12,527
campsite Barn Hill Beachside Station Stay

July 7, 2017

I did Tai Chi for an hour in the red sand along with 20 or so other holidaymakers.

Les walked up Barn Hill. What's the saying? Only Mad Dogs & Englishmen go out in the noonday sun.
The cairn atop Barn Hill is an historical landmark left by Alexander Forrest during his expedition to the Kimberleys in1879.

(Please do not tamper with or add to the cairn)

some people come here every year - Sunday night is Roast night with music & Monday night is bowls

today the 'green' was watered, mowed, patched & rolled

a big event in Barn Hill












odometer reading 62,358
kms travelled today 0
kms travelled so far 12,527
campsite Barn Hill Beachside Station Stay

Tom Price & Karijini National Park

August 2, 2017

We travelled on the Rio Tinto Road to Tom Price
the road follows the train line

Many trains - I counted 234 carriages on 1 train, 3 engines

lots of red dust on everything!















odometer reading 61,014
kms travelled today 248
kms travelled so far 11,183
campsite Tom Price Tourist Park

August 3, 2017

The car had a service & then got 'driven into the deep end' straight away - up Mount Nameless in 4WD in low gear

What is left of Mt Tom Price - a lot of iron ore has come out of this hole

Hamersley Gorge

stunning rocks!











odometer reading 61,198
kms travelled today 184
kms travelled so far 11,367
campsite Tom Price Tourist Park

August 4, 2017

We drove to Karijini National Park

Fortescue Falls from the cliff top

we walked down to the falls & then along to Fern Pool

lots of ferns :)

we then walked from Fern Pool along the bottom of Dale's Gorge - Les thought the rocks needed steadying

while I went barefoot for lots of the class 3 walking trail

we reached circular pool & then climbed back up the cliff - not like stairs at all - more like a rock wall climbing course

this is the view of circular pool from the top
(in the centre in the shadows)
 we then walked back along the rim of Dale's Gorge to our starting point

who would have thought?












odometer reading 61,428
kms travelled today 230
kms travelled so far 11,597
campsite Tom Price Tourist Park

Millstream Chichester National Park

July 31, 2017

Python Pool

Les decided to take a dip

in the middle of nowhere













odometer reading 60,755
kms travelled today 171
kms travelled so far 10,924
campsite Miliyanha Campground, Millstream Chichester National Park - reached over very corrugated roads that caused some rattle damage

August 1, 2017

varied vegetation on the walks

Millstream Palms - Homestead walk, Millstream wetlands
they used to have a tennis court here made from termite mounds
also - the Chinese gardener grew veggies where rice & cotton used to grow

Snappy gum on the Warrungunha Trail

from the cliff top walk

Fortescue River @ Deep Reach













odometer reading 60,766
kms travelled today 11
kms travelled so far 10,935
campsite Miliyanha campground

Robe River, Point Samson

July 26, 2017

We've seen this sign a few times on our travels

Robe River











odometer reading 60,047
kms travelled today 400
kms travelled so far 10,216
campsite Robe River Rest Area

July 27, 2017

We've seen lots of wildflowers along the way - these are by far my favourites

Point Samson











odometer reading 60,247
kms travelled today 200
kms travelled so far 10,416
campsite The Cove Caravan Park Point Samson

July 28, 2017

We drove to Cleaverville to check out the free camping there & then back into Roebourne for the visitors' Centre.
Here we had to watch a 20 min video & pay $1 to obtain a Rail Access Road Permit in order to travel on Rio Tinto's private road to Tom Price & onto Karijini National Park (Monday)

Then we visited Cossack, originally home to the North West's first pearling industry which was over fished so the industry moved to Broome. When a jetty was built @ Point Samson this also contributed to the decline of the town & by 1950 it was abandoned.

We thought this looked like a boab tree.







odometer reading 60,362
kms travelled today 115
kms travelled so far 10,531
campsite The Cove Caravan Park Point Samson

July 29, 2017

Les went out crabbing with Ken (met @ Cliff Head South, caught up with in Carnarvon & again here)
They brought back a few blue swimmers but no muddies today.

Les took a drive to Dampier - where he met Red Dog - & onto Karratha












odometer reading 60,548
kms travelled today 186
kms travelled so far 10,717
campsite The Cove Caravan Park Point Samson

July 30, 2017

Together with Jane & Ken we had a fish & chip lunch @ the Wickham SLSC/Yacht Club. $12 for a packet of barramundi & chips - great taste!

Ken directed us up a hillside for the view of the mine & coast. centre horizon where the trees are is where we had lunch

odometer reading 60,584

kms travelled today 36

kms travelled so far 10,753

campsite The Cove Caravan Park Point Samson

Exmouth

June 22, 2017

Exmouth has a Big Prawn :)

Exmouth was created in 1967 because of USA's communication needs during the COLD WAR.
The 13 towers that comprise the main VLF (very low frequency) transmitter cover an area of 1,000 acres. Tower Zero in the centre is 389 metres high & sits on massive concrete foundations buried up to 17 metres deep. Zero is taller than the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building & Sydney Tower




odometer reading 59,426
kms travelled today 229
kms travelled so far 9,595
campsite Exmouth Cape Holiday Park

June 23, 2017

We travelled into Cape Range National Park as far as Yardie Creek - the only gorge in the area with permanent water (saltwater)

we went on a boat tour

hidden within the safety of the gorge walls is a colony of rare back-footed rock wallabies.

the rock walls were stark & beautiful

heading back into town we stopped to have a look at the wreck of the SS Mildura - a 1907 cattle steamer shipwreck











odometer reading 59,639
kms travelled today 213
kms travelled so far 9,808
campsite Exmouth Cape Holiday Park

July 24, 2017

these signs are all around town

they hang around town!

is this the closest we'll get to the whale sharks?











odometer reading 59,647
kms travelled today 8
kms travelled so far 9,816
campsite Exmouth Cape Holiday Park

July 25, 2017

7.15am early start to catch a boat

listening to the skipper

we saw lots of dolphins

Les went snorkelling

and we did see whale sharks - Les got closer than me :)

Les got further underwater

We had a great day
we're at the back right hand side of the group










odometer reading 59,647
kms travelled today 0
kms travelled so far 9,816
campsite Exmouth Cape Holiday Park