It's race day in Derby, and we're going to the races. Ash, Maz and i got the courtesy bus from our caravan park into the track and had our first drinks at lunch. We put our bets on the 5 races and settled in on the grassy lawn under the sun kicking back taking in the day. Maz and i were a bit hit and miss but Ash was on a roll winning in every race, helping out her drinking cause for the day;) They have a special licence for two-up which was played with 50's flying everywhere and us just watching on. A great day and night out with Maz even filling her tent haha. It was then farewell to Derby, via the Prison Boab Tree and hello to Broome.
The Prison Boab Tree where they held prisoners overnight before walking into Derby
Expensive but beautiful. We watched sunsets on Cable Beach while playing soccer and frisbee, caught up with Cam and Sarah, had cheap Tuesday pizzas in the carpark and overpriced thai the other. We then all decided to do the offroad trip upto Cape Leveque and Maz invited a guy she'd met earlier in her travels, Ben. Although we'd been warned, this was the roughest and most corrugated road that we had driven on our whole trip yet... and we took Carmen! It was more than worth it when we got up there though. One of those true postcard kind of places, everywhere you looked a vibrant colour strikes your eyes and you just sit back and take it in. We had an arvo swim at the beach on the east side and fishing and sunset on the west side that day. Ben left early the next day but we stayed and visited Cygnet Bay where they cultivate pearls and One Arm Point, a small community right at the tip where we visited a Trochus Shell hatchery and watched the reef sharks dance in the ocean. Some more (unsuccessful) fishing, red wine and cards that night. We did move a little further south the next day to Middle Lagoon and stayed two nights. We made the most of the calm, warm weather the first day tanning on the beach, snorkelling and shell hunting along the endless coastal beach with shells sprawled all over it. The wind picked up pretty fiercely overnight which made Rhonda and Carmen shake all night and all of us sleep pretty restlessly. We decided to drive to Whale Song and Two Moons cafe close by to chill, beach walk and shell collect again. Our first attempt at damper in the cast iron pot for lunch didnt turn out to bad and a roaring fire, red wine and curry for dinner was lovely. Ash and Maz were highly amused when i managed to fall out of my camp chair too that night! It was then back to Broome where we chose a different caravan park on the east side of town namely to
see the staircase to the moon phenomenon which coincided with some night markets very close by. We also visited Gantheaume Point where we saw dinosaur footprints, Matso's Brewery where we got a great tasting paddle, listened to some live music in the courtyard and then took some takeaways and drove Gina up the north end of Cable Beach with all the other 4WD's for another WA sunset special. We spent the next morning waiting for our computer to be fixed which was going to cost as much as its original price even though it was just the screen needing to be replaced.
Frisbee and beach soccer in Broome
One Arm Point beach hut
Sunset fishing at Kooljaman
The colours were just amazing at Cape Leveque
Nearly a full moon rise as the sunset
Wine and crackers at Middle Lagoon
Beagle Bay church, made almost entirely of mother of pearl shells
Dinosaur prints at Gantheaume Point
Staircase to the moon
Exploring Chinatown and icecreams made it go fast and we were back on the road by lunch heading south to a freecamp. Sharing a free rest stop with several other travellers, frisbee in the gravel and easy risotto for dinner. It was off to Port Hedland next where we setup camp at the Golf Club overflow and Ash arranged to catch up with a family friend/old next door neighbour/cousin/brother from another mother, Bryan to watch game 2 of origin (even though NRL is on no ones agenda in WA unless your from east). They put on a free bbq, NSW wrapped up the series and we drank plenty into the night to celebrate. A slow morning start but we got to Roeburn visitors centre just before lunch and they were the loveliest and most helpful info centre weve come across. We checked out the museum which was the old gaol back in the day and then drove upto Point Samson where we had a ripper of a hangover cure lunch at the Beach Tavern, plus stunning views. We splurged and decided to stay the night too, at a very lovely caravan park, with grassy sites, a 2 min stroll to Honeymoon Cove beach, darts, great amenities, a fishing spot where we caught a fish and a cinema room where we watched P.S I love you. Next day we were off to Karratha and Dampier, unfortunately booked out though and caravan parks being grossly overpriced we visited the waterfront of Dampier, saw the statue of 'Red dog' and then headed into Millstream-Chichester National Park. Arriving on dark, setting up and settling into a night of cards was a nice way to end the day. We drove around the next day to see some sights including the McKenzie Spring 4km walk(which was dry), morning tea at Python Pool, a 2km walk up Mt. Herbert and lunch at Deep Reach along the river near camp. We also did a short trail around the homestead at our camp and Mazza cooked us up some delicious savoury crepes for dinner.
Honeymoon Cove, Point Samson
Red Dog statue, please watch if you already haven't:)
We made it to the top of Mt Herbert, M-C NP
Ash by the edge of Python Pool
We were then off to Karinjini National Park with a few detours, one being Hammersley Gorge (part of the NP but 150km to back track, and where Ash swam in freezing water in her bra and pants) and two being Tom Price to replenish our food/water stocks and petrol. We booked in 3 nights to allow us 2 full days and a half if we required to see it all. First was Dale gorge where we walked the rim and then down into it passing by Fortescue Falls and having a chilli swim in Fern Pool. At the other end of the gorge was Circular Pool, a much colder waterhole but just as beautiful. A short drive to Kalamina Gorge in the afternoon with another gorge walk and $2 showers at the info centre on the way home, early to bed for our next day of adventures. Excited to see more of this magical place we got off relatively early to be one of the first in Weano Gorge. This then led to lower Weano where we had to wade through waist deep water and then down a steep rock face into Handrail Pool, Ash swam, Maz slipped in and i took in the natural beauty all around haha a great view from the junction lookouts of Oxer and Weano Gorges then into Hancock Gorge after lunch. I waited behind with a dodgy shoulder while Ash and Maz waded in high thigh deep, cold water and spider walked down to Kermits Pool. My legs were getting tired so we drove to Knox Lookout and then Joffre Gorge, where Ash and Maz did a short walk at the latter, finishing off our grand self drive/walk/hike/wade/swim tour of Karinjini NP. It was our biggest day of driving the next day through the Pilbara (619km) with it being both a vast region of red dirt, empty plains, endless railway lines and then the aqua blue/green ocean over your right shoulder, magical gorges and wild animals dotted along the way. The Pilbara was a very special part of our trip so far and we ended at Bullara Station just shy of the coastline with their open roofed bathrooms, horses, goats and camembert cheese and bread on the fire:)Much love Soph and Ash xxx
One of the many 2-3km long Rio Tinto trains hauling iron ore
Hammersley Gorge
Circular Pool from above
Fortescue Falls
Raincoat selfies
Ash and I under a waterfall in Fern Pool
Lovebirds in a tree
Circular Pool in the gorge
Ash and Maz gorge walking
Wading through the freezing water
Climbing into Handrail Pool
Inside Handrail Pool
Junction lookout views
Maz spider walking
Kermits Pool
Bullara Station sunset with the animals
