Wed, 27th April, 2022 Bayside Holiday Apartments, Broome, WA to Hidden Valley Van Park, Berrimah, NT (Broome Museum & flight back)

Packed our bags and dropped them off at Reception. I forgot to take photos of the apartment when we first arrived - I just pulled the bed cover back hence the messy look. The only complaint we had was the lounge was very uncomfortable.

This mornings’ news said that the mask mandate and GtoG passes will be scrapped as of Friday, 29^th. No wonder they didn’t bother to come and check on us but it seems strange since we made the news etc.

Rang Erica and Terry to tell them about the trip and see how her latest doctor visit went. Erica sent me some photos from their visit to Robbie’s farm for his memorial where they planted some trees etc with other family members. She had made up a book of photos of Robbie for his son Callum.

Suzanne sent a photo with Libby and Tenille at the Bee Gees Lane in Redcliffe that I had told her about. Libby and Chris are now living there.

Headed down to the Museum. So much to see and read.

What it was all about - Pearl shell.

A decompression chamber.

900 Japanese people are buried in the cemetery here. Interestingly though the largest group of immigrants to Broome were the Chinese who weren’t pearlers but the cooks and shopkeepers in the gold rush days.

The pearl safe box (Percy Box) that was kept locked till given to the Pearling Master. A display of pearls. Mum had some Mikimoto pearls.

A lovely carved boab nut and great bottle display.

Info about the ‘cable’ that Cable Beach is named after.

Plenty of things on display.

The meatworks where the nice homes are now.

How the Great War affected Broome and the pearling industry.

Outside I found this great dug out canoe. This is what all ‘traditional’ fishing should be done in if they want to get turtles and dugongs rather than our ‘white man’ boats. One of my pet complaints is the need to do ‘traditional’ things but they don’t use ‘traditional’ methods.

More info about the naming of Roebuck Bay and the tramway. We are standing beside the old sailmakers shed we saw yesterday from where we stood on the platform of the old good shed while Will told us stories.

Lots of info inside the sailmaker’s shed.

Out the back was a engine & propeller off one of the flyingboats and the rudder off the ‘Diamond’ plane.

Another room was full of information about the dinosaur footprints etc that have been found in a few locations around Broome. Will check them out when we return with the camper.

Some more info and pictures about the Sun Picture theatre.

McDaniel Shell Collection is marvellous.

Info about the shipping lines in the early days. This is the second Koolama as the first one was bombed at Wyndham.

Tramway info.

Not sure what year this is but it shows a swimming enclosure on Town Beach. Much like the one they had at Woodgate in the early days.

Back inside I found another room with miniature replica of Broome buildings.

Back to Reception where we sat outside and ate our lunch - I had brought food for today forgetting we wouldn’t be in the apartment. Steve had made up the rolls while I packed the bags and we still had softdrink to finish off so we are all set. 

Collected our suitcases and waited outside for the bus to take us and some of the cruise guests to the Broome International Airport - sounds fancy.

Open air seating inside once we had put our suitcases in and got our tickets.

We chatted with other cruise guests who were heading south to Perth or back to their homes. We were the only ones going back to Darwin via Kununurra. 

Ready to board - this is our plane.

I have A which is a window seat and Steve has C which is the aisle but there is only two seats each side so there is no B or E - very funny. Looking back at the terminal.

Unfortunately the view is over the wing but I can lean back and get photos through the window behind me. We have a policeman who is in charge of this northern region behind us and the other chap is working at the Argyle Diamond mine with the demolition so it was an interesting conversation they were having - not that I was eavesdropping. When they talked of the troubles they are having in Kununurra with the locals I wanted to turn around and ask more but we were ready to take off.

Up Up and Away as we used to sing as kids on the TAA flights. Looking over the port then around and back over the land. Wish we had a ‘moving map’ onboard so I could see where we are headed etc.

Lots of waterways below us, glistening in the sun.

Wow, snacks.

More water - probably the rivers we have just been up on the cruise. The hills are burning still.

Over hill country of the Kimberleys.

Then the Ord River and the green farming land comes into view as we descend into Kununurra.

A lone Boab near the runway as we taxi to the terminal.

Half the passengers got off but it filled back up again. Up in the air again where I could see the dam on the Ord River then we continued on.

More clouds here but I can still see down to the river systems.

Very impressed - more snacks and a drinks.

Must be over the coast below the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf that we cruised over recently.

Then we were coming in to Darwin over the waterways to the south west. It certainly is a great way to see the country from up above.

Over Palmerston then more houses etc appear as we near the airport.

Darwin city came into view.

Lovely sunset colour as we landed at Darwin airport.

Off the plane and back into the humidity on the tarmac. Inside the terminal for a long walk down to the baggage area. Great carpet design - it has dragonflies too.

Got our bags and went out to find a taxi. We had heard they are hard to get but one came along after 5 minutes and we were on our way back to our ‘home’ at Hidden Valley Van Park. 

Walked to the camper - still there. Popped the roof and turned on the fridge. Steve found the hats - sitting in the truck where I had left them! At least we didn’t leave them on the bonnet or something. Drove around to Woolies for some milk and bananas for breakfast then got a pizza for dinner.

Lovely shower then into bed - so comfortable. Loved the trip but as they say there is nothing like home - and for us, that is our camper.