Sat, 30th July, 2022 Gumbanan Wilderness Retreat, Dampier Peninsula to Beach camp near Coconut Well, north of Broome, WA (exploring Broome)

I got up in time to watch the sun rise over the sound and islands between 6 and 6.15am. The smoke haze in the air makes for great colour too. The tide is going out again. Took a few photos as I don’t usually get up for sunrises!

The corellas flew back to continue their digging in the sand here.

Packed up and drove back out to the bitumen then on to One Arm Point. Signs at town entrance advising $18 each to drive in so we skipped it.

Headed back south as Kerry and Brian are heading north so we will try and catch up with them on the Great Northern Highway somewhere. There are lots of other campgrounds owned by the local communities ($20 per person per night). We were moored off Middle Lagoon in April on the cruise so have seen that but might come back up to Pender Bay next year on our return to Cairns. Great photo in the brochure though it is false advertising as you need to be in a plane or have a drone to get that view.

Back to Broome to pick up the sway bar things Steve ordered and to finish off my sightseeing.

We stopped for a cuppa at the Beagle Bay turn off and we were chatting about Mum and Dad when I remembered what the date was. Yesterday is one year to the date for Jon and Annalise’s wedding and of course it will be a Saturday so that is today. Will send them a text when we get reception.

Steve just got the truck up to speed when three donkeys darted out off the bush but luckily Steve has good reflexes and control and we missed them. I managed to get a photo of the last one as he dashed off.

As there is not much to see on the road itself I’m glad it is now bitumen and not the ‘car breaking’ corrugations that everyone tells us about.

We slowed down to check on a chap with his bonnet up but he was just putting some air in his tyres. He gave us a big wave as we approached as if he knew us - he did. He had seen us at the Gibb River - well I suppose we do stand out a bit.

Back into Broome and through town to the Roebuck Bay Lookout. We didn’t get to this part of town when we were here in April. Found a long park and made lunch. A couple approached and said hi through the window. It was Trevor and his wife who we also met at the Gibb River and we saw Trevor in Derby too. They said they saw our picture on the Gibb River Road Facebook page - apparently Craig from the towing company had put up a heap of photos of those he helped. That would be how Gav saw us on Facebook as he had sent a text wondering what had happened.

We walked back up to the lookout. Art work underneath.

As you walk up you get a sad view of how the ‘locals’ look after country!

The lookout roof has cut outs which create a lovely pattern on the floor.

The view of over Dampier Creek, mangroves and Roebuck Bay. Then around over a wide sand dune then down Dampier Terrace.

Walked down the road - better view of the lookout.

Around the corner to Carnarvon Street - nice mural.

This boab was planted by the policeman when his son was born in 1897. It is in front of the old lockup (1895).

Continued on - love this sculpture.

Found the Kimberley Book Store that Di Morrissey mentions in her third Kimberley novel. Not sure if they are original buildings but they certainly look the part.

Back onto Dampier Terrace. Nice mural but it needs fixing up.

Across to Willie Creek Pearls’ showroom and found out that we can wander around the display outside. The 1.5hr museum tour had just finished and there won’t be another one till Wednesday. We were happy to just look ourselves.

I tried to put my head in the helmet but my ears got stuck.

More information. The rest of the boardwalk was closed so I zoomed in on the information. Looks like some old whale bones.

Another lugger waiting to be restored.

On the ceiling outside the museum are the old masts and rigging supports.

Continued down Dampier Terrace where there are lots of shops selling pearls. I have my strand that Mum & Dad gave me for my 21^st so I don’t need any more.

Statues and information about Mr Kuribayashi who started the pearl cultivation project in Kuri Bay in 1956.

The streets are lined with lovely seating areas.

Steve tried to help the diver to straighten up!

Art at the information bay at Streeter’s Jetty. Big board full of information too.

The jetty has just been revitalised and was just opened in July this year.

The red crabs are everywhere under the jetty. Obviously now the luggers aren’t using the area the mangroves have grown back.

Looking back to Streeters and Male buildings.

Steve went back and got the truck and I continued down the street. Statue of Sam Male on the corner of where the business was located.

The Streeter & Male stores continued up the street.

A lot of work has gone into this carving of a lugger.

A plaque in the middle of the road about the war. Must have been a very conflicting time for the local Japanese who were so much apart of Broome’s pearling world.

I took a photo of this building in April but didn’t see the push-out windows on the other side.

Found Steve and we picked up a couple of things from Coles then headed out to Gantheaume Point. There is a race meeting on at the Turf Club which the bitumen ends and we continue on a narrow sandy track to the point.

Made a cuppa then read the information boards. The old chimney from the lighthouse keepers home was relocated here in the middle of the carpark.

A family arrived and one of the kids said ‘there’s the Gecko truck we saw on Facebook’ so we said hello and explained what had happened to us. I had looked at the post and tried to reply to some of the comments to explain what our problem was and some asked about the build etc. I ended up putting a comment on Craig’s page so they might see it.

Great view across to Cable Beach.

Walked down to the point past the site of the old lighthouse keeper’s home. There is a lovely new place there now - what a fabulous spot for a house. This new lighthouse was erected in 1983.

Down to the rocky edges. Looks like an artist’s paint palette.

We wandered over and through all the beautiful rock formations but as the dinosaur footprints are only visible at low tide I am glad we saw the moulds back in the museum.

Lots of vehicles on Cable Beach getting ready to enjoy the sun set.

Walked further around - looking back on lighthouse and new home.

Pretty shrubs and amazing rock formations as we made our way around to find a ‘nature window’ that was on Wikicamps. First we found some lovely ‘pools’.

I soaked my feet in the little one.

We climbed up and found the ‘window’ to the right of Steve. It is down low but it made a good photo.

Found another hole so Steve climbed down for a look.

Looking around to Entrance Point.

Looking back.

I think this is an Osprey. There is a nest in the lighthouse.

As we walked back to the lighthouse another Osprey flew over with a fish in its talons. For once I got good photos! He landed on the lighthouse and started eating it.

We walked over the hard red rock on the other side looking a shapes in the rocks, using our imaginations that these might be dinosaur footprints!

The sun is getting low and there are plenty of people parked at this end waiting for nature’s show!

We headed out of town and back up the Cape Leveque Road for a short way then turned off to Coconut Wells. We got a bit confused as there were heaps of rural properties with lots of mango trees. At the end of the road was a narrow dirt track going into the conservation area so we headed in but it was just a corrugated track to an open salt plain so we turned around and then I turned Wikicamps on to find out where we were supposed to be. We thought there would have been a sign. Found the road down through the properties to Coconut Wells where a creek runs in behind some big sand dunes.

There is a track going back into the conservation area so Steve went for a walk to make sure we can travel over it. A car came past and when Steve came back he said the chap in the car said we will be fine to go down there so off we went.

The track was narrow but the scrub was low so we could see but when we came to a hairpin turn around a wall of sand we were greeted with 5 cars coming towards us. Steve quickly put the truck in reverse and got out of the way. With them gone we continued on and stopped at the next dune and walked to the where other people are parked on the hard sand ridge.

Someone has made some towers which were good for the sunset photos. Lots of people out here enjoying the view. Looking back down Cable Beach which is 22km in length.

The sun has disappeared. I climbed down off the high hard sand onto the beach.

The track was fine so Steve went back for the truck.

We parked up on the hard sand platform and set up for the night.

We sat outside for late drinks watching the magical red colours after the sun set. The lights of vehicles along the beach have started to come on.

Some kids had come past before with their dogs and then came back again and said hello. We chatted away and found out they were 4 of 12 children and with their parents have lived their lives in a bus travelling around Australia. Steve remembers seeing a TV story on them, the Cairns family. They were lovely polite kids and loved their lifestyle. They will be here till October. The four eldest daughters are now got jobs etc in other places so there is only the 8 kids travelling with the parents now.

The sea breeze is quite chilly and the tide is out so we headed inside for dinner.

Lovely listening to the waves crashing on the rocks as the tide starts coming back in again. High tide will be at midnight but I won’t be getting up to see it!