Posted August 27th 2023
The magic of Broome at sunset is legendary. We “east-coasters” have magic sunrises over water, here it is the sunset over the sea that dazzles us. Having a 4WD beach and a long convoy of camels at sunset, sets the scene for some great photos. I think I enjoyed being on the sand taking pictures more than I would have enjoyed being up on a camel – did that once, in Mongolia!
On our last evening in Broome, we had dinner at the ‘Roey’ (Roebuck Hotel) then took ourselves to the historic “Sun Pictures” cinema. What a unique experience to sit in deck chairs in the open air cinema, in the longest continuously operating theatre in the world, and have an A320 Airbus fly above us at approximately 300 feet with all the strobe lights and engine noise, whilst watching the movie and gazing at the Southern Cross, all at the same time. We saw “The New Boy” by Warrick Thornton, a most appropriate film for where we were, and one I’d recommend to my more astute film loving friends.
However, I was pleased to leave the very crowded Broome caravan park the next morning. It’s saving grace was a great pool which we loved so we could cool down in the searing heat.
We decided to head north up the Dampier Peninsula towards Cape Leveque, a place we had stayed 9 years ago. The first joy was the sealed road. Memories of the rust red sandy road were revived once we turned off the bitumen and headed to the coast along Middle Lagoon road. Same ruts and sand as before. We went to Smithy’s beach this time and what a treat that was. Our camper was perched on the cliff over the beach – unencumbered views north, east and west. Sunsets were bright red and lingered long after the sun had slid down behind the red ochre cliffs. But for me, the best sight was sometime between midnight and dawn, black sky with a myriad of twinkling stars, and over the calm water a red crescent moon was rising in the east, casting a golden glow across the water. A photograph could never do this justice, I just had to stare awestruck. Nick had got up to pee about 10 minutes before me and the moon hadn’t risen, how lucky was I!! We both lay in our bed and looked out at the moon.
At Smithy’s we finally got the kayaks in the water. This was just the second time on the trip. Supposedly there were sharks and crocs in the water, but we didn’t see any. Nick and George did a couple of long paddles to coves around the point. We swam despite people catching sharks along the beach. There were sometimes up to 40 caravans parked on the beach and another 20 up on the cliff. We spent a lovely evening singing along with George and others around the campfire. It was an idyllic camp. After 4 nights there we at last headed south for the first time.
We’d heard Barn Hill Station was worth a visit. It’s about 100km south of Broome on the west coast. It was heaving at the seams with people, mostly with WA number plates, mainly from Mandurah we discovered. We tucked our van into a small spot and made the most of 2 nights here. The usual entertainment was on, an old bloke and woman with electronic backup music and singers, singing old 60’s songs. The crowd watching on their deck chairs loved it, we listened from a distance. The morning walk along the beach was quite spectacular, the rock formations were other worldly, like a mini Bungles but sea, wind and sand worn. I found it very hard not to fill my pockets with stones to bring home. The colours are simple gorgeous. The coffee shop selling homemade coffee scrolls and bread was first class. Pizzas and a homemade dinner was offered every night. After 2 nights we farewelled George & Julie, they loved this place so much and stayed another 4 nights.
Next stop was Eighty Mile Beach for 3 nights.
Nick: “At Eighty Mile Beach about an hour before dawn on 17th August I got up for a pee. I looked up to the sky at the myriad of stars. I saw a line of lights travelling approximately south to north about the width of a held up little finger apart, mine in particular. They were travelling fairly quickly and took about 1 minute to go from my right to my left and disappear. They were about as bright as a good satellite and easily visible. They were equidistant apart and there were between 10 and 15 of them except the penultimate one was missing. I thought that they were birds at first but then the thought occurred to me that birds do not fly in straight lines and they do not illuminate themselves at night, night birds tend toward stealth as a characteristic to prey upon the unfortunate. Next I thought that they were aeroplanes but why would there be 12 or so of them all going the same way unless the RAAF was delivering planes to Ukraine or some such similar exercise, but there wasn’t any propellor, turbine or jet engine noise, so not a flight path then. So I assumed then that they were satellites and that they must be on some sort of surveillance or spying mission. A very interesting thing to see and I would encourage you all to to stay up at night looking at the sky. I can hear your brains ticking over and asking the question, “How long has he been seeing these lights in the sky?” Discovered in the news next day it was the Chinese doing surveillance!”
Back to 80 mile beach. This camp site was full as expected. It’s a fisherman’s paradise. 4WD’s drive along the beach, park and throw a line, and haul in decent amounts of fish. The sea is turquoise blue, the sand is white, shells are prolific, and Godwit shore birds from Siberia use this as a landing spot in summer. So we enjoyed long strolls collecting many shells, a long bicycle ride along the tidal flats, bird watching, sunset drinks with other campers and a few beach drives of course.
Moving on, we’d run out of food after 9 days of no shopping, so had to do a pitstop at Port Hedland. Almost the worst camping site so far, for different reasons compared to Darwin which still holds the record. We were parked on an intersection on gravel, tiny site, no trees. Around mid afternoon a 50 seater tourist bus arrived at the intersection, disgorged about 45 over 50’s who tottered off to the cabins near us. Before dawn the next morning, we could hear the wheelie suitcases coming towards the intersection. Nick got out to pee and found the group standing in a circle at the intersection. He didn’t pee into the middle of the circle, but was tempted! The bus removed them all at 5.30am. We gladly scooted away as soon as we could. But we did enjoy a beer at The Esplanade in Port Hedland after doing the shopping and sat watching a giant ship being escorted up the river. There were 17 ships on the horizon waiting to come dockside to be filled with the stuff being dug out of our country. Houses in PH were covered in red dust, nothing desirable about living there.
We headed east of PH to Marble Bar next, famous for being the hottest place in Australia. The wind was howling, dust storms were whipped up where the ground had been burnt and left bare. The 250kms was a slow boring grind through remote flat country. We travelled along the East Pilbara Geoheritage Route. Marble Bar however was an interesting town, rich in mining, indigenous and pioneering history. The marble bar itself was a beautiful work of art by Mother Nature. The colours of the Jasper rocks were dazzling. The day was hot and windy so we escaped into the iconic Iron Clad Hotel built in 1893 for a beer and half a burger each. To Nick’s great joy, the owner was a Melbourne AFL supporter and had an eclectic mix of footy memorabilia mixed in with typical outback pub stuff, like cow skulls with horns, stubby holders and caps nailed to the rafters, number plates, foreign currency and so much more. The camp site in Marble Bar was small and grassy with lovely white trunked ghost gums all around us.
We’d been told about Carawine Gorge by Neil as a must visit, so off we headed almost 200kms east, not seeing anyone the whole drive except a few mining road trains. At the Gorge, about 5 vans were camped. We looked, we walked about, had a cuppa and a biscuit and decided to move on. The edge of the water was slimy, not inviting for a swim. The way out meant letting the tyres down to get through the deep loose river pebbles and sand, very taxing for the car to drag Swifty through. Hence another stop to replace another totally disintegrated donut.
Onwards to Running Waters Waterhole, on Warrawagine Station, recommended by Patrick. We camped in a lovely wooded spot with just one other van quite a distance away. There was a “road” down to the Oakover River edge, very 4WD, muddy, rocky, not recommended for towing vehicles according to the mudmap we had. As we walked down, here was a couple dragging their Goldstream like Cle & Ben’s, along this track. Must have taken them 2 hours of strain to eventually get over about 100 mtrs. I hope they allowed half a day to get out! Anyway, we walked to the river, had a wonderful swim, and thoroughly enjoyed our silent camp surrounded by white-trunked gumtrees.
Next, we knew there was a long drive ahead. Karijini National Park was the aim. The first 134kms along Skull Springs Rd was arduous but sooo spectacular. I felt as though I was in a Namatjira painting at times, or a Hans Heysen of the Flinders Ranges. The road was mostly good and we arrived at Nullagine for morning tea. On a Sunday, nothing is open – glad I made the thermos.
We then had 192kms to get to Newman, unsealed road. We decided to go for it, google maps said 3 hours plus, but we did it in 2. Most of it was sealed! Roy Hill mine was big – even diverted the road around it.
Newman was covered in red dust, so we filled up with diesel, grabbed an ice cream and headed out of town. By now it was mid afternoon – a very long day of driving for us. Looked for a camping spot that Patrick had recommended but ended up at the train line, a dead end. Another 50 kms further along we found a 24hr free camp in the middle of no-where, but who cared at that stage, at least we could stop! The enormous skies here and the red rocks beside us were awesome, we’re almost alone, there’s a loo, and the road trains rattle by but not too closely. We took a day off. Needed rest, a few car and van repairs, read a book, drink some wine, catch up on calls thanks to Gina providing great 4G for the mines and us.
Karijini National Park.
This is a destination I’d wanted to visit forever, and it didn’t disappoint in the slightest. We met up with George & Julie at the visitor centre in Karijini, we had booked a campsite, they hadn’t. The whole Park was full, so they nestled in beside us on our site, just as well I booked the bigger site this time. Nick did a few running repairs for George on his car & van. The evenings were balmy, our dinners together were hilarious, but short. We exhausted ourselves each day and retired by 8.00pm at the latest.
On the first afternoon, we walked to Fortescue Falls and a little further on to Fern Pool – a fabulous swimming hole. It was freezing, but crystal clear and beckoning us to get in. Such a treat! The climb back to the top of the gorge – 285 steps – was good exercise. I’m so glad my new hip gives me no issues at all.
The second morning, we 4 did the Gorge Rim walk which had some gnarly steps – 200 uneven Class 4 rocky ones – to take us down to the gorge level. Along the bottom of the gorge we traipsed through water, over sharp rocks and ledges, but mostly walked under shady trees along “naturally paved” paths. A swim in Fortescue falls gorge was so refreshing at the end, still very cold water, but cooled us down ready for the 285 steps back to the top. We all decided Karijini was a fabulous place.
But we still had to go to Hamersley Gorge. Oh my, what a truely stunning place, a marvel of Nature on a grand scale. The rocks looked like swirling marble cake, coloured by a red palate of infinite colours. The gorge pool, again freezing, was a great place to swim in and gaze up at the towering coloured rocks above. I took a lot of photos, it is hard to cull down to a couple for this blog. Our free campsite above the gorge was magic. I loved the views of Hamersley Range, the sunset and sunrise bouncing off the rocks, the serenity there, as well as the joy of being with our friends for one more night.
Next morning we parted company. George and Julie went to Tom Price direction. We headed north along the mining road beside the train tracks, for which we needed a permit from Rio Tinto. It was a long arduous day of driving, about 350kms, much of the time with vast open plains. We did drive the Manuwarra (Red Dog) Highway.
We arrived by the seaside, a most welcome smell after a week in dust. I couldn’t wait to wash the clothes, and my hair which had become like straw. So here at Point Samson, we enjoy relative luxury.
I will finish now, once again the blog has become quite long. Next we travel down the Coral Coast. It is getting hotter here now, we are ready for a cooler climate. Can’t finish without one of my favourite wildflowers.
Jen & Nick. xxx
COME AWAY WITH ME 