Broome & The Dampier Peninsula....what a pearler !!!

Fri 5 - Mon 8 July 2019

Derby is a small interesting place, from massive tides of up to 11m flowing in and out each day, a place of mixed energy and the only place we have seen that has it's own 20 bed Regional Renal Facility. Like all towns, and small towns in Australia - it obviously has it own challenges around crime, drugs and alcohol. Very friendly people in the town itself from all walks of life. The van park we stayed in was great as they had washing machine to quell the stench coming from the the camper plus could wash sheets too !!! Amen !

We were warned by the Park owner plus a lady at the cafe to lock everything up at night 'as there were some naughty kids about' at the moment. It's the only place we have stayed in Australia where nothing was left outside of vans or campers and where the paddy wagon did a run through about 3 times (that I was aware of) overnight - and I felt safe ! At no point was there any reason to be fearful. Any form of possible temptation to steal something was removed and the local community very proactive of ensuring people (and tourists) in general were aware. This could happen in any town in Australia. We certainly appreciated there honesty and openness and seeing how everyone was packing up we would have worked out the 'why' quickly enough. 

Middle Lagoon....halfway to Cape Leveque

Our first stop after coffee pick up from a great little cafe in town was The Boab Prison tree - I vaguely remembered hearing about this as a kid and couldn't imagine that a tree could be big and wide enough - let alone hollow to 'house' prisoners or sorts. This majestic tree is estimated to be around 1000 years old - that in and of itself is amazing to comprehend. It's not easy to describe what it's like to stand next to or lean on a Boab, they are just as I thought, incredibly soulful trees that radiate a wisdom of years past and part of the history of this particular Boab as one of a handful across the Kimberley used for this purpose is not great.  The significance of these trees to Abroiginal people is one of reverence and respect of their spiritual presence, they are known as Larrkardiy. 

A sad read about Blackbirding in Kimberley & Australian history

Essentially, settlers involved with the pearling industry in Broome who became known as Blackbirders kidnapped local Aborigines and forced them into slave labour as divers harvesting Mother Of Pearl from the ocean floors for their profit off the coast of Broome. Chained into gangs - the Boab prison tree at times housed men and woman before they were sent via boat to Broome and put to work. Pregnant women were favoured as their growing bellies help to weight them down as they swept the ocean floor for pearl shells. Abroriginal people came from as far As Fitzroy Crossing and Christmas Creek, many died diving for Mother of Pearl shells and never returned home to their country. 

The Boab Prison tree near Derby....

I'm sure you can see the shape on the side here of a .......heart...it faces the east.

This is a great link with info regarding the significance of the Boab tree to Aboriginal spirituality, and how versatile they are as a tree from medicinal support, to nourishment and water.

http://www.boabsinthekimberley.com.au/the-boab-and-the-australian-aborigines/


I also found a great article on SBS about Derby's first Aboringinal doctor Vinka Barunga - which also shares more on her time growing up as a kid, as well as challenges the town and surrounding Mowanjum area faces.....


https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/living-black/article/2015/05/04/home-grown-derby-girl-be-towns-first-aboriginal-doctor

Cape Leveque Rd out of Broome.... it's tar from the top halfway down

A quick run around Broome Woolies with possibly every other tourist in town ....it may as well have been Christmas groceries time in Orange -flipping nuts, we headed north to Middle Lagoon, having snagged a 3 night stop here...yeah ! It was an interesting drive north and not what I expected - the above sandy road was about 80-90km of the trip north, plus a bit of tar either end. In areas we were looking at ground level to the sides of the Prado as the grader had dozed down and down and down over the years - felt a little bit like a place we nicked named Wacky Jacky up in Cape York not far from Punsand Bay, no not quite getting almost bogged though this time Bronny !!! 

We rolled off the Cape Leveque road onto the sand track to Middle Lagoon, amongst many other little places such as Pender Bay, Mercedes Cove, Smithys Seaside & Goonbarragin Eco Retreat. The road has literally been dozed pretty well due East and she goes and goes for about 24km before a slight fork to the right for Middle Lagoon etc. We arrived just before 5pm and watched the sun set before a hasty set up before dark. Imagine that there is the A reserve ridge crew facing onto the beach a narrow road , and somehow we had snagged the B reserve stall with water view between vans/campers - soooo good !!!! 

We did have a great view to the ocean with spare spot just off centre to the front of us...until a camper rolled in about 8pmish, the fact they were towing a Mountain Trail Camper the same as ours was a good start and forgiveable that our view as it was would be gone in the morning - we worked out pretty quick it was a slightly newer model than out Evolution and it's the only other Mountain Trail Camper we have seen in a camping joint at the same time as ours.... but waits there's more ;) ......

Hello Middle Lagoon...

Tall Mulla Mulla

Northern coast walk.....

I've not quite identified any of these beauties yet.......

Hairy Button Flower perhaps ? 

Cove on the northern beach walk, simply spectacular colours

So as you do, you see another family that has such impeccable tastes in campers and you strike up a conversation! Well Stu did pretty quick with Glen anyway....An Evolution and an Escalade pretty well side by side...and of course the kids say hi to each other etc and wait for it we have not one but two Sasha's and both the little ones form each family ! Chat chat chat chat chat - Glen, Lisa and the kids are from Barwon Heads VIC on a 3 week jaunt similar yet different to us. 

We scored some A Reseve seats with a lovely fam bam in front of our B reserve site!!! Nooiice !

Blissful....

Marshmallows on groovy extendable forks....nice one Team Guest ! And 7 kids all up !

Eves also had a crack at a choc chip damper in the new Bedourie Oven..... it was a first attempt and after we cracked off the outer inch lay of charcoal the centre was fabulous !!! Might have had the heat up a little too much here... thank fully there was still some Butterscotch self saucing pudding and custard for all to share....always great to have a back up when it comes to damper!

We did a short run up the fabulous Kooljamon Cape Leveque at the top of the Dampier Peninsula. Tar all the way which was super and simply stunning spot to check out, along with a quick drive out to One Arm Point where the Ardyaloon community lives. Similar and different to Cape York - we thought it may have looked a little like that. It's the vibrant colours of the sand up here and the  varying shades of turquoise in the ocean.

Cracking morning up at Cape Leveque...... stunning views

Six seasons on the Kooljaman calendar

Stunning sunsets.....

What was quite funny, was the camper next up from Lis, metioned something like how lovely it was to see families enjoying each other - how long had we known each other ?? Uummm not quite 36hrs ?? Bahahaa.... it was a small chat along the lines of this anyway.  A sensational couple of days with this gorgeous crew of new buddies and one which we loved and have great memories of ....

Stu, Sam, Lisa & Huges

Plenty of kids getting buried in sand and playing Capture the Flag...

So what are all these Nomads filming and checking out ??? Dolphins ?? 

It was our Huges piping the sun down with an awesome mix & range of medleys....

Fingers were on point perfectly this night......Sam is to the right

Photo cred - Lisa ! 

Huges totally picked his time and created such a memorable moment for so many on our last evening. From traditionals like Highland Cathedral, Steam Train to Mallaig, onto some cracking rock medleys of ACDC, Queen, etc. Such great cheers from the crowd and something he would not have done in daylight 6 or 12 months ago ! The colours of the sunsets are just breathtaking as you look in all directions, different shades of colour moving and changing long after the sun has dived under the horizon for the day.

Hugo, Xavier, Sam, Sasha, Eva, Monique & yep Sasha !!!

Stu & I with Lisa & Glen - cracking few days

Lots of relaxing and beach fun over these great few days at Middle Lagoon- awesome beach camp that we just loved ! Our time was all the more enriched from meeting such entertaining and fun company in the Guests ! I know we will catch up camping, maybe sometime next year, or chatting about Outlander as well....yeeesssssss.... I found me another Sassenach !! Another tall Goddess with impeccable taste in authors & Scottish history ;) ;) One of my favourite spots so far, especially lovely after so many incredible gorges and dust of the Gibb....the rest of our travels has a lot to live up to now......