DAYS 42 - 44 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip
BROOME
Thursday 10 April
After a very humid night we slowly packed up and made our way to Broome.
The road between Pt Headland and Broome, if unbroken by a stop, can be very tedious. It was great that after Barn Hill the landscape did change. Purple, range of greens, bronze gold and orangy browns appeared in the landscape.
Then changed some more.
And lots of cattle in one area – haven’t seen this before on the trip.
On our way in to Broome we stopped at Mango Place and tried some Mango wine. A very different and unusual taste. We then had a most beautifully refreshing smoothie. After stocking up on some mustards and mango oil we continued on. On arriving in Broome we did a circuit of the camp grounds. Although Roebuck Bay Caravan Park had been recommended by many as it is right at Town Beach we decided against it as you couldn’t swim in the bay and it had no swimming pool. In this weather you need to be able to cool down. As Min is staying put here for 10 days whilst I fly back to Jindabyne to give our daughter a hand we wanted to set up camp where he would have an opportunity cool off. So we decided on Palm Grove Caravan Park.
We set up and went into town. I found that Broome is actually quite spread out. Whilst there is a central area there are two shopping centres. One has Coles, the other Woolworths and Target. The Information Centre is beautifully set up inside and out. I liked the handout they give everyone that has the map of Broome and most things listed on it from tour operators to local businesses.
Hubby contacted an auto electrician and managed to get an appointment for the next day. We drove around to Gantheaune Point and watched a beautiful sunset from here. The rock formations must continue from Barn Hill to here as rock composition and colours were similar and just as stunning.
A lighthouse dominates the landscape.
This is the place from which at a very, very low tide one can scramble down the rocks and walk out some distance to see ancient dinosaur prints. However, as they are not easily accessible a cast has been made of them for peoples to see them without scrambling down rocks.
After watching the sunset we decided to treat ourselves to a meal out and went to the Divers Tavern at Cable Beach. We shared a lovely meal of spare ribs – it was huge. Just don’t know how one person could have eaten it. After so many weeks of cooking it was nice to have a night off from the task.
Friday 11 April
This morning hubby rushed off to the auto electrician. The solar regulator was found to be faulty. So a new regulator was duly put in. We should now be able to run everything for 2 full days without running the engine.
Whilst he was at the auto electrician’s I explored the Boulevard Shopping Centre. We then met up explored a bit of China town and went to several galleries.
At the Monsoon Gallery the work of several artists blew us away. The 3D collages of Leon Pericles were absolutely magnificent incorporating various materials and textures including fine drawings, prints, relics, shells, coral, fabric. Marilyn Tabatznik’s sculpted very solid chair made out of pulped police reports which was then treated as a 3D canvas was stunning and very rich in colour and texture through the iconic images she uses from many world religions. Ingrid Windrom’s “Boabs and Kapoh” (print on canvas) captured the richness of colours in the region and was just beautiful. Julie Silvester’s 3 pastel works captured the energy and movement of the sea brilliantly.
At the Broome 6 Gallery we saw some Wanjina paintings as well as work of Kevin Waina whose work we were familiar with. Had a very interesting conversation with the Gallery Manager who gave us some pointers for our trip north. The Geiko Gallery presented works of Aboriginal artist from the Western Desert, some of whom had works in the recent Pupunya Exhibition at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.
We then went to Denise Walker’s extremely colourful gallery. Her works are vibrant and focus on the Kimberley in colour and inspiration. As one walked in her dramatic depiction of the Staircase to the Moon greeted you. I wish I could have etaken it home. Her artist statement really captured it and I quote it as presented at the gallery.
“. . . work about capturing light and the feeling of the immense vastness of this land. I want people to breathe in the healing, vibrant colours and feel how it lights the spirits and sense of well being.”
We finally returned to the caravan park for a swim and to chill out. The charger was put on to charge the batteries. Watch this space!
Checked our emails and a friend has sent hubby a very informative article
on car electrics. So I didn’t have access to the computer whilst the article was studied in great detail.
Saturday 12 April
I packed this morning for a short trip to Jindabyne to give our daughter a hand. Then we went to the Saturday market at the Courthouse. What a hive of activity. Indulged in some lovely mango juice whilst looking around. There was an eclectic mixture of stalls. Some were professionals selling their high quality wares – jewellery, photographs whilst others were selling run of the mill items. There were very few produce stalls.
We had parked our car next to a Boab tree and hubby has been eyeing of the boab nuts as he would love to carve one.
The day again is hot and humid. So humid that I decided not to change until I got to the airport so that I did not have to fly in damp clothes. I flew from Broome to Sydney. The plane flew over the Great Sandy Desert, Simpson Desert and the Channel Country. It was very interesting watching the landscape unfold from the air. I wish I had a camera with stronger magnification. From Sydney I flew to Canberra where I was met by my girlfriend. I spent the night with her family and over a late cuppa her family and I caught up with each other’s news. It was strange coming to Canberra and not going home. Tomorrow morning I will be making my way to Jindabyne whilst hubby battles the humidity in Broome.
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