Kununurra

View of town from nearby hill

More than 1,000 kilometres east of Broome is the town of Kununarra, thirty seven kilometres from the Northern Territory border. When flying over the Kimberley the landscape below - red earth with occasional sage green foliage -  could be imagined as a Fred Williams painting.

Kununurra was built in the 1960s as a township to service the Ord River irrigation scheme. The town is on the banks of Lake Kununurra. The first stage of the Ord River Scheme was completed in 1963 and the second stage completed nine years later with the opening of Lake Argyle Dam.


View looking towards irrigation area

The Ord River irrigation scheme has resulted in 14,000 hectares of land now available for farming. Crops grown include chickpeas, sorghum seed, melons, pumpkins, mangoes, bananas, citrus, irrigated pasture, tropical forests and sugar cane.

Mirima National Park

Two kilometres from the town is the Mirima National Park providing an example of the original landscape in the area. The rock formations are similar to those found in the Bungle Bungles.

The lakes are a major feature of the area. We spent an afternoon exploring part of the Lake Kununarra and Lake Argyle water system. Lake Argyle is nine times the size of Sydney Harbour. The permanent supply of water all year round due to the creation of the lakes as part of the irrigation system has created new industries in a region surrounded by desert.

Flying foxes

Crocodile

Rock wallabies There was plenty of wildlife to be seen from the boat.

Cape Leveque

 Two hundred and twenty kilometres north of Broome, located on the Dampier Peninsula, is Cape Leveque. We had planned to travel from Broome to Cape Leveque  by coach stopping to have a look at the settlement of Beagle Bay, in particular the church decorated with shells including mother of pearl. On the return journey we were to fly from Cape Leveque to Broome. However after booking out of the resort at 7.00 am and waiting for some time for the coach it became obvious that there was a problem. After phone calls to Melbourne and Broome it was discovered that someone at Broome entered our trip under the wrong date and we were to be collected a month later. After another hour or two we were told that a flight would be arranged to take us to Cape Leveque after lunch. The person who eventually collected us from the hotel was sure that we would be thrilled with the new arrangement and could not understand why I was disappointed. Anyway we finally arrived at our destination mid afternoon. And what a destination it was.

 The scenery at Cape Leveque is dramatic - white sand, blue sea, red cliffs, blue sky.

A small distance inland the white beach sand merges with the red desert sand. We spent many hours walking along and exploring the beaches. Whale watching is another past-time and we saw several whales during our stay.

 Our accommodation was a safari tent on a wooden platform. As well as the living space including a double bed there was an en suite and small kitchen area. On the balcony facing the sea was a barbecue for cooking dinner plus seating to relax and enjoy the view. 

View from tent balcony

At night we kept the flap opening on to the balcony open so we could watch the stars. Mosquito nets protected us from any insects. The only way to camp.

 The highest point was the light house which was also the the point to go to on the unlikely possibility of a tsunami warning.

 The beach on the west of the peninsula had an under-tow and swimming there was not recommended. However around the corner in a cove there is another beach which is a great swimming beach when the tide is in.

 There are dramatic differences in tides in this area. At low tide it is possible to walk between tall columns of rocks which are not visible at high tide. The coastal area therefore varies at different times of the day.

Sunset over the sea was a wonderful sight.

We thoroughly enjoyed our relaxing four days at the Kooljaman Wilderness Camp. When we visited in 2006 it was theoretically possible to go on a number of organised excursions but when we made enquiries it was either assumed that we had our own transport to travel to the starting point for one activity while the advertised boating trip was not available the week we were there. We therefore explored as much of the area as we could on foot, went swimming when the tide was in and just relaxed. With such wonderful scenery what more could you ask for?

Heading inland from the camp

When we arrived at the camp we would be notified of the time of the flight back to Broome the evening before. After lunch on the day we were due to leave we were eventually told that a plane would leave late afternoon. But then what was the hurry - we were on Broome time.

View of islands from the plane

Exploring Broome

The Town Bus takes guests from Cable Beach into the town. Once in the town many sites are within easy walking distance. Small shops line the main street enticing tourists to part with their money.

A major attraction is Sun Pictures, an open air picture theatre operating in Broome since 1916. Some of the seating is under a roof while the rest is in the open. During the day it is possible to visit this piece of cinema history.

Broome has long been a multicultural centre with Aborigines, Japanese and Chinese as well as European settlers. Chinatown, with its mixture of the old and the new, is a major shopping area off the main street of Broome. Johnny Chi Lane connects the shops in Carnarvon Street to those in Chinatown.

Roebuck Bay at low tide

Once hundreds of peal luggers moored at Roebuck Bay. They may be gone but there are constant reminders throughout the town of the importance of the pearling industry. A number of shops sell the best quality pearls for those who can afford them. Those who can't afford them can still look and admire them. Pearl Luggers provides sessions explaining the history of the pealing industry in the area. The Broome Historical Museum has information and displays on the pearling industry and other aspects of Broome's history including the bombing of Broome by the Japanese in 1942.

Broome Historical Museum

History is everywhere in Broome. One afternoon we took a bus tour of the Broome Penisula and visited many sites including the rocks at Gantheaume Point where dinosaur footprints can be seen at low tide, the Japanese Cemetery, an old pearling home (now a gallery) and the site of the Japanese attack on Broome during World War II .

Broome's location on the edge of desert country is ever present as the above picture taken on a cliff above Roebuck Bay shows.

When a very low tide coincides with the rising of the full moon the resulting effect is known as the Staircase to the Moon. One evening we watched this event with a crowd of people from the lawns of the Mangrove Hotel. The reflection of the rising moon on the water and sand provides an illusion of a staircase leading to the moon. Quite a sight. This phenomenon can be viewed for three nights each month from March to October.

Broome is a unique town. The isolation of Broome from other settlements in Australia, its history and multiculturalism have contributed to the development of this special and different community. Life goes at its own pace and if there is a delay visitors are reminded that in this region life operates according to 'Broome time'.

Broome is a must place to visit.

Broome - Cable Beach Club Resort

The Cable Beach Club Resort is situated at Cable Beach. The accommodation units are distributed throughout tropical garden. Chinese sculptures of warriors and horses can be found in various locations.

The gardens overlook the sea and guests work across the lawns to reach the nearby beach.

Camel rides along the sand are a regular feature on Cable Beach.

Birds are regular visitors to the gardens. Maybe this one was attracted to the pool by the statues in the background.

Sunset at Cable Beach

Broome

In August 2006 we flew from Melbourne to Broome on the north-east coast of Western Australia. The town of Broome is situated on Roebuck Bay and since the early 1880s has been a major centre for pearling in Australia. By 1910 almost 400 luggers and 3,500 people were involved in pearling off the coast of Broome. Pearling is still important but tourism is now a major industry with thousands of people visiting this remote, but beautiful, area each year. Broome is also the gateway for exploring the Kimberleys and many tourists visit Broome and then explore the more remote areas of the region.

We stayed at Cable Beach Club Resort. Cable Beach consists of twenty-two kilometres of sand on the Indian Ocean and is a wonderful place to enjoy the sun and the sea and to relax.

Blue sky, sun, sand, warm water for swimming - what more could you ask for.

However walking north along the sand and looking up at the sand dunes you can understand why the European sailors who first viewed this area decided not to stay as they all they could see past the sand dunes was desert.

The outback - The Ghan

Image from a postcard

One more night in Alice Springs and then the next day at 1.00 pm we joined The Ghan for the trip to Adelaide.

 

The Ghan travels through the centre of Australia between Darwin and Adelaide - a journey of 2,979 kilometres. The length of the train varies according to demand but on our trip the train measured 996 metres. The train was so long that on arrival at Adelaide the train was too long for the platform and passengers disembarked in two stages.

The trip on The Ghan is described as one of the great train trips of the world. Once on board we found our sleeper which doubled as a small private lounge during the day. It was a compact but comfortable space and included a small en suite. In the evening the beds were prepared. We spent some time in the Lounge Car where you could meet other passengers or just watch the scenery. Dinner was served in the Dining Car.

Shortly after breakfast we were arriving in Adelaide and the adventure was over.

Later that day we flew home to Melbourne after two enjoyable weeks exploring the dramatic and beautiful landscapes of northern and central Australia.



Outback - Kings Canyon

Another trip through this desert, this time from Uluru to Kings Canyon via the Lasseter Highway.  The drive took us through cattle country including Curtin Springs cattle station. We stayed at Kings Canyon Resort where we watched the sun set behind Carmichaels Crag.

The next day we were taken to the canyon. Robin took part in the climb to the rim of Kings Canyon and the walk at the top providing magnificent views of the surrounding countryside and of the dramatic rock formations and cliffs.

Dots on top of cliffs are people

While the adventurous made the climb, some of us went for a walk along the floor of the canyon with a guide pointing out plants, rock formations and telling stories of Kings Canyon.