Day : 37 & 38

Location : Mornington Wilderness Sanctuary, Punuba country

Kms travelled : 259 & 28

After a rough night with an unsettled baby (fortunately an uncommon occurrence) we sat around camp in the morning willing the energy to pack up. Had some leftover pizza for breakfast and a pot of tea and got to it. Followed some fellow campers out of Mt Hart and back onto the Gibb. Driving through the King Leopold Ranges we were once again treated to amazing scenery and the road itself was easy going with some pretty mild couregations. We suspect it was graded around two weeks ago for the Gibb River Ride, where mad people ride mountain bikes along the length of the Gibb (alone or in a relay fashion) for charity.

(photos : road scenes)

Shortly down the road we stopped for a look at Bell Gorge. Just 29km off the GRR and not far past a campground (Silent Grove – your standard well maintained WA NP campsite) it’s ease of accessibility was demonstrated by the two tour buses parked there. The walk to the gorge itself is purported as 2km and 1.5hrs return but took us far less time. With water running all year round, the first pool at the end of the walk was full and fresh. The grey nomads standing waist deep in the water pointed us in the direction of the add on track to the deeper more swim-able pool, up and over the waterfall, a bit of a scramble, but again, couldn’t be too bad given we could see children swimming below.

It certainly was a scramble (although we’ve seen worse this trip!), especially given we were in birkenstocks and blunstones and not our usual hiking boots, but in only 10min we were up and over the waterfall and near the deep blue pool at the bottom. Well worth the trek! We each took a refreshing swim, taking turns to watch the baby nestled in a groove in the rocks (I’m sure I remember a time when we could swim simultaneously?)

(photos : Bell Gorge, well worth the walk)

On the Gibb and just after the Bell turn off we stopped for fuel and a cool drink at Imintji Aboriginal Community where there’s the most expensive diesel so far ($2.05/L, understandable given the location!), a lovely campground, a small shop (fruit, meat, occy straps, etc) and a little gallery where you can by local paintings (themes of the Windjana spirits predominate, Kat regrets not buying a piece).

(photo : Imintji gallery)

Again not far along was the turn off to the Mornington Wilderness Sanctuary – the only thing we’d booked in advance this trip! At 6000# square km, this place belongs to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, the largest private owner or land for conservation, with 4.8 million hectares under their control. At this spot alone they boast protection of over 40 mammals and over 200 bird species and focus on land management and feral animal control. And apparently this north west Kimberley region is the only spot in Australia where no mammals have gone extinct, pretty impressive. Just off the main road you have to radio in (copy) to confirm your camp spot, failure to do so risks being turned away when you arrive, and having driven 88km down a fairly rugged track, you’d feel pretty silly if that happened! We arrived mid afternoon (having confirmed our booking at the radio as instructed – “Crawley, party of two and a bit, copy”), booked in for dinner at the restaurant the following night (luckily, as it was filling up quick) and set up camp before enjoying a glass of wine and a cheese platter at the camp bar.

(photos : Mornington Wilderness Camp)

Cooked some of our Dampier catch into a curry before washing up while having a chat to a very loud Swiss orienteer and walking down the lovely starlit driveway back to the bar for the 2nd nightly presentation about the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and Mornington Wilderness Sanctuary. While waiting for it to begin we had a chat to a couple from Perth honeymooning in swags on the Gibb and a husband-wife pair from Yeppoon who’d had more than their fair share of car troubles and had travelled ‘every road in Australia’ allegedly.

The presentation was given by a young field ecologist, who was very enthusiastic despite having clearly given the spiel before. We were treated to deck chairs, blankets and a PowerPoint on a projector screen – very slick! The AWC is managing 28 sites across Australia as a private not for profit organisation, and in a few spots in conjunction with the local Aboriginal people.

While a bloke in the front row asked a bunch of questions exclusively about rainfall in the area, we wondered how many of this type of grey nomad would jump at the chance to volunteer here counting bilbys.

The next day we had an omelette for brekky from eggs we’d been carrying since Broome and went to explore at St John Gorge. A rocky 40min drive from camp lead to a beautiful entry point to the Fitzroy River. If you book early enough (and don’t have a baby tagging along on your trip) you can hire a canoe to paddle 4km or so down the river. Actually, it’s a series of three canoes, with pre-determined pull up spots to walk around rapids etc, then hop in the next one. We would have really liked to give it a go, and were considering options for the baby (just lie in the middle under an umbrella to keep the sun off?) but given everyone else in camp wanted a go too and it was all booked out during our stay we’ll have to take our turn next time.

(photos : St John Gorge)

After a swim there and at Bluebush water hole (where there’s a rope swing!) we had plunger coffee and the nicest fruit cake Kat’s ever had at the camp bar. Considered the map for our next stop (we hadn’t planned anything beyond this) and made some calls on the sat phone to arrange replacement brake pads at our next mechanical opportunity (the ‘check brake pads’ warning light had just come on and we hadn’t yet fixed it as we had the handbrake).

Washed some nappies in the scrubby bag (cloth bum still going strong 5 weeks on!), had leftovers for lunch. Went for a walk along Annie’s Creek (one of three short walks around the camp) and tried to spot the Purple Crowned Fairy Wren among the pandanus (it’s one of the protected species here).

(photos : playtime and a walk)

Enjoyed lovely hot showers (it’s the little things in life) and went up to the bar for our set menu dinner – roast lamb with sweet-potato and parsnip mash and lemon mint panacotta. Generous serves of each, that we mostly got to eat at the same time (only one of us had to be cuddling the baby as we ate). Had a further chat to the Yeppoon couple – a butcher and nurse/midwife working to pay their way around Australia (and not having any trouble finding work, as you might imagine!). The ecologist who’d given the talk last night came down with a small child – the daughter of two other field scientists here. Her name was Georgie and she was besotted with Roly, and commented he was ‘a bit plump’ (which is now Kat’s favourite way to describe him).

Day : 35 & 36

Location : Windjana National Park, Bunuba country & Mt Hart Wilderness Camp, Unggumi country.

Kms travelled : 442 & 150

Travelling the Gibb River Road! (and finally catching up on blog posts!)

The GRR was once the route transporting cattle from remote stations to the larger hubs of Derby and Wyndham, but now transports adventurous grey nomads en masse across the Kimberley (and some cattle still too). It’s 660km length is largely unsealed and has no phone reception, making it (and it’s side trips) pretty remote and unconnected. That is, if you don’t count the 10 or so major stations supplying fuel, food, sometimes a bar and more often than not more flash accommodation than just a campsite.

We left Broome at a reasonable time, only for Kat to hear back about a chat about a Broome job half an hour out of town! (ah well, can show interest and find out all about it by phone later). Arriving in Derby by mid morning we filled up with fuel, last minute groceries and coffee, and popped in to the visitors centre to check on road conditions and permits for the GRR. We didn’t hang around in town long, eager to hit the dusty dirt roads again.

The first 100km of the GRR from Derby is sealed and easy travelling. We listened to a podcast about refugees from Iran in the 1980s (Sam’s choice) to pass the time. Once again, you blink and the scenery has changed. In scenes typical of the Kimberley, boabs reach for the sky among gum trees, bellies hanging out unashamedly, with a carpet of native grasses and termite mounds at their feet. (something about the outback makes Kat feel poetic)

(photo : the GRR begins)

Only 123km along and 22km off the main track is Windjana National Park, our home for the night at a well amenitied (probably not a word but I’m going with it because hot showers in a NP is something special) campground at the base of an an amazing gorge.

(photos : Windjana)

Up to 100m tall at some points, and 3.5km long, Windjana Gorge was once (360 million years ago) a limestone reef and was very impressive to view from our campspot.

After setting up camp and having a quick lunch we drove another 37km down the dirt to Tunnel Creek. The cave through which the creek runs is 750m long and one of the oldest in WA. The story goes that there was an aboriginal outlaw named Jandamarra who hid out in the caves there for years, repeatedly returning to recover from gunshot wounds until he was eventually cornered and killed there.

(photos : Tunnel Creek, a bit of a scramble even without a baby!)

Back at camp Sam checked the car over, we enjoyed the solar hot water showers, tried out our dehydrated spag bol for dinner and attempted stargazing from what we’d learned at Astro Tours.

(photo : Sam, bush mechanic)

The next morning we set out early to walk the 3.5km down and back again length of Windjana Gorge. A few people had the same idea as us, and lots were stopped at the first sandy bank passed where innumerable freshwater crocs were sunning themselves in the shallows. The walk took us an hour, through scrub more arid than our previous gorge walk experiences, to a rather disappointing end where there’s simply a sign at the end of the track saying end of walk. Sam used his bushtucker man knowledge of old to identify a native passionfruit vine where we picked some ripe yellow fruit and had a nibble (and looked very impressive in our bushmanship to people walking by!) We stopped for brekky (and second brekky for Roly) before walking back out the same path.

(photos : Windjana Gorge Walk)

Our destination for the night was Mt Hart Wilderness Camp, and with the GRR so good it wasn’t long before we were there. At the bar (originally from the Mangrove Hotel apparently) we ordered coffees and watched two dudes sink tinnys. We also ran into our Cape Levique Dutch friends Gerry and Bernadette, who had had the misfortune of cracking a fuel hose on their Prado, but the fortune of it happening at Mt Hart when the boss was in Broome and could bring back a replacement.

With many gorges in the area dry from a scant wet season, we decided to check out Dolimite where water for a swim was assured. An easy 5ish Kms drive from the campground and a short walk following, we found grey nomads in the first two pools we walked to, so scrambled along to the third for a look. Three creek crossings and a bit of bouldering led us to a bigger pool with lush lily pads, but we elected to go back and take a dip at pool two on our way out.

(photos : Dolimite)

At camp we three had a quick shower, then drove up to Sunset Hill with a beer and some crackers to ‘watch the earth turn away from the part of the sky that the sun is in’ (as Space Gandalf would say). The view was beautiful in all directions and Roly charmed the other viewers young and old despite having a bit of a grizzle.

(photos : another cracking sunset)

It was pizza night at the bar, and we thought it rude not to partake, so we joined in with near all the other campers. The young guy on a gap year seemed to be serving at the bar and bringing out food and was run off his feet so it wasn’t the quickest process, but we chatted to yet another pair of grey nomads spending the winter months travelling north while we waited. Took the leftovers back to camp and hit the sack for our onward journey tomorrow.

No phone reception on the Gibb and it’s offshoots, sorry fans! Will be back on here and the ‘gram next week!

Day : 31, 32, 33, 34

Location : Broome, Yawuru country

Kms travelled : 201, then not many just around town, but we’ve now cracked 10,000km since leaving home!

(photo : a regular sight around our ‘home’ in Broome)

After waving goodbye to Willy and getting stuck behind a caravan on the dirt road out (so a dry season Dampier traffic jam basically) we arrived back in the big city of Broome. Population 16,000 in the wet and 40,000 in the dry, we met the place somewhere in between – lots of backpackers seeking work, but still able to find a campsite on short notice.

The Courthouse Markets were on, so we had a wander and grabbed a smoothie. It was only 10am and already scorching! Picked up some things from the hardware store (like a new water jerry can after one of ours cracked and exploded) and had lunch at the Dragonfly Cafe.

Moved on to our home for the next few days, the Tarangau Caravan Park. Advertised as ‘the quiet alternative’, we thought it a good fit for us, provided our baby doesn’t scream and break the quiet. Were given a lovely shady spot, so Roly took a nap while we pottered about, Kat unpacking and repacking things (as if it makes any difference) and Sam darning a hole in his shorts with dental floss (yes, really).

(photo : it’s a tough life being a baby)

Come 4:30pm we ventured into Town Beach to watch the Staircase to the Moon and peruse the markets adjacent. With the moon rise scheduled for 5:55pm, there wasn’t really enough to kill an hour and a half, but we did several laps of the markets (predominantly food, predominantly Asian), selected dinner (Thai and Indonesian with a Filipino entree) and found a spot on the grass. The moon was as beautiful as it was punctual. Right on 5:55pm it peeped above the horizon, a red ember in the growing dark. And sure enough, as it rose in the sky, small lines of light were reflected in the water below, looking as if a ladder was emerging from the sea. The phenomenon is created when the low moon’s glow is reflected off pools of water in the mud flats at low tide. This is most pronounced and spectacular with a full moon, and must be seen with mud flats facing east. Roly, as if on cue, chose 5:52pm to turn on the-saddest-baby-in-the-world™ act, although as we enjoyed the sight with 200 other people, all snapping and chatting away, noone seemed to mind.

(photos : happy baby, sad baby, it’s an emotional rollercoaster)

(photo : best I could do with a phone camera)

We took advantage of the early cooler temperatures the following morning and went for a wander along nearby Cable Beach, stopping for a coffee at The Zookeepers Store on the way.

Parts of the beach were blocked off with traffic cones, with the pack up from some kind of polo event underway. We later read that part of the dunes had been excavated to facilitate the event marquees – local environmental groups were not happy, and we agree with them!

The beach was otherwise spectacular – white sand, crystal clear water, and not a croc in sight although rumour had it the beach was closed a few weeks back after a croc sighting. We did see a pod of dolphins fishing and surfing though!

(photos : Cable Beach views )

We didn’t spot the clothing optional area of the beach either – perhaps we needed to look harder?

We pottered back at camp before the heat of the day got too much for us so we headed in search of a cool drink. Found what we were after at Matso’s – a local brewery overlooking town beach. We enjoyed a tasting paddle (Sam) and Angry Ranga – a combo of chilli beer and their signature ginger beer (Kat) in the shade under a fan. Interestingly, most places we’ve come across adopt the same cooling principle we have back home – open air and a fan to circulate it. We’ve only really found air conditioning in the supermarkets.

After a little wander, admiring the statue of female pearl diver, and passing lots of people who asked to swap places with Roly (strapped to Sam in the carrier) we made a plan for the evening. First stop : sunset over Cable Beach, where we ran into our Danish neighbours from the campground (who told us they’d just had an expensive day at the Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm store in town, lucky buggers).

(photos : Cable Beach at sunset, baby mildly impressed)

Next we made the pilgrimage (along with 50-100 other tourists) to the Mangrove Hotel Resort to watch night two of the Staircase to the Moon. No bookings required for their enormous outdoor area, but there was a wait for food and a line for cocktails. We scored a nice little day bed area, free because it’s beach views were hidden behind the mangroves, but a few steps to our right allowed us a look at the sight again. Here a band played each night of the Staircase, and as moonrise approaches, a didgeridoo soloist plays until the staircase is complete. Haunting and lovely.

The next morning Kat had a lie in with a headache (probably the 35+ degree days, or the absence of more than a 5hr block of sleep for 4 months, who knows), so the boys had a wander about town and visited the hardware store, repco, etc. In the afternoon we all escaped the heat by doing a big grocery shop in preparation for the Gibb (it’s not all exciting times here!).

Something that was exciting though – the littlest traveller had his 4 month birthday!

(photo : happy birthday baby)

In the evening we visited the Sun Cinema, the world’s oldest outdoor cinema, running since 1913, showing silent films until its first talkie after 20 years of operation. It’s rustic charm is well maintained, with old movie paraphernalia scattered about, and lovely old deckchair seating (very comfy, although everyone we saw in line to buy a ticket had been told to bring a pillow). Roly fortunately slept through the whole movie with only a few grizzles, and we thoroughly enjoyed Top End Wedding.

(photos : Sun cinema)

With a baby that had been up partying since 3am, the following morning we got up early to check out the dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point at the morning’s low tide. The path down to the prints themselves was a bit too much of a scramble with a baby, so we settled for the replicas moulded at the top of the cliffs and a wander through some great red rock formations.

(photos : Gantheaume pt)

Treated ourselves to brekky out at The Green Mango Cafe, dropped off some of Roly’s clothes to an op shop (they don’t fit anymore, wah! where’s our tiny baby gone?) and had a wander of Chinatown. Kat popped her head in to the Broome Hospital to hopefully have a chat about a future job up here (not much success contacting anyone in advance unfortunately) – watch this space!

Took a delightful swim at Cable Beach (even Roly enjoyed it!) before taking the little dude to the local child health centre for his 4 month check up and vaccinations. He got certified ‘perfect’ by nurse Rosalie, but she did comment on his red hair! (you win some you lose some) Only cried a little at his needles, and all was forgiven after a boob. Mum and Dad celebrated him doing well with an ice-cream from the servo.

Our last treat in Broome was a stargazing experience or ‘Astro Tour’ with astronomer ‘Space Gandalf’ Greg Quicke. Arriving to a small circle of chairs in a paddock 15km out of town at 5:30pm, we watched as the sky dimmed and stars peeped. Greg spoke, surrounded by low red lights (so as not to disrupt our night vision) and a growing starscape and introduced us to stars, constellations and planets both with the naked eye and an array of very impressive telescopes.

After an orientation to the night sky and a lesson in awareness of the earth’s rotation we were guided through views of nebulae hundreds of light years away. We also had an impressive view of Jupiter and 4 of its moons and were treated to hot chocolate and Anzac bikkies. Kat’s favourite was the Jewel Box nebula. Sam enjoyed the tarantula nebula. We both admired how the shape of Marala the Emu Man and creator in local lore appeared in the gaps amongst the milky way, his head nestled near the Southern Cross. Roly slept through the lot (but we did get Greg to sign a copy of his book for him).

(photos : Astro tours, and a pic I’ve borrowed from the interwebs cos I didn’t want you to miss out on seeing Space Gandalf)

Getting back into town after 8:30pm we found dinner at the Sunset Bar and Grill and took stock of supplies for our departure from civilisation tomorrow.

Some of our fave photos by the talented @AlexKyddPhoto (seriously, check out this dude’s stuff on the gram, he’s amazing!)

Day : 28, 29, 30

Location : Embulgun community, Dampier Peninsula, Nyul Nyul country

Kms travelled : 204, 70ish, 0 (our first zero day!)

Dutch grey nomads requiring assistance : two, but repeatedly

After a vote, a coffee, and a fuel and water top up we hit the Cape Levique Road onto the Dampier Peninsula. It becomes dusty, couregated and narrow quite soon after leaving the highway. There are roadworks in progress, so perhaps it won’t always be so (but we really hope they don’t just tar the whole way!).

(photo : Dampier driving)

About 130km up the peninsula we lost reception for the local radio station, and found the turn off to our campground. It’s recommended up here to book in advance, directly with your camp host. Partly so you have notified that you will be coming into native titled land and aren’t arriving unannounced and risking cultural insensitivity, and partly so you don’t find yourself remote and homeless in the event the spots are full or closed.

We’d booked at Smithy’s Seaside Adventures because it looked the most legit in the most beautiful area (although really, all the campsites up here are legit and beautiful). Cruising down the bush track, we came across a car stopped heading the opposite direction and pulled up to see if those inside needed a hand. Here we met Gerry and Bernadette, Dutch retirees taking 9 months to see more of Australia than most Australians. Not realising they’d need to book ahead, they’d picked a nice campspot on WikiCamps only to find it still closed following the wet season. We assured them that we’d seen a few other campsites confirmed open and offered to drive in convoy further down the track to find one. Gerry then had a million questions about the 4WD settings of his Prado, while Roly having sensed a cessation of movement geared up for a meltdown in the hot car.

Eventually we got moving again, and followed the signs (scribbled spray paint on scraps of couregated iron, love it!) to Smithy’s. Were greeted by a happy waggly mama dog and her runty but definitely not her puppy sidekick, but no Smithy. Started to worry we’d stuffed up a booking too, but decided to wait for a bit, admiring the beachfront setting, when two well-travelled 4WDs pulled up. There was no mistaking that the fit old fella who hopped out first ran the joint.

(photo : Smithys turnoff)

Larger than life and with a rich history of his own, William Smith or Smithy or Willy or The Fresh Prince of Dampi-air is one of many local people letting travellers camp on their land and offering an authentic experience of the peninsula. Like most, he has some rustic amenities on site (his perhaps more rustic than others, still a bit of a work in progress) and a beach front spot to park a tent pretty much wherever you like. The Dutchies decided to stay too, so we both set up camp on the hill overlooking the glorious blue water.

Sam decided to have a go at catching an ocean fresh dinner with his hand line, so we three took a walk along the beach. With no bait to catch a big fish with, we searched the shore for pippys and signs of crabs. When a little crab jumped out in front of Kat, and she thought better than to step on it barefoot to capture it, Sam chased it down the beach, stabbing wildly with the tiny blade of his leatherman (a hilarious sight) and having success in pinning it, chopped it in half – Aha! Now he could have at least two attempts at catching a fish!

Kat and Roly left Sam to it, wandering back to camp and thanking a team of kids on the back of a ute for their delivery of firewood to the half barrel firepit nearby. With no fish (for Sam at least – Gerry caught a trevally that Sam had to help him clean and gut) we had to have chicken for dinner.

photos : Smithys beach front, camp doggos Princess and Rat)

Awoke the next day to the best sunrise yet. The tide was in and we saw a dolphin swim by. With this clue to fish around, it wasn’t long before the only other campers at Smithys (relatives perhaps?) were standing knee deep in the crystal clear water with fishing rods. Willy wandered down and spun a yarn for the crowd on the beach. A member of the stolen generation, he was taken and raised at Beagle Bay here on the peninsula, where a large mission had been established for children. He recounts life with catholic nuns and German ex-military school teachers, neither of whom you wanted to cross, and credits them with instilling in him a strong work ethic. Adopted into an aboriginal family on the peninsula he learned the ways of this land and now generously shares his wisdom with travellers like us, and the party of school kids that visit annually for an educational experience.

Meeting one of the stolen generation who is only the age of our own parents and having a baby of our own, really struck home again how recent and traumatic this shameful part of our country’s history is.

photos : the solo chairs of Smithys, for rests and contemplation)

We decided to spend the day seeing the rest of the peninsula, starting with a visit the community of Lombadina, where there were rumours of a great woodfired bakery. There’s a $10 fee to visit the community, where there’s also a Craft Shop, an op shop, a small general store and an old church with a thatched paperback roof. Unfortunately everything was still closed – we’re here too early in the dry season. We did admire the church though, and drove over the dunes to the most pristine white sandy beach, where we took a gloriously refreshing swim. Coming back off the beach we must have taken a slightly different track, accidentally exiting via the neighbouring community of Djarindjin where there’s a roadhouse (also currently closed for renovations, but open for fuel on certain days only).

photos : beautiful Lombadina)

Further north we visited the main ‘town’ of the peninsula, Kooljaman, where scenic flights and tours are arranged and there’s a nice restaurant and accommodations ala Karijini Eco Resort. We had a coffee and a muffin, and contemplated a bush tucker tour (but thought we’d ask Willy for a recommendation).

Nearby is the Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, family owned and run and the oldest still operating pearl farm in Australia. We’d just missed the last tour, but the site also boasts a restaurant (with adjacent infinity pool!) so we had a light lunch of pearl meat cerviche (but isn’t pearl meat just oyster?). After lunch Kat selected a small 9.5mm grade A2 souvenir to have set into a piece of jewellery on our return home.

(photos : lunch with a view, and a pool)

On the way back to camp we visited the other campsites along Pender Bay. Both Middle Lagoon and Pender Bay Escapes were much larger and more established than Smithys, with less rustic amenities and correspondingly more caravans.

Back at camp in the early afternoon we washed some nappies in the good old scrubby bag (what a great invention for the road – thanks Alison!) and had a delightful shower where the water starts warm then becomes cool as what was sitting in the pipes all day runs through. Sam teed up a fishing trip with Willy for the following morning (Gerry to tag along), and we cooked up a roast in the camp oven, which impressed Gerry and Bernadette no end. More for show than necessity we then put on a damper and some billy tea (tea is always necessary) and shared it with the Dutchies – a proper Aussie camp experience. (Sam even swung the billy – not something we do all the time but by the amount of leaves Kat has at the end of her cup maybe we should do more often).

(photos : another campfire, another amazed baby)

The fishing trip was to depart at 7am the next day, but by the time everything was ready and Willy had towed the old tinny down to the waters edge with his rusty hilux the menfolk left closer to 8:30 (everything runs on peninsula time here, and we don’t mind it!)

photos : fearless fishermen, camp scenes)

Heading just out of the bay to deeper water, the fellas spent nearly 4hrs presumably telling tales or enjoying each other’s company in silence. While Gerry fought a fish for an hour but lost him and so bought home just the one, Sam contributed three to the haul – a coral trout, a blue bone / tusk fish and a red emperor. Not to be outdone, Willy reeled in a 80cm Golden Trevally on a hand line. Coming back in, they spotted something big in the water and found a huge turtle, easy 100kg, faring poorly against a tiger shark with its youngling. With the shark exceeding the length of their boat, the fellas felt sad for the lovely turtle but glad the shark had a distraction. (Will post a video shortly!)

(photos : dinner sorted)

While Sam was out taking part in an accidental David Attenborough documentary, Kat and Roly had their own wildlife experience. Having spent the hot morning dipping their toes in the ocean and reading from a book of dreamtime stories, they were enjoying some morning tea in the shade when some flapping and squarking got their attention. A native pigeon had flown into the car, pecked at a banana and found itself unable to get out again, despite 3 of the 4 doors being wide open. A surely hilarious scene followed with Kat jumping up, chasing and waving the dumb creature out of the vehicle while Roly gummed down tight and held on, refusing to let anything interrupt his feed.

(photo : ridiculous pigeon)

When the blokes retuned triumphant and sun baked, we all watched on the shore as the fish were gutted and filleted. Just having dipped Roly’s feet into the water again, we spotted a dark shadow. Two big Bull Sharks were uncharacteristically in the shallows chasing schools of fish! Willy had never seen them in so close and succeeded in scaring them off for a time with an oar, promising if they returned tomorrow he’d tell their fathers where they’d been. Roly stayed firmly on the shore following this.

(photos : sharks in the bay)

With the fish prepped and ready for our dinner, we three sat on the beach in the afternoon as the tide went out, and Roly amazed us with his first back to front roll. He was quite pleased with himself too! Admired yet another stunning sunset over beach and red cliffs and watched a near full moon rise – just in time for our return to Broome where we’ll catch the ‘Stairway to the Moon’ phenomenon (and the attached markets!) Saved the fillets in the freezer for later and had the trout baked whole in the coals with some salad and chips for dinner. Delicious!

Day : 26 & 27

Location : Port Hedland, Kariyarra country & Broome, Yawuru country

Kms travelled : 572 & 629

Heard the dingos howling in the wee hours as we have every night in Karijini, but none close to camp or industrious enough to open tent zippers so Roly remained safe. Packed up and hit the road, skirting the east and northern aspects of the national park. Stopped for fuel and a change&feed at the Auski Roadhouse, before following the unsealed road north towards Karratha and the coast.

We should have guessed that where Roebourne – Wittenoom and Nanutarra – Wittenoom Roads met we might find the forcibly abandoned town of Wittenoom. But we didn’t. And then we were a little surprised by passing a ghost town on the roadside where the streets are paved with asbestos.

Mining of blue asbestos or crocidolite began in the Wittenoom Gorge in the 1940s, and the township sprang up to support the industry, at its peak with 500 residents. Despite a demand for asbestos during WWII and the region being Australia’s only exporter of the stuff, the mine was eventually shut down in the 1960s for both having haemorrhaged money since its set up, and for growing health concerns. By the 1970s concerns were such that the government began phasing down the township. There were thoughts of making it a tourist attraction, but after an environmental study in 1993 showed significant contamination persisted despite 15 separate clean up attempts, that was canned too.

In 2007 Wittenoom lost its status as a township and was removed from the maps. Now there’s just a small sign warning of asbestos in the area. We remembered reading an article some years ago about the 3 people who continue to live there despite the health risks. So we waved, but made sure the windows were up and the aircon on recycle.

(photo: Wittenoom, from a safe distance)

Continuing north on the Roebourne – Wittenoom road led to some of the most spectacular scenery of the trip yet. Rolling plains with an Aussie spinifex twist, flat-top mountains that wouldn’t be out of place in Utah but for their merlot colour and sprinkle of grey-green gums, and dry creek beds begging you to take a rest beneath their shady trees (which we did for lunch).

The winding road through Millstream Chichester National Park did not appear well travelled – we didn’t see another car except for the two young rangers pulling weeds by Python Pool (which had an algal bloom in action so we did not take a swim). Sam longed for a motorbike and enough time to enjoy the road in all its splendour.

(photos : road scenes, python pool)

With a layer of red dust on everything (literally everything) we emerged onto the North West Coastal Highway again just north east of Roebourne. Stopped for a change&feed on the banks of the Sherlock River (cracking free camp there) and pushed on to Port Hedland. The utalitarian port welcomes you with salt piles and freight trains several kilometres long. Helicopters take off from the centre of town to places offshore, stripes of high vis mark every vehicle and the coffee chain Dome is the top rated restaurant in town. We got one of the last few camp spots not occupied by miners in a caravan park, did some laundry and headed in search of food.

Had dinner at The Esplanade Hotel, decent pub fare and some token fairy lights in the beer garden for a little bit of atmosphere. Picked up some late night groceries at the local Woolies, where a local sparky talked Sam’s ear off about local industry in the carpark while Kat packed the car and chatted to a bright eyed baby who should have been asleep hours ago but showed no signs of an imminent snooze (is this the 4-month sleep regression early?).

A disappointing lukewarm shower with the world’s largest and loudest bathroom fan was followed by a restless nights sleep, packed in like sardines amongst caravans with people and vehicles coming and going all night.

We eagerly packed up in the morning and hunted down a breakfast at the Pilbara Flavours food truck before tackling the long dull road to Broome. (Recommended by a bloke we’d met in the caravan park reception, just look for the tradies and ‘the big wheelbarrow’). Definitely did a decent EBR* and coffee.

(photos : Pilbara Flavours, wheelbarrow could have been bigger in our book)

An hour or so into the drive we stopped to check on some backpackers pulled over with a concerning thumping noise in their Mazda. Sam looked like he knew what he was doing (maybe he did actually know what he was doing?) by looking under the hood and under the car. We then followed them to Pardoo Roadhouse to make sure the thing didn’t explode (it didn’t), where they called roadside assistance, baulked at the offer of a $600 tow back to Port Hedland, and decided to rattle on to Broome (Godspeed kids).

At Sandfire Roadhouse we stopped to eat a highly recommended sausage roll (pretty good) amongst the street signs, shade and family of peacocks.

(photos : lunch friends)

We were making good time (thanks legend car baby) so we started looking at spots to stay in Broome. No shortage of caravan parks, but given we’d just done all our laundry we could afford to avoid them (we really should make better use of local laundromats in order to stay off the grid). Elected to stay at the Broome Bird Observatory for something a little different. Established in 1988 and not for profit, this little gem offers cabins, campgrounds ($18pppn) and birding tours. Visitors and campers are encouraged to relax around the site and take part in recording the birds seen during their stay to add to the day’s audit.

At the end of the short but sandy and couregated road we were met by lovely camp hosts (our age for a change) and a beautiful bush setting. The camp was empty on our arrival, because all patrons were down at the beach watching the migrating birds. We joined them for a time, borrowing binoculars and not really knowing what we were looking at, but enjoying the moment nonetheless.

(photos : BBO beach)

Cooked dinner in the camp kitchen while the twitches compiled their notes on bird sightings for the day, the meeting adjudicated by camp wardens Nial and Jade (who were our age or younger!) Roly chirped in (get it?!) a few times during the meeting with his thoughts and these were well received.

(photo : toilet friends)

Woke to an amazing bird chorus and admired the view from the camp kitchen over breakfast. Spotted a family of Agile Wallabies, and several bird species including Goshawks, Bowerbirds and the familiar white ibis** (even though we did have to keep referring to the poster on the wall to determine what we were seeing).

(photo : morning birds)

Did a quick lap of Broome, early voted (without democracy sausage) , and headed out to the Dampier Penninsula, to return for a proper Broome experience next week.

*Egg & Bacon Roll

** aka bin chicken

Sam has again selected the Granny Smith. Same same. 3.7/5.

Kat has selected a Red Delicious. The tofu of the apple world, perhaps it is best eaten in a casserole and not as a snack. 2.5/5.

Perhaps we should call Grey Nomads Turtles because they are slow and carry their home with them. In that vein, young families on the road must be hermit crabs because when they expand and outgrow their home they get a bigger one.

Day : 23, 24, 25

Location : Karijini National Park, meeting of Banyjima, Yinhawangka and Kurrama countries

Kms travelled : 592, 50ish, 60ish

(photo : Pilbara Red)

This morning Kat was to attempt putting the tent on the roof, but a kindly gent couldn’t be dissuaded from helping (probably thinks Sam is a terribly lazy bloke). This was actually quite nice as it remains unclear if Kat could actually get the tent on the roof of the car (she was struggling, it’s a problem with lack of height). It was fortuitous then that by the time we had camp packed up it was coffee and scones time at the homestead. We hit the road around 9am.

Aiming for Karijini National Park, or as close as we could get, we stopped for a change&feed at Nanutarra Roadhouse and for lunch at Cheela Plains Station. This fairly remote station stay boasts the availability of coffee and cake, and it certainly delivers on that front. We enjoyed a tea, a sandwich and a choc chip cookie, although there were also three types of cake and a pod coffee machine on offer. Only a few campers, including a mother-daughter team we had a chat to in the cool fly-free cafe space – daughter living for a time in Tom Price with her truck driver partner and mum a fly in fly out nurse for a gas mine in the NT just visiting for a trip to Karijini.

(photo : Cheela Plains Station)

Passed by but not through the mining towns of Paraburdoo and Tom Price, although we did catch a glimpse of a caravan park at Paraburdoo with an interesting array of shipping container accommodations emblazoned with the Rio Tinto logo.

It wasn’t long before the classic Pilbara landscape made an appearance. Pure white ghost gums stand tall through a carpet of grey-green spinifex. Sharp stacked cliffs surround the scene, an unmistakable burgundy. Sam had to get out and wash his tilley hat around in the deep red earth – because that’s what you do with a new hat in the Pilbara.

(photos : Pilbara begins)

Made it to the Karajini Eco Resort just before 5pm. It was not as busy as we expected and we easily got a spot in the well spaced surrounds. 100% owned by the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation, the resort is a campground come glamping destination with bar and restaurant with a bush tucker flair. In the peak season they run stargazing sessions (not quite started at the time of our visit) and canyoning tours in the neighbouring gorges.

We elected to save the restaurant for dinner the following night, so Kat cooked up a risotto while Sam and Roly walked a lap of the park, chatting to fellow patrons, including two blokes who were old friends from Victoria, catching up now one worked in Port Hedland and the other was doing a lap of Aus with his young family.

(photos : KER set up)

It was a chilly night again now we were a little inland. Kat woke to her first ever Mother’s Day card and was treated to brekky at the restaurant. In hindsight perhaps this was just the buttering up before then spending the day hiking.

First up was Weano Gorge. Grade 4 trail around and into the upper gorge, then a small grade 5 track to Handrail Pool (so named because you need a handrail to help the last little bit of scramble to the pool itself). It was fairly easy walking given the gorge was quite dry, but it would have been quite a sight in the wet. The iron striped rock towered above us in the cool gorge, the morning light illuminating the sheer walls a vibrant red. Oxer and Junction Pool lookouts then provided a spectacular view from above and a nearby cross honouring an SES worker who lost his life in a flash flood during a rescue reminded us how dangerous this beautiful area can be.

(photos : Weano walk)

The walk took us just over an hour, much less than the signs had suggested it would. We stopped by camp to grab cutlery and the tea kit before embarking on the next scenic walk (aiming to see as much of the national park as possible over the next few days).

Next on the agenda was Knox Gorge. A severe scramble down to the gorge floor rewarded us with a glorious blue pool, perfect for a dip in the heat. Once at the bottom, we explored the gorge for a few hundred metres, turning back when the path foward required a water crossing (a bit hard with a baby). Took a swim over lunch, before tackling the steep return. Kat emerged at the top of the track puffing and covered in sweat and a layer of Pilbara dust. Sam, clearly being part mountain goat, made it to the top without concern. Roly, strapped to Sam, slept most of the way.

(photos : tackling Knox)

Back at camp, we sought shade inside the tent and read our books. Once the heat of the day had passed we took the short walk from the Karijini Eco Lodge to Joffre Lookout. The flies were in a thick swarm, making our trip a little less pleasant. Sadly the Joffre Falls are not presently running, but the gorge was impressive nonetheless.

Took quick showers (not bad, but we perhaps expected a bit more flair, only two for all the campers, one your standard soulless cubicle, one a nicer almost open air situation – we chose the latter) and headed to the restaurant for another Mother’s Day treat. Unfortunately Roly wasn’t having a bar of it. Witching hour turned into witching two hours which turned into Sam and Kat taking turns who ate their meal and who rocked THE-SADDEST-BABY-IN-THE-WORLD™ out of earshot of fellow diners.

(photo : actually we lie, there was a brief glorious window where Roly slept on the table and we ate 3 bites of our main meals AT THE SAME TIME)

We stuck it out for three courses – wattleseed garlic bread, emu fillet with native sweet potato and crocodile green curry, Choc lava cake and lemon myrtle panna cotta – before retreating back to camp under mostly sympathetic looks from other patrons. Of course at that point Roly was out for the count. #happymothersday

Of course the next morning we woke to bright blue eyes and cute goos and gahs as if the night before hadn’t happened. Packed up, had a coffee, and hit the dirt road to the east end of the national park. Didn’t stop for the walk at Kalamina Gorge by virtue of sleeping baby, but he woke just in time for a wander through the excellent informative (free) exhibition at the Karijini Visitors Centre.

(

photos : one of the best exhibits in a visitor centre yet)

We soon joined the line of people checking in to the only other campground in the park, Dales. Were given a stern warning to watch the baby as there are dingos about (no shit lady, we were just gonna leave him to sleep outside on the ground unattended) and then a camp spot in the ‘dingo loop’. #irony

(photo : campsite, do not boop the snoot)

Had a glorious toasted sandwich for lunch, then took the walk from the campground, along and into Dales George, Kat hobbling a little from blisters on post-preggo feet that no longer fit her scarpas to perfection. Admired Circular Pool from the lookout only, and took the 2km walk down the gorge to the swimming spots. The scenery was a little different today from our viewing yesterday. The rock more clearly demonstrated the lines of its formation (including the blue stripe of crocidolite, the nasty kind of asbestos, apparently ok if still contained in its layer) and the gorge flora more lush, with ferns and reeds we suspect are spring fed.

(photos : another gorgeous gorge)

(photo : scrunchie or poisonous critter?)

We reached Fortescue Falls along the grade 4 track, and found a glorious waterhole (and quite a few people enjoying a dip). Sam took a refreshing swim while Kat and Roly had a well-earned drink (#breastfeedingbushwalker).

(photos : Fortescue and friends)

Walked the 200m to Fern Pool – a sacred site for the Banyjima people – where one must announce their arrival and intentions to the spirits, and enter the water calmly and quietly (via a now provided deck and ladder). Roly took to the task of our introduction, singing our way through the greenery to the deep blue pool (and charming fellow swimmers in the process). It was Kat’s turn to take a dip now, and while put off initially by the little fish wanting a nibble at her feet, she eventually had a swim (so as not to offend). Sam and Roly watched the pairs of cockatoos preen each other in the trees, and a park ranger watched Asian tourists (in life jackets!) swim in the pool (apparently there was a drowning last season, maybe the life jacket is a good idea).

(photos : Fern Pool)

We took the short way home, up 99 steps made of steel rusted a Pilbara red that almost sounded musical as you summitted them.

Back at camp we read, pottered and tidied, ready to embark on the next phase of our journey tomorrow.