Broome to Exmouth
Contrasting Landscapes
This is today’s view from our window.
We have had four nights in Cape Range National Park, looking out at Ningaloo Reef, just soaking up what nature has to offer. From this fabulous spot, we can walk straight across white sand and into the crystal clear water and snorkel over coral. Unfortunately, the wind has not let up and it has been too choppy to go into the water. Nevertheless, it has been very enjoyable just looking over the turquoise water and watching the waves breaking on the reef two or three hundred metres out at sea.
Ningaloo is Australia’s only fringe reef and Western Australia’s answer to the Great Barrier Reef. The Park that stretches along about 50km of foreshore is protected wildlife habitat and has limited and highly regulated camping… no water or facilities apart from one composting toilet per camping area. There are about a dozen camp areas within the park with about eight sites in each. Places are given out each morning from eight o’clock to those in the queue at the Ranger’s Station. We arrived at 6.45 and were the twelfth vehicle in the queue and the last allowed in that day. We were very lucky. Once in, you can stay for up to 28 days, and can move to other camp areas on request. Our first allocated site was Yardie Creek at the southern most end of the park where we were able to do some pleasant gorge walks. Then we moved to Lakeside, further north, from whence we have been able to explore more of the park.
We see emus, euros and kangaroos every day and black footed rock wallabies in the caves on the sides of the gorges.
This baby White Breasted Sea Eagle is waiting for mum to come back with some tucker.
There is a turtle rookery not far away and in the season you can swim with whale sharks.
I think Cathy got to do that on her recent trip, but didn’t get time to hear much about it before we left. Have we got any more duplicate shots Cathy?
We enjoyed our time in The Kimberley and Broome of course, one of my favourite places. Three lovely days on the beautiful Roebuck Bay.
I don’t think I could ever tire of the wonderful boab country. Here are a few examples.
We shared Eighty Mile Beach with about 30 fishermen. Still plenty of space for each person when the beach stretched North-South from horizon to horizon. Oh, there was a coast watch tent on the beach with two intrepid souls carrying out “boarder protection” with a pair of binoculars. Thank goodness we have someone to protect us from those dreadful people who might arrive on our shores with all of their worldly possessions in a single plastic bag.
We didn’t like Port Headland. It probably didn’t help that we arrived on a Sunday when everything was shut, but it seemed a soulless sort of place. People we spoke to all said they were only there to make money and nobody seems to stay long enough to put down roots. Karratha and Dampier seemed more like proper communities.
We voted for the elections at Karratha, but not for the man who wants to take Australia backwards and would probably be content to lock children behind razor wire once again.
The North West Shelf gas plant at Dampier had a very informative visitors centre, but the whole enterprise is quite overwhelming and somewhat oppressive. Others I’m sure would find it awe-inspiring.
Here are a few pictures to show the contrasting landscapes of our route.
The real treasure we found on this part of our trip was Point Samson, a tiny village on the peninsula north of Wickham. The day we spent there was picture perfect. Perfectly still water in the azure bay with waves breaking gently on the reef across its mouth, and just beyond, whales parading southward, rolling lazily, their shiny black crescent shapes, appearing from the blue, disappearing and emerging again with misty whale spouts evaporating against the sky. What a treat!
We ate our dinner on the beach and watched the tide go out and expose the reef, where we wandered and found all sorts of strange creatures, including octopi and this odd fellow I have so far been unable to identify. He has at least six suckers that come out in front for feeding.
Tomorrow, it’s back to Exmouth (drive slowly through town so as not to upset the wandering emus) then two days at Coral Cove, then southward.
Hello Emily, James, Zali, Lachlan and Koby,
Do you think you would like to play hide and seek in this enormous old tree?
How many places can you see where you could hide?
I’m sure many different birds and little animals have already found a home in this gnarled old fellow.
It’s called a Boab tree and it produces huge nuts which have a white pulp inside, a bit like a coconut. The white pulp is quite all right to eat, but it doesn’t taste nearly as nice as a coconut.
Tags: Travel
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