The Wandering Tops

The Wandering Tops

26 August, 2013

Broome, Broome can't get away!!

Well I'm not sure if it's the weather or the beach .......... may be the beach or weather, or probably just because we can, ...........we are still in Broome!!

Haven't been doing a lot, Helen and I go for a walk most mornings, no complaints from Helen!! Then to the beach and watch the waves roll in each day, sometimes seeing dolphins and whales.   I've actually started to read some books, and not just the tide chart so we can travel onto and off the beach each day.

We had Neville and Kathy drop by for a couple of days which turned out to be 3, naturally they couldn't leave the beach.  They had flown back from Perth to Kununurra to pick up their vehicle and heading back to Perth to get their new van, so was great to have their company on the beach, also managed to take in some of the local sites (markets) and a few coffees and beers.

Have not done much of the touristy thing but did manage to go to the stair case to the moon one night........ this night did coincide with the markets!!  So have managed to include a Staircase to the moon piccie, which a visit to Broome must include.

Our stay also coincided with a "Band of Mates" playing at our caravan park, Tarangau.  The group consists of 3 guys performing country music, mainly songs they have written themselves.

The Caravan house batteries decided to fail however New Age have come to the party and are replacing both batteries with new AGM Deep Cycle Batteries.  Picked up the new batteries today and will fit them prior to our departure from Broome.

At this point in time we will leave Broome at the end of August ................ if we don't change our mind again!!!





Seagulls on the beach (Cable Beach) some in sleep mode on one leg!
 
Birds on the beach at sunset (Gantheaume Point)

Coffee with Neville and Kathy at Town Beach café

What are these people looking at?? (Main Jetty)

Other people looking back

Sampling some bevies at Matso's Brewery, I had Mango Beer, yum
 
Another crappy day at the beach

Cable Beach south of the rocks
 
 
Everyone waiting for the moon to raise, iphones poised

My stairway to the moon piccie



 
Everyone has a fishing story to tell!!
 
Barefoot on the beach with no protection!

Entertained by "Band of Mates" Terry, Evan & Ginger at the Tarangau Caravan Park.  Proceeds from the night going to the Royal Flying Doctor

Passing traffic on Cable Beach
 

11 August, 2013

Lazy days in Broome

Just a quick update for those who are interested in camping spots, after leaving Kununurra we got back in the swing of travelling again doing 250 km to Leycesters Rest - Ord River free camp just 7 km south of the turn off to the Bungle Bungles.  This is a reasonable camp with plenty of room for 30 or more caravans and you can explore the Ord River bed, generally dry at this time of year. 

We're on the right and many others at Mary Pool

The next night was at Mary Pool 108km west of Halls Creek, this is a very popular camp stop and can get over 100 campers.  We only stayed one night and moved onto Fitzroy River Lodge, staying for 2 nights. Made a day trip out to look at Geike Gorge, didn't take the tour as the times didn't work out and we had visited previously.  Also visited the old Fitzroy River Crossing and old town site. Fitzroy Lodge was a bit of an oasis with shady camp sites and the lodge had a tavern serving 2 for one fish and chips, we could not resist!! 

Geikie Gorge

A local having a nap above the water line on the Fitzroy River near the old crossing

As we knew we had a booking at Derby for the Horizontal falls we decided to break the travel to Derby by staying at Ellendale Rest Area, about 125km east of Derby for the night.  This is a nice camp area with toilets and dump point.  We arrived around morning coffee and had a choice of spots but by dust there was around 20 caravans staying for the night. From here it was into Derby staying 3 nights and taking the Horizontal Falls tour as mentioned in my earlier post, just great.

Plenty of spots to choose from at Ellendale Rest Area


After leaving Derby we headed for Broome.  As we could not get into our preferred caravan park in Broome for 6 days we stayed out at Broome Gateway Accommodation.  This suited us as we did a couple of day trips to Quondong Point and the Bird Observatory, oh and a day into Broome for shopping.

Looking back towards Derby from the wharf at sunset with some burning off in the east.

Part of our scenic drive from Quondong Point

Broome Gateway Accommodation, at Roebuck Plains, good water, great amenities no power

Broome Gateway, great facilities and the biggest fire pit ever for those cold nights.


We have now moved into Broome's Tarangau Caravan park and will spend the next couple of weeks just chilling out ....... well really enjoying the great weather and sunshine before we start to head south slooooowly later in the month.

Guess where ..... Camels at Cable Beach on sunset

Sunset at Gantheaume Point
 
Our backyard for the next couple of weeks ........... will we ever leave?