Broome

---

What a contrast after the sandstone gorges of the Kimberly interior, to arrive in Broome with its aquamarine sea and pristine white beaches. We drove to Cable Beach to eat our lunch and were overcome by the sight. We just had to go for a swim. Broome is a booming holiday town with an interesting history of pearling. We went to the movies at an historic outside cinema, sitting in deck chair canvas under the stars watching the story of the nuns at Beagle Bay. We had just visited Beagle Bay seeing the church built by the German priests and with an altar decorated with pearl shells. We called there on our way up the Dampier Peninsular to camp in lovely Pender Bay remote from civilisation. We swam in the sea and walked on the beach, but it became rather windy, taking the edge off our stay. We drove on to the top of the Dampier Peninsular to Cape Leveque, but the Kooljaman resort was unfriendly and money-grabbing and wouldn’t let us view the camping facilities without paying $10 each.
Back in Broome we prepared for Helen’s two courses here. Teachers from interesting backgrounds attended - the School of the Air and schools across this large area, including Derby, Fitzroy Crossing and Beagle Bay. After the course, Katrina, the teacher who organised the sessions, suggested that we join her and her husband Phil for pizza on the beach watching the sunset - a lovely experience.
Cleaning up the car for its service was a big job, but we and the car are now refreshed and all set to move south on our journey.

---