Travelling Pete Broome to Exmouth

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It's Time!, to report on the latest stage of my travells.

Tuesday 31st August, saw me reluctantly leave Broome on the way south towards Perth.

The next town was Port Hedland, a distance of about 615 kms, with ONLY 2 Roadhouse/Fuel stops on the way. No other towns, villiages, or odd houses or any other habitation to be seen until Port Headland.

I hope this gives some idea of how vast the north west of Australia is, and how little populated even today. Apart from indiginous communities and catle stations along the way (all OFF the road) nothing is to be seen except flat plains, odd cattle, termite mounds, scruffy scrub and stunted trees and heaps of red soil. Absolutely boring, but with a beauty of it's own never the less.

Tough driving conditions as well as there were strong cross and head winds, not a lot of traffic, but constant concentration was required to ensure no collisions occurred with wandering cattle and wildlife, and of course the odd Road Train and other traffic.

I stopped overnight at the Pardoo Roadhouse Caravan Park which was about the 475 km mark after leaving Broome. fairly primitive, but a secure stop. Met up with another couple, from Sydney who I had already met at stops at Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing and Derby. They were on the way to Karratha (direct) and had just had a few days in Broome.

I'm starting to see quite a lot of other vans on the road or at CP's, some I recognise by sight, others I've talked to or had a social drink or meal with with at different times and places.

I headed off in the morning, for the short run into Port Hedland, (155kms)and 10 minutes there was enough to decide to push on futher that day. A very scruffy place, mounds of iron ore everywhere waiting to be shipped, a fairly haphazzard layout, rail lines through everything, no public access to look at the wharfs or shipping, or indeed the port.

Quite disappointing really, so I moved out and on to the next town, Roeburne, about a further 205 kms down the road. At Roeburn I took a short side trip of about 12 kms to an historic sea port and town called Cossack. The town and port has not functioned for about 100 years, but the old original stone buildings have been restored and it was worth a short visit to see how progress even a century ago could bypass substantial sites, because of changing needs.

I then drove on a little further to Karratha for the night. This town was only founded in 1968, to provide accommodation for workers for the Pilbara mining developments and only exists today for that purpose and as a shipment port for Hamersley Iron.

Next morning I pushed onto Exmouth (on North West cape) which was a trip of about 585 kms. The town is another new one, founded in 1967 as a support for the Harold E Holt, US and Australian Navy communications station. The town is on the north east side of North West Cape, and is fast developing as a centre for tourism.

The northern end of the world famous Ningaloo Reef is on the opposite side of the cape, and only a short drive around the tip of the cape. The western side is also the Cape Range National Park. There are a large variety of land and sea activities to be enjoyed, including whale watching, turtle nesting, coral spawning and good old scenery looking. Charter boats and planes operate in the respective months where the natural attractions occur.

Accessable only by 4WD, from the Gulf side, are two magnificent canyons carved into the low north-south mountain range, which runs down the spine of the cape. One canyon is accessed by road along the top, the other canyon is accessed by road through the creek bed at the bottom. Both are as spectacular as anything I have seen and virtually unadvertised locally. The whole area of course has at times been below the sea and the small mountain spine appears to be really an ancient reef. Nature has a way of creating spectacular sights through water and wind erosion over eons.

I enjoyed the 3 full days (4 nights) here, and had another small win, catching up again with the couple (David and Bromwyn) I mentioned earlier.

Tuesday (7th Sept) I headed off for Coral Bay which I will cover in my next blog.

All for now,

TRAVELLING PETE

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Comments

[Mary]

distance
Hi Pete, That sounds like a lot of kilometres in a small space of time, I guess more by what was there than anything else. I liked the sound of Exmouth and the canyons. Keep safe, Mary

[Kimm]

Safe Travelling
Hi Pete You must be very close to getting to Perth by now. Seems ages ago since you left Broome. I enjoy reading your blogs so keep it up.