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Published: September 30th 2006
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Well finally it was time to leave Broome and we were quite sad. We headed down the highway 110km south to Barn Hill Station campground. The only instructions we had to find the place was to “turn at the white tractor tyre”! Well there it was, and turned we did and drove in on the red dirt road, opening and closing 3 gates, for 9kms. At the end of the road was a higgledy piggledy arrangement of caravans, some parked amongst a few drought starved trees and the rest out in the heat of the day and all up to their axles in glowing red dirt. With the heat at 35 ° - and no power available to run the air-conditioning, a tin shed for a shop, small alfresco ablution blocks (no roof) and a small rustic lawn bowls green, the uninviting picture was complete…. and so far from our beautiful Broome. But we were here now and because we could see the beach and the ocean from our hand-picked ‘front row’ position, we decided to stay and paid for 2 of our planned 4 nights.
AND, it was Sunday and Sunday is Roast Night for $12.50 per head (I
was starting to feel like a pensioner at the local club). The instructions were to bring own chair, table, cutlery, plates, drinks (in other words everything but the actual food) to the common area at 6pm. But what an intimidating experience. As we walked towards the crowd with our goods and chattels in hand, there were about 100 people at large table groupings. We got to the first unusually small group of 4 and politely asked if we could add our table, which they were happy to accept. Well it turned out that the 6 of us got on like a house on fire - not the least because we were all under 55!
Renee and Mason were in their early 30’s, Glenda and Gary were in their desperately late 40’s/ early 50’s and us. Needless to say we were the last to leave - with a date with the bowling green the next morning at 10.00. So with our hangovers in tow, after our early morning walk along the beach, which was stunning - in part because of its remoteness and lack of people, we headed to the bowling green resplendent in shorts, singlets and sarongs.
We had
so much fun that we caused quite a stir amongst the oldies, they even came to watch what all the laughter was about - and we kept the appointment at the bowling green for 6 more days altogether. Most of the oldies have been here for anything up to 6 months and they are quite ‘cliquey’ - its has quite a cult following this place, being shown once on 60 Minutes. We nicknamed them ‘the committee’.
The rest of our time was spent fishing and swimming on the beach. We even went as a 4WD convoy to Port Smith for the day to go fishing on a remote beach. It turned into a bit of an adventure as we had to drive down a very sandy track for about 20km and at one stage all 3 vehicles got bogged in deep sand at the same time. So we all let our tyres down and got out ok. Wes caught a variety of fish, although none big enough to make a meal of. We all had a great day.
On Friday, after 5 nights (yes, as you guessed this place had grown on us), we left to make a
Fishing at Barn Hill
Wes is in the foreground. The dog is Mason's dog 'Oscar' backward trip to Cape Leveque (pronounced Leveek) on the Dampier Peninsula which is 230km north of Broome (340km from Barn Hill). We wanted to go here straight after leaving Broome, but we had it on good advice that we should book a beach shelter and the earliest that one was available was 15th Sept, so we decided to head south and come back - it was only an extra 110km each way. It seemed everybody had something very negative to say about the road and we weren’t looking forward to it. Of the 230km from Broome, 160km was dirt which was challenging to say the least and worse than the infamous Gibb River Road. All of the communities on the peninsula are Aboriginal. We called into Beagle Bay on the way up to see the church which was built in the early 1900’s by missionaries and the local tribes and has an interior and altar extensively decorated beautifully in mother of pearl. Another stop was Middle Lagoon, which was nice and very peaceful spot.
Finally we arrived in Cape Leveque and got to our Beach Shelter which was a very rustic palm frond encased pergola, aka Gilligan’s Island, containing
Fishing Adventure to Port Smith
As you can see this is one of the fish Wes caught and certainly not big enough for a meal. a cold fresh water shower in the corner and a BBQ table and….. all set on a red sand floor. We pitched the tent under the shelter and set up camp, simultaneously ditching the thongs for barefeet, as there was no competing with the sand on the floor. There was a small shared men’s/ladies amenities not too far away. I have experienced this in Europe before, but I think Wes was a bit shell-shocked to be sitting next to an unknown woman in the next cubicle. The setting was beautiful, right on the beach looking out onto the turquoise blue sea. For the next 3 days we walked along the beach and collected shells and did not much else but reading and relaxing. Bliss.
Then we headed to Broome to pick up supplies and back to the caravan at Barn Hill for two more nights with our mates, who were still there. When we got back, it seems that we had made such an impact on ‘the committee’ with our brand of fun that they invited us to join in with their invitation only $10 per head Prawn Night. It was a blast and we had them rolling around
to a few of our jokes.
Wednesday morning rolled around too quickly and it was time to say sad goodbyes to our new friends and to Barn Hill, with a final Bowls match. We will see Glenda and Gary again in Albany where they live, and will probably run into Renee and Mason again along the coast, but it was still sad because it will be hard to replicate what we had here.
We finally got away and headed to Eighty Mile Beach, 246km south for an overnight stop. The beach here is no good for swimming because it is too shallow and also crocodiles have been known to inhabit. We still don’t know why crocodiles have suddenly reappeared as a threat further down the coast after none at Broome or Barn Hill. The fishing here is amazing and although we didn’t indulge, there was standing room only the next morning as we went for our walk. They were pulling in large threadfin salmon and mullaway just off the beach at high tide. We just decided to go shell collecting on the beach which is famous for its shells, with Wes playing the part of my ever patient
View from the Beach Shelter Cape Leveque
The sand on the beach is actually very fine white sand and it starts just past the small plants in the middle of the photo shell carrier.
The next morning it was off to the mining port of Port Hedland which was another 363km away. And that is all I have to say about Port Hedland - another pimple on the bum of Western Australia. Everything is covered in rust coloured iron ore dust. End of story apart from some washing and shopping for supplies, a feed at McDonalds, and a craved for pizza for dinner.
Next blog: Port Hedland to Exmouth.
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Gerry
non-member comment
The Committee v's The Tortoises
Hi guys, you sound like you are having so much fun and the scenery is just beautiful. Seems as if you drive down some dry and red dusted roads in the soaring heat only to land in paradise. Happy belated Birthday Wes - sensational present Amanda. I'm gobsmacked at the beautiful scenery inAustralia - must get out a bit more often. Take care