Backpacker Sojourn

The owner has been fishing this morning and had a good catch:

Gonzo’s catch

I asked him if he wanted to sell me some, but apparently that’s not allowed. So I offered him a can of Little Creatures in exchange. He said he doesn’t drink and gave it to his offsider. Everyone is happy and I’ve just been into town to buy some asparagus to cook with my lovely fresh fish.

Growing in the garden

Hedland to Karratha

Before leaving Black Rock, I tried to find out why they are building so many worker’s cabins, but I couldn’t get a straight answer from the office when I checked out. I should have asked the nice bou in the canteen. He served me an enormous portion of fish and chips last night, enough for two people, almost falling off the plate:

Canteen

Before leaving, I took a couple of photos of the site:

On the road this morning, I called in at Whim Creek. It’s a rather nostalgic place for me, as I’ve stayed there a couple of times in the past. Now it’s all closed and boarded up:

The only thing of use is a new Electric Charger, for those with electric cars; but surely that’s risky up north.

Because there was again no accommodation available in Karratha, I had a brainwave to look for backpackers places. I’ve ended up in one: Karratha Backpackers (where everyone is at least 60 years younger than me!). It’s an incredibly untidy place on its last legs, but needs must and better than sleeping in my car.

The other thing of note is a big change in the weather: at 11.00 am I saw storm clouds up ahead and then I drove into a really heavy downpour. No more blue skies for me.

Black Rock Tourist Park

I’ve just arrived at Black Rock on the outskirts of South Hedland. Not much to say really. It seems mainly aimed at tradies. There are cabins great and small as far as the eye can see in all directions. Mine seems quite new and has everything I need for a one night stop.

On the Road Again

Half way between Broome and Cygnet Bay is the small town of Beagle Bay. It’s a ramshackle place but famous for its church with mother-of-pearl decorations:

————————————————————-

Now I’m back in Broome for one last night. I’m staying at the Pinctada Hotel. This has recently been taken over from the Kimberley Sands, where I stayed with Val some years ago. It’s undergoing some refurbishment at the moment:

Nice room on the first floor

The best thing is the large pool, the biggest around, though many of the tiles round the edge are in need of repair.

I enjoyed one last dinner at the Bali Hai, which is just down the road. I just had an entree and a dessert:

Sno crab salad

Tiramisu

I could eat one of these every day!

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm

When  I discovered that the Cape Leveque Road is now sealed, I made an impromptu decision to drive north. In the past, this was a gravel road and I travelled up here with the post bus. They offered this service to tourists.

So I am now staying at Cygnet Pearl Farm in a “glamping tent”, which is the best accommodation in this remote spot.

This afternoon I did a one hour tour of the farm, which covered the history of pearling and the operation of this farm:

Intro and film in the old school shed

Waiting for the opening of a shell

Our guide will crack open a shell

The view out to sea

Inside the shop

I didn’t buy anything. I have lovely pearls at home, but I wish I had them here!

At the Black Stump

I always pay a visit to this gallery. Today there was a lot of moving around, as they were preparing for an exhibition opening tonight. Emma Blythe’s husband seemed to be doing the heavy lifting.

This is the artist who is the subject of the new exhibition:

She seems to use gold paint in some of her work.

After that, it was time for a coffee at Matso’s:

Sculpture in the garden outside

RAC Caravan Park

I’ve moved, but only a few minutes drive away:

I wanted to try the cabins in this caravan park, which is just across the road from the Bali Hai where I’ve often stayed in the past.

It’s cheaper than Beaches, the only downside being its further away from Cable Beach. Apart from that, it has a lot going for it. My studio cabin is about 3 times as big as at Beaches. It’s very quiet, situated right at the back of the park. The kitchen is extremely well equipped and the big TV actually works - though up here you only seem to get Channel 7.

Breakfast in the sun

My plan was to visit the Museum, where my friend Alison used to volunteer on Sundays. It has been enlarged since her day, with several additional rooms. The verandah has also been enclosed , with a display about Broome in wartime. I was mainly interested in the history of pearling:

Pearl buttons

These pearl shell buttons were popular before the advent of plastic buttons.

Pearls growing in the shell

Aboriginal designs carved in the shells

I learned some interesting facts from the volunteer. At first, pregnant aboriginal women were used as divers, because they had greater lung capacity. When they were forced to go out into deeper water, they started to get the “bends”. This is when the expert divers from Japan were brought in.

The Japanese divers couldn’t live without soy sauce and started producing their own locally:

Soy sauce flagons

Japanese tea set

An annexe to the museum is the Sailmakers Shed, where skilled craftsmen prepared the canvas sails for the pearl luggers as well as other items:

Petrol

FYI I’ve just worked out the cost in petrol to drive to Broome. I now have a full tank for further travels.

• 24/5  Burswood.          $42.22
  
• 25/5. Geraldton              41.70
• 26/5. Carnarvon.             56.72
• 27/5. Nanutarra.              30.00
• 27/5. Roebourne.             55.82
• 29/5. Port Hedland.         28.46

• 31/5. Broome.                  84.26

Total cost                                  339.18

I had no trouble finding petrol. I preferred to buy higher octane, but occasionally had to settle for 91. I never bothered checking Fuelwatch to find the cheapest. Remember that my Prius is very economical, so driving other cars would cost more.

Camels

The mystery of the camels is now solved.

Last night I went across the road to get a beer at the Spinifex Brewery. There was a bewildering choice of beers on tap. I was given one to try in a small glass and decided to settle for that.

There was a sign outside which read Camel Feeding at Dusk. That was in 10 minutes (5.47 pm). The camels were soon making their way along the road: their distinctive smell preceded them. All the diners came out of Spinifex with their cameras at the ready. The staff brought carrots and we were all invited to give one to a camel. I preferred to watch!

One woman said her camel just spat out the carrot! You can probably eat too many carrots!

Apparently they now come up off the beach by the surf club, since their original way near the Cable Beach Club is all fenced off. They have a lot of handlers with them as they are on a public road.

About 25 minutes later, all the blue camels came past, but they had no carrot feeding to detain them.

I paid the price for my camel watching by getting a million mosquito bites.

Chinatown

I went into town early, before it got too hot to walk around. One of the first things I saw was the Sun Picture House. I’ve never been inside in all my trips  to Broome. Nothing showing in the morning, but tonight was The Devil Wears Prada. There were 2 market stalls inside, doing a brisk trade in clothing, made by women’s co-operatives from Halls Creek and Broome. I was tempted, but I have more than enough clothes as it is!

The cinema is semi outdoors:

Projection is from the little square windows

Appropriate signage

Screen with clothing stalls in front

Info board outside

Later I called into the Broome Gallery. The owner is the brother of a girl I met on a trip a few years back. She is now in Queensland and had asked me to look him up. Lots of interesting art on sale:

Boabs and more boabs

Staircase to the Moon

This is a big event in Broome! I didn’t know when I booked; it’s just a happy coincidence. Someone in town gave me some useful advice: watch it from the Mangrove Hotel, as opposed to the more normal Town Beach. The Mangrove is at a higher level, so it has a better view. 

This morning, I went to check the place out and took a photo:

Last night, I walked down the road from Beaches to observe the sunset:

It was sad to see all the reconstruction going on. The piles of incredibly red soil were everywhere. The views north and south were better, but you can’t escape the ugly fencing. What about the famous camels? Are they still going, and how do they get on and off the beach? No idea!

————————————————-

In order to obtain a prime spot for viewing the Staircase to the Moon, I was there 90 minutes early. Crowds had got there even earlier:

I went to order a beer (it would be rude not to) and then secured a seat on a lounge bed, next to two young women who were discussing breast feeding problems and solutions ad infinitum. Fortunately, they had to leave in order to see to the baby. They were replaced by a mother and son. Monique said she was working on the reception of a caravan park and had come over from the Eastern States to do this for the season.

Finally, it was time for the anticipated Staircase to begin. Monique gave me her photo, because it was much superior to mine: