Back to Broome

Back to Broome - still no swimming at Cable Beach! Not stingers but a croc sighting so swimming prohibited - we are destined not to swim at Cable Beach again!!!

Sunset at Cable Beach....

Heading back on the Gibb River Road tomorrow for just a short trip back to one of the gorges - we are all praying for sunshine and good road conditions....our beach break is over!

Cape Leveque 5 - Farewell

A final farewell picture of our beach shelter...we were so sad to leave and tried to stay another night but they were booked out! It was time to move on....We are now half way through our trip and this was the furthest point we will be from home - we couldn't have picked a better place to mark the turning point! It really was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and the whole beach shelter experience really made it for us. It was so different to anywhere else we had stayed and just so relaxing. Everyone should come here!

Instead of heading straight back to Broome we decided to have a night at Middle Lagoon, another Aboriginal community on the Dampier Peninsula. A beautiful big bay but unfortunately we had been spoilt by Cape Leveque!

We had been promising the boys a camel ride since we left Sydney and Broome was the logical choice - sunset camel rides along Cable Beach! This was what you did at Cable Beach! But not for the Griswalds...no we opted for the local camel guide in a small community near Middle Lagoon, rather than the smoothly run commercial operation at Cable Beach! Not sure if this place would have met the standards of Tourism Australia! The guide (who was actually the nephew of the mud crabbing guide) lead us off on 2 camels one of which stood up while Harry was only half on - great start! The camel train consisted of 4 camels - 2 we were riding, another attached to the back and then the bonus 10 month old camel (baby of the camel Harry and I were riding)! Well the ride started with the baby camel weaving in and out between us trying to nibble on all our legs and then constantly tripping over its own legs underneath us. No wonder he suggested Ollie and Will wear bike helmets - it was obviously going to be a hairy ride!!! After a nervous start and a bit of stampeding (Harry freaked out, Ollie and Will thought it was fantastic) everyone settled down and actually the ride was great. He lead us through the bush describing the Aboriginal uses of all the plants and then down onto the beach - there was not a soul on it. Beautiful beach with stark red sand walls in the distance. Only a couple of small communities live along this bay. There were the most amazing shells and the boys came back laden with treasures and full of knowledge - actually Harry the expert on all topics managed to outdo the guide with information on dangerous sea creatures!



Middle Lagoon below.

Cape Leveque 4

Beach shelter floor decorating by Ollie and Will!



Out on the boat tour there was a reef in the middle of nowhere with the tides causing waterfalls. It was quite a bizarre sight.

Early morning walks....

Cape Leveque 3 - In the water

Singing in the shower!

Michael actually did catch a fish finally but not one we could eat!

We spent a great day out on a boat tour run by another local aboriginal and went out snorkelling, swimming, fishing miles out from Cape Leveque. It was hard to believe we were still in Australia! The most beautiful clear water and secluded little beaches. Great to go out with the local aboriginals as you get a real sense of their culture and pride in their heritage.

Cape Leveque 2 - Hunting and Gathering

Michael, Harry and Ollie went out mud crabbing in the mangrove forest with Vincent, the local aboriginal guide. They had the best time and were thrilled to set off with their hook like spears for an adventure of a lifetime! Vincent taught them how to find and catch the crabs. Harry managed to catch the first one and then Ollie scooped the day with 3 crabs! There was also another couple in their 60's who went and between them all they brought home 9 mud crabs - a great result for a couple of hours in the mud.


Trying to keep all the crabs in the container to bring home proved to be harder than catching them in the mud! The boys were so excited when they returned and we invited the other couple and the Curtis family (from Gibb River Road who also happened to be staying at Kooljaman) for a big cook up at our hut! We borrowed a huge pot from the restaurant and set about following Vincent's instructions for cooking crab. Hours passed as we tried to boil a huge industrial cooking pot on our tiny portable gas burner but finally the moment came. The boys took the crabs out of the ice and put them in the pot - everyone waiting eagerly for the first taste of the crab! Hammers and multigrips came into force as we cracked open the shells - they were magnificent - so sweet and succulent. As expected the kids actually didn't like the crabs and settled for snags on the BBQ! The adults all tucked into a great feast of crab and beers - fantastic night!

I like to move it, move it!

Cape Leveque 1

This road leads to Paradise!!! After a couple of days in Broome we set off with great excitement to Cape Leveque (220km north of Broome on the tip of the Dampier Peninsula) - this was to be one of the highlights of the trip. It was a long slow drive on the bone jarring corrugated road with plenty of toilet stops on account of the constant jiggling up and down! Arriving at Kooljaman Wilderness Camp was like arriving in paradise and just the place to unwind for a couple of days - it was to be a holiday away from our holiday! The most beautiful secluded and empty beach with crystal blue water and white white sand - this was to be ours for the next 3 days! How would we be able to leave here?


On arrival we decided to give the campground the flick (too far from the beach) and opted for the beach shelter just a couple of hundred metres from the sand. The shelter was a 3 sided hut made from logs and palm fronds complete with sand floor and an amazing view of the beach. The boys felt like they were on Gilligans Island and according to Ollie, I am still not hot enough to be Ginger - have to settle for Mary Anne! What an amazing feeling of openess with the constant cooling breeze from the ocean providing shade all day. We parked the camper trailer next to it as our sleeping quarters which left the rest of the shelter as our living/sand castle building area. It even came with a fresh water shower in the corner for rinsing off the salt - I don't think anyone even used the real showers in the toilet block the whole time we were there! The strategically placed table with food boxes provided just the right amount of cover so you could shower with a view of the ocean...

Sunrise from our hut!

Cape Leveque (swimming beach)
Our little patch of paradise - the beach was often empty!We were in heaven - just like being on a tropical island...

Broome - we made it! Finally here at the famous Cable Beach and yes it is every bit as beautiful as the postcards. White sand, turquoise water - so incredibly inviting. Everyone so excited to see the ocean after weeks inland. Although we had been swimming in some amazing places, there is nothing quite like the sight of a beautiful beach.


Spent a great morning on the beach - the boys spent ages chasing after tiny crabs and exploring the rock pools.



Day 2 Broome - set off early for another morning session at Cable Beach only to find that swimming was prohibited due to stingers (unseasonal for this time of year...) - very disappointing so the only swimming was back at the van park - great option!!! Lots of grey nomads in speedos - always a treat!

GRR 7 - Manning Falls

Manning Falls - absolutely spectacular! Michael, Harry and Ollie climbed the cliff face next to the waterfall to get to the top of the falls and above. We all swam under the waterfall and the boys spent ages jumping off the rocks. Don't know what we would have done without will's floaties - they have been our saviour as he loves to do everything Harry and Ollie do!

The beginning and end of the walk consisted of a waterhole crossing - you had to put all your belongings in a styrofoam box to float them across!

Will about to launch himself into the waterhole at the campsite.

We spent 2 nights at Manning Gorge - another great spot! We had recovered from our crazy driving day and were ready to tackle more of the Gibb River road when the split head incident occurred! I was passing the torch to Harry in the middle of the night when he dropped it and the big dolpin torch cracked poor Ollie right on the head. What a way to wake up! He screamed, there was blood everywhere and we were 300km on dirt road away from the nearest town! Anyway it was a small neat cut above the eye and we managed to clean it up and calm him down. Morning came and Ollie was not well! Very pale and feeling sick - concussion perhaps? We managed to see the remote area nurse in the aboriginal community at Mt Barnett and she gave him the OK to travel to Derby (300km) so we could get him checked at the hospital. We packed up and set off to head to Derby, then Broome as most of the roads to the gorges were still closed. Coincidentally we passed the Curtis' (family from earlier on) on the road to Derby and were surprised to see them as they had gone north first to Drysdale River Station and were then heading west a couple of days after us. We had actually spent days being jealous that they were sitting in the beer garden while we thrashed it out in the mud only to find out that on the night we left them Rod (father) had been bitted by a snake and was airlifted to Derby Hospital! What a nightmare - he is OK but his poor wife had to drive the 2 kids and the camper trailer 500km on dirt roads by herself! Anyway Ollie was fine and we are now in Broome! We had an amazing time in the Kimberleys - they really are spectacular and we can't wait to go back!

GRR 6 - Galvans Gorge

Galvans Gorge

After a night at the roadhouse we headed down the road for a much needed swim at Galvans Gorge while waiting to find out what roads would be open that day or would we be spending another night on the side of the road! Great news - Manning Gorge was open so we could pack up and head off there. Just 7km down the road with a huge waterhole for swimming.


Harry loved the rope swing!

GRR 5 - Mud, Mud, Mud

Welcome to the day from hell! It all started off remarkably well - the skies were pretty clear and we only had 160km to drive to reach our next destination, Manning Gorge. We said goodbye to the Curtis' who were heading 50km up the road to Drysdale River Station, a big cattle station with the most northerly beer garden in the Kimberleys and we were heading further west along the Gibb River Road. If only we had known! There had been much more rain further west that we had received and the roads had turned to mud. This would be the unseasonal rain as we are supposed to be in the dry season! Anyway we headed off and the road was horrendous. So muddy and the car was sliding all over the place and threatening to bog all the time. The windscreen was covered in mud and it was impossible to see. Which way to go was the constant decision Michael had to make! Unfortunately a big rock hit the underside of the car and then the metal grating sound began. There we were on the side of the road still a long way from civilisation with a car that was making a horrendous sound - do we drive on? After a quick call on the trusty satellite and some under car work from Michael we decide to try to make it to Mt Barnett Roadhouse. The noise was still there but the road was so slippery and muddy the sound from under the car was really the least of our worries. We just had to make it to the roadhouse! Then the dreaded creek crossing that was deeper than expected and the engine flooded. We were stuck in the creek crossing with still about 50km to go! The boys of course were totally oblivious to the state of affairs and occupied themselves in the mud on the edge of the creek. The boys thought it was the most exciting day ever and loved the car sliding everywhere - Ollie left his window open so we now have a lovely orange mud stained interior! I felt sick all day but Michael put in a champion performance behind the wheel. While we were waiting in the creek a couple of tour operators arrived and told us that all the gorges were closed due to the rain. There was not where to go - why didn't we go to the station with the beer garden?

Finally the engine dried out and we made it into Mt Barnett Roadhouse dragging some metal guard underneath the car and without our front number plate! This is buried somewhere in the mud on the Gibb River Road! I have never been so relieved to arrive somewhere in my life - civilisation, yippee!!! The roadhouse resembled a refugee camp with people camped all along the side of the road where ever they could find space as there was no where else to go.

The boys had a great time washing the car down at the creek - they had the most fantastic day ever!

GRR 4 - Gibb River Camp

After the excitement and adrenalin rush of making it through the 2 river crossings we headed off to find a suitable campsite for the night. We ended up at this great bush campsite on the side of the Gibb River much to the horror of the couple who had already set up there for the night. They had prime position with their caravan facing the river, fireplace set all ready for a romantic evening when the Griswalds arrive and the Curtis' (other family) - you can imagine how they must have felt when we rolled up with 5 kids desperate to get out of the car and head to the river to start fishing directly in front of their caravan! Anyway we had a great night - big campfire with damper scones (not made by me, far too gourmet for my style of bush cooking!) and the romantic couple paid us back by belting out all the hits of the 80s! A bit like being at a 40th birthday party! Then it rained and rained...