18th August 2008

Today we packed up, after showing a lovely farming couple from the south of Western Australia through our Kimberley Karavan. We think they are nearly converts but we may have turned them. Maybe some commission from Kimberley coming our way!! They had the chance to speak with two couples with Kimberley Karavans that were parked back to back.

Anyway, we finally packed up and said our goodbyes to Keith and Sue, Karavan owners, and went on our way. Our first stop was at Frosty’s Pool on the outskirts of Derby. It was built by a group of World War II service men in the area during that time as an idea from a fellow by the name of Frost. It is preserved in memory of those that passed through that pool during those War years. It was fed from bore water from Myall’s bore.

Myall’s bore came about after a well was dug in the vicinity during the late 1800s to produce water for cattle coming into the Port of Derby. The bore was dug in the early 1900s by Myall on a Government contract as the artesian water from the well was cutting back. This water was fed into the longest troughs I have ever seen. It was capable of watering 500 bullocks in one go. It hasn’t been used for many years due to the advent of road trains.

Nearby to Frosty’s Pool and the bore and trough is the famous Boab prison tree which was used to house native prisoners in the late 1800s. Keith & Sue caught up with us there so the two Kimberley Karavans were parked near each other again.

We moved on to our first rest stop at Willare Bridge Road house. Here we had a snack and a cool drink. While there the place was filled up with a coach load of people from all over on a tour from Darwin to Perth.

The trip for the next 150 kms seemed to take forever but it enabled us to listen to the Gold medal win by Emma Snowsill in the Women’s Triathlon. What a great athlete!

Soon we arrived at the Tarangau Caravan Park in Broome. We had reached the west coast of Australia! We checked in and set up the Karavan with its awning as we will stay here for 12 days.

Then off to have a late lunch, visit the Tourist information centre and do some shopping. While we were having lunch we caught up with Dave and Irene that not only were on the tour to the Horizontal Waterfall but also we met at Mataranka caravan Park, ages ago.

In the evening we went to Town Beach in Broome, along with hundreds of other people, to watch the moon rise over the mudflats and create “The Staircase to the Moon”. It is an amazing scene which usually occurs over about 3 nights during certain tides. To complement this event, there are markets held in the Reserve where most people congregate. The usual market wares but on a very much smaller scale than in Darwin.

We had a nice time chatting with people from Victoria and South Australia while we were waiting for the moon to rise. The usual travel stories and also some useful ideas and hints to boost up the Bravo.

Then we returned to the Karavan for dinner and of course, a red wine or two.