May 9 - Broome to Derby (Day 368)

250km

 Sunday May 9 - Broome to Derby

Mother's Day!  The kids made some cards for Mim. We also presented her with a necklace we'd sneakily bought at the Broome markets last Sunday while she was buying her hat! Hee hee! :)

Happy Mother's Day Mim!

Mother's Day pancake breakfast!

The red sand beach of Roebuck Bay

 

 

Left Broome and headed out east. Before we went too far we decided to check out Roebuck Bay, which we'd seen a beautiful drone photo of at the Broome markets. The coastline is all red like it was at Barn Hill. We went along Crab Creek Rd and got some photos, but you really needed the height of a drone or helicopter to get the whole coastline.

Crab Creek Rd

 

Returned to the main road via some farm tracks and headed out east towards Derby.

 

Stopped at Willare Roadhouse where the kids picked some Boab nuts from some Boab trees. Once you scrub the green fluff off the outside, the nuts are left with a dark brown layer which can be carved off in patterns to reveal the light brown wood underneath.

A few one lane bridges on the road up to Derby.

Got to Derby at night-time, refuelled and then tried to find a place to stop. Tried one side track on the way out of Derby but the clearing on the satellite map was no longer there so we had to reverse the van out a longish track.

The official start of the Gibb River Road

Officially we started the Gibb River Road tonight because the next free camp was along the road. Although this part is all sealed so is nothing remarkable. So we'll say it officially starts tomorrow!

Travel Plans 

The plan for the Gibb River Road is to take about two weeks to get from Derby to Kununurra. There is limited phone signal along the way.

PS: I am writing this entry on May 18 at Gibb roadhouse where exists the only Telstra tower on the road. We've been to Mt Hart Station and Mt Barnett Station and seen some wonderful swimming spots. We're doing up a video of all this, but will document the words side of it on the blog too. Tomorrow we plan to leave here and go to Ellenbrae Station, before scooting through to Kununurra to restock the fridge and the pantry! We then intend to return to the eastern end of the road to cover El Questro and Emma Gorge.

 

-- Greg