Broome staircase to the moon

For 2 or 3 days of each month the full moon rises over the mud flats in Broome, it's reflection creating the illusion of a staircase leading to the moon. It's a much celebrated natural attraction, with a market, food stalls...and hundreds of locals and tourists lining the cliffs with cameras in hand.
As the orange moon rose into view...there was almost a hush in the crowd...then the cameras started flashing!
I didn't have a tripod...so please excuse the hand held camera shot.
It really was a breathtaking sight.












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Cazz and boys xxx



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Charlie's birthday camel ride

Younjust can't visit Broome, and not ride a camel along stunning Cable beach. Charlienhad a very special birthday this year...starting the day with an early morning camel ride along beautiful Cable Beach...













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He had the biggest smile on his face! Thomas and Harry loved it too...

Cazz xxx


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Cable beach resort

Way back when this trip was just a dream...I knew I wanted us to stay at cable beach resort. It's expensive and just a little indulgent -but hey, you only live once, and we may never travel here again. So on our first day in the car...I booked it. 4 nights of luxury, and a much appreciated break from camping!
We are staying in a beautiful bungalow...and instantly love it. Polished timber floors, air-con, king sized bed with crisp white sheets (serviced daily!)..the boys actually leaped around the room with excitement at the large rooms and their own beds...we were all just a bit excited!
Buffet breakfast was also a highlight...the view over the ocean divine.

We celebrated charlie's 7th birthday on August 26.. A very exciting day.
Dinner at sunset..



Charlie had spent some time in the shop at ElQestro holding onto a real leather whip..and was very happy (and surprised)when he unwrapped it:







Cazz xx


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Beautiful Broome

Friday 20th August
We stopped at a roadhouse for petrol and lunch, and were very excited to see our friends from Elquestro who are traveling in the other direction! We had a great chat about our adventures, then said waved goodbye.
The road trains never fail to amaze us:





I guess our first impression of the famous Cable Beach in Broome is no different to anyone else's. Grant and I have travelled quite a lot, and seen beautiful beaches all over the world...but this one must rate as one of the best. The dazzling powdery white sand, red cliffs, clear azure waters...and that endless sky....just gazing at the horizon here is mesmerising. We spent the first 3 nights at the Cable Beach caravan park. A bit of a walk to the beach...so we were thankful for our bikes! This park has the most beautiful shady sites...but not if you turn up without a booking in August. We ended up on white gravel beside the camp kitchen (this was great) and in full sun. We couldn't enter the tent during the day as the temperature in there was easily over 50degrees! In the end it didn't matter much, we spent all of our time at the fantastic pool, or the beach, or exploring this fascinating town.










We even took the car for a beach drive:



We have heard the weather isn't too great in Melbourne...it's hard for us to imagine...day after day of perfect sunshine and blue skies...and loving it!

Cazz and boys x


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Prison boab tree

The drive to Broome was pretty easy. The Gibb River road has a fair amount of bitumen and the road from there was proper highway. We visited the prison boab tree, once used to lockup aborigines on route to derby. The tree itself is thought to be 1500 years old. It is around 14m in diameter, hollow inside and has a narrow opening where prisoners could be locked up inside. I can only imagine the shocking conditions in the heat up here. It is now a registered significant site...and another sad chapter in Australia's history.






Cazz and boys x


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Cowboys

These were taken at ElQuestro...














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Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek

The spectacular West Kimberley was once part of an ancient reef, 350million years old. Winjana Gorge soars 100m above the Lennard River, and during the dry season is full of freshwater crocodiles. Although not considered dangerous there is no way anyone would swim here..we saw at least one croc every 10m...all laying just under the water. There were also hundreds of bats here...wow, they are noisy. A bit like a newborn baby's cries...I didn't like the sound too much at all!
The view from the campground..


You can see us here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgQ2KSdokuk&sns=em






We visited tunnel creek early in the morning..hoping to avoid the crowds with their torches. Tunnel Creek is where the famed Jandamarra, an aboriginal freedom fighter, hid from police for over 2 years. This whole area has an extremely sad and violent history which we have found quite upsetting at times. There is a memorial plaque at the ruined historic police station for a police officer killed during these violent times...but no mention made of the hundreds (if not thousands) of indigenous people forcibly removed, enslaved and often murdered in this region.

Tunnel Creek is a 750m tunnel which is pitch black and full of bats. Wading through water with our torches (and all alone) it was a slightly frightening, and pretty exciting experience. At one stage we turned off the torches, hoping to catch a glimpse of a ghost bat. We were slowly wandered on the sand when all of a sudden there was a loud shuffling, and a splash right in front of us...we quickly turned on our torches, and discovered a 1.5m long crocodile! I'm not sure who was more startled...but it scared the pants off all of us!!
We made it all the way through to the other side, where we relaxed for a while, and had a look at some rock art...then made the trip back passing a couple of tour groups along the way.








One thing we have discovered here is that if there's nowhere to swim, we can't stay too long. The weather has been so hot and dry...around 35 degrees during the day...which is not much fun when you're camping!
Having seen everything we wanted to see...we have decided to head over to broome 3 days earlier than planned. I can't tell you how excited we all are...to see the coast at last!

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