Lap Around Australia : Broome to Derby

Broome to Derby

On our last day in Broome before heading to Derby we went in to town to take a look around Chinatown. There's some nice shops and cafes in this precinct and we spent a very pleasant morning dawdling through the shops and buying a few knick knacks and gifts.

We had coffee and the famous mango smoothies at the Shady Lane Café and it has to be said that both were pretty good! The we continued down the street looking at the street looking at the statues commemorating the early Chinese residents of Broome who were involving in pearling.
We also took a look at the old open air movie theatre that reminded Barb of the old theatres that she used to go to as a kid.

Back at camp, Jess and Barb headed back to the glorious pool to read books poolside and take a cooling dip before starting to pack up a few things in preparation for our departure tomorrow.
There was time to head down to the beach again (so good to be within walking distance) to watch the magnificent sunset. It was too crowded to get seats at the main bar, but we did find a less busy restaurant to sit and have cocktails and nibbles as the sun went down.

Next morning we got away by 0930, which wasn't a bad effort since we had to dismantle a tent as well. The drive to Derby was uneventful. We called in at Willare Roadhouse again so Jess could experience the delights of their outback dunnies. Complete with "sheilas" sign on the ladies that's spelt wrong!

We arrived in Derby and managed to set up at the Kimberley Entrance Caravan Park with barely a cross word between Barb and John as John backed in. Jess did retire to a park shelter at a safe distance during the process just in case.
We drove out to see the Prison Boab Tree just out of town and also the longest trough in the southern hemisphere (who knew?). The tree is impressive...but its history as a place where blackbirders chained and herded together Aborigines to use in pearling and other industries is cringe-worthy and cruel.

It was getting late in the afternoon, so we headed down to the jetty to watch the sunset. The jetty is accessed on an isthmus of road out along mudflats. There were a few keen fisherman fishing off the jetty and a big sign proclaiming Derby to have the largest tidal range in the Southern Hemisphere (greater than 11 metres) Other than that it was a bit underwhelming. We came back to camp and played Sequence instead.