Slow Lane Home

Leaving Broome meant it was time to begin exploring again. We soon discovered in this particular part of Western Australia the distances are vast. Even for seasoned North Queenslanders there would be some long drives. Breaking it up was easy given some of the lovely spots along the coast.

80 Mile Beach

Leaving Broome our first stop would be 80 Mile Beach. We had been hearing good things about this place long before Broome so thought it would be a good stop.

It’s a great little caravan park right on the ocean. It is surrounded by a cattle station and is pretty isolated, but this adds to the charm. It’s a haven for fishing and shell collecting, with (literally) 80 miles of beach to explore all the way down to Cape Keraudren.

We explored the beach, but chose not to swim as there was some coral spawn and the water was a little murky. Swimming was not a smart idea when we were still in crocodile country. Instead we found many of the different shells that can be found on the beach. The highlight however was finding the turtle tracks on the following morning. Turtles do nest on 80 mile and at least one had made her way up to the dunes to lay eggs. That was enough for us, without fishing gear and the water not right for swimming one night was enough.

Cape Keraudren

We stopped next at Cape Keraudren. Not quite a national park but just as special. We set up for a night on the cliffs above a rocky beach. With the bay visible from the caravan, a nice breeze and some exploring to be done it made for another nice stopover.

We explored the area with the highlights being seeing the original rabbit proof fence jutting out into the ocean and the rather bizarre rock formations that lined the bay we stopped at. We drove the park taking in the stunning views as well. It was easy to spend most of our time in our chairs admiring the view.

Port Hedland

We didn’t like this place. We stopped there to break the drive and utilise a free camp. It was a mining town. We are well familiar with them being from North Queensland, but this place felt soulless. Like it was a place people slept while they worked in mining. Eight out of ten vehicles were mine spec 4WDs emblazoned with some services company name.

We did see the port, watching the ships load iron ore. The kids enjoyed a couple of playgrounds and we took a walk along a rather average beach. Next stop please!

Point Samson

We used Point Samson as a based to explore the local area. We wanted to avoid some extra km doing it as a day trip from Karratha. In addition, Point Samson is lovely in its own right. It must be well loved by those in Karratha.

The plan had been to see Roebourne and Cossack at a slower pace. Roebourne was simple. The place was dead. All of it amazing looking tourist attractions were locked and shuttered. Apparently they had been this way for a while. It was a shame as from the outside they looked interesting. Cossack was pleasant, we could explore the old town freely and there was even a free display of the cave and spider art (16 Legs).

Karratha

Christian spent some of his childhood in Karratha and we decided to stop to see it. We have passed through many mining towns over the years and can honestly say Karratha is one of the best. It was a pleasantly surprise as we explored the town and surrounds.

We spent the first day exploring, getting a feel for the place. We saw the lookout, found a (very windy) beach and finally a playground. The visitor centre was very helpful and we had the next leg of our trip well planned.

The best part of our stay in Karratha was our day around Dampier. We wanted to explore the Ngajarli National Park, the beaches and follow the Red Dog Trail. The road out took us past the salt pans. It was one of the two memories Christian had from his time in Karratha.

Rock Art

The National Park focusses on some indigenous rock art. Unlike the rock art we’ve seen so far on our travels, this was rock carvings instead of paintings. There were thousands of pieces of the art in the rock there, although not all can be easily seen. Curiously, the rock itself looks like it was dumped there by a mining operation.

While we were visiting it appeared that Horizon Energy were getting a cultural induction. From the small parts we overheard the stories being told by their indigenous guide were incredibly interesting. The guide even touched on the Gina Rinehart and Netball Australia controversy give the role mining plays in the community. He had his group (and us) listening silently.

Hearsons Cove

We stopped next at Hearsons Cove. We were told it is one of the most popular beaches with the locals and it was easy to see why. It was stunning. Not quite as nice as those on the Dampier Peninsular but pretty darn close. The turquoise water was crystal clear and Christian and the girls made the most of it. We even saw a few stingrays gliding over the floor. The only downer was as far as recent beaches have been, it was ‘busy’. Not the overrun Broome and Gold Coast busy, but we certainly didn’t have it to ourselves.

Red Dog Trail

Our last activity for the day had us following the Red Dog Trail. Named for the famous Red Dog, the Kimberley icon it took you to see the sights of Dampier. We saw the salt loading and harbour, the waterfront, islands and a few other stops. It gave a pretty good picture of the town and how it came to be. It did make us more curious about the Red Dog and a quick stop at the library and we got most of the story.

The rest of our time in Karratha was spent in preparation for the next legs of our trip. We stocked up before heading east towards Karijini and got some snorkelling gear ahead of the Coral Coast.

After spending so much time in and around Broome it was nice to be on the road again. This leg made a nice and easy way to ease back into this travel thing.