Port Hedland and further north

Port Hedland is an amazingly busy and noisy place. Unlike most cities that have their port aside from the central part of town , their port is right in the middle of town. Trucks are ferrying minerals day and night, ships are leaving as quickly as they can get them loaded and life goes on at a very brisk pace. Many of the people here are fly in fly out but there are also many permanents. We were happy to look around and leave - cities not being our favourite places anyway but you will get the idea from our pics.

                                                                                                                 The port

Trucks lined up waiting to unload

One boat leaves with a 3 tug escort - there were about 8 boats waiting to come in - no wonder Gina is so rich!!!

Another getting ready

One of 2 huge piles of salt almost in the centre of town

The historic Esperance Hotel in Port Hedland

Control Tower

After a fairly hectic couple of weeks travel we found the de Grey River just north of Port Hedland. It was a designated rest area and because of unseasonal rain the river was flowing strongly and the grass was lush and green so there were quite a few campers there taking advantage of the fresh water swimming and huge area to spread out. This railway bridge was being repaired while we were there as the flooding a few weeks earlier had damaged it.

Small side stream where we swam usually 2 or 3 times a day. There was talk of croc sightings but we felt we were pretty safe where we were.

Our camp right on the river

Kerry helped Janice skin and cook an eel while we were there - met some very interesting people there - played cards, had good discussions and read and slept - it was just great

Eighty Mile Beach - full of anglers trying to catch salmon and 4WDs up and down the beach

Kerry in the Indian Ocean

Fingernails to die for - not sure about the hands though!!!

Streeter's Jetty in Broome

A pearling lugger

The beautiful beaches of Broome - yes the water really is that colour. This is Deep Water Port

Cable Beach in distance and some of the very rocky coastline

The lighthouse and one of the best private homes in Australia right on the headland overlooking the ocean - note the boab tree in the garden

The original lighthouse keeper's fireplace - all that is left 

Cable Beach - famed for hippy haven in 60s and 70s

We are heading east now - have finally made the turn towards home - we will be lost in the Kimberleys for a while and will emerge at Katherine at some stage

Out East - the breathtaking Pilbara

Leaving the beautiful coastline and heading east brought changes in the lansdscape. First we had sand dunes not unlike the Simpson-  red dirt ones and quite high. Of course with a bitumen road they were easy to fly over. Then we noted our first termite mounds. Some of these were over 2m high. The first 2 nights in the Pilbara we free camped beside the road. The distances here are so vast it takes a while to get anywhere. The mountain ranges were so impressive - we would try to capture them but I don't think we did them justice. The colours of the mountains are strong and reminiscent of Namatjira paintings. Karijini then Pt Hedland were our destinations  and we weren't disappointed but first the Pilbara.

One of our nights beside the road we stopped early and had our first camp oven roast - we've had plenty of camp oven veges but no roasts so we thought we would break out and bought some lamb in Carnarvon. Looks ok - tasted delicious. At night beside the fire we usually talk for a bit and look at maps, Kerry plays some banjo or ukelele then we head to bed pretty early and read and write stuff about the day then off to bed and up early to try to get on the road before 9 - we dont always make it!!!

Can you believe still more different wildflowers?

Oops that's me there - was getting late

RIP Lookout where people place a rock remembering their loved ones

Tom Price was a bustling town with manicured lawns for the big mine bosses, new homes being built, a Coles and extensive shopping and this old monster - superceded by bigger monsters now.

More of the beautiful mountains of the Pilbara

And now KarijIni - pictures tell the story - many gorges, we went to many but the last one Dales Gorge where we swam was the most spectacular. Millions of years ago these rocks were the bottom of the sea bed!!!

Our lovely quiet campsite in Karijini

We swam in Fern Pool - there was maidenhair and other ferns everywhere

The bottom of the gorge had wonderful light

The trees were espaliered against the rocks - in flood times the water rises way over the heads of these trees

Alison in Fern Pool

The pool was at least 10+m deep and crystal clear

Alison leaping from the rocks under the waterfall

The path out

Last view of the gorge

More magical Pilbara

Entering Pt Hedland - mine trucks everywhere

And then to our main reason for being in Pt Hedland - to see Jenny's (Kerry's sister) beautiful sundial. Two aboriginal girls came along as we arrived and were saying how good it was and spotting all the animals in the design

Kerry showing how to tell the time - have to stand on the month and with hands high face towards the turtle!!!

The plate with designers and Jennys acknowledgement as Ceramic Artist

All around the edge were these different plates telling stories

The setting for the sundial - a new footpath area beside a swale