Benhams go Walkabout WEEK 15 - BROOME & THE KIMBERLEYS (via the highway this time)

Benhams go Walkabout WEEK 15 - BROOME & THE KIMBERLEYS (via the highway this time)

LAST KARIJINI PHOTO OP

Leaving the splendour of Karijini behind us, the details of our future travels are a bit sketchy and we are keen to get recommendations along the way. It’s so hard to edit the information as everyone's priorities and tastes in travel vary. We asked an opinion on 80 Mile Beach which we had heard was amazing, people stay for months etc. “What is so good about 80 Mile?” asked Angus. “ It has lovely grassy sites.” Hmmmmmm….if that is what you look for. Pretty unreasonable in these desert-like regions. Turns out the turquoise waters just hit you in the face as you drive over the cattle station shrub-land dunes. More of a point worth mentioning I think. That and that low tide reveals a 100m+ seabed of rippled sand alive with hermit crabs, snails in their pretty shells and a beach lined with piles of beautiful shells, coral and sea urchin skeletons.

STUCK. 80 MILE BEACH

SUNSET SHENANIGANS. 80 MILE BEACH

Stopped in Broome again to use power and get phone and data reception. Unfortunately this time it was school holidays. Took a wrong turn and ended up finding the replica dinosaur footprints on the point near Cable Beach (the real ones are only revealed at the lowest tides).

MY BOYS. ANGUS, SOLLY, DUKEY, EDDIE & TONKA????    CABLE BEACH

I started to realise just how barren this country is as we were considering our routes home and found there were very few options that didn’t require major 4WD-ing and absolutely no facilities, reception or fuel for 1000km+. Back across the Kimberleys it was. This time we would take the smooth approach, sealed roads. We keep hearing “Don’t stop in Fitzroy Crossing or Halls Creek”, “so many Aboriginals that will steel anything in sight”, “they sit around doing nothing”, “it’s so dirty”. I feel shocked at the racism from virtually every camper we have come across. Don’t get me started or I’ll rant. Suffice to say, I don’t want to be that traveller who is just seeing the white, clean, grassy parts of Australia. I want to see it for what it is and interact with all the people in it. Could be easier said than done.

DRONE FLYING LESSONS

 

FILTHY BOYS DOING CHORES

We make a point to stop in Halls Creek and stay at another cattle station along the way back to Kununurra. I am feeling clueless as Eddie continues to ask questions about animals, rock formations and engines. Time for Google. When we have reception.GOLDEN GRASS, WHITE GUMS & BARBED WIRE. EVERYWHERE.

> Go to Week 16

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