Broome WA

Broome was going to be a very busy few days as I was booked in for a new windscreen which never eventuated because of Novus's dealings with O'Brien's and is now booked in to Pt. Hedland.
Also the van was booked into Broome Toyota for it's 100,000 service which went perfectly, everything being ok with just the usual oil change etc. and check around.
I stayed in the caravan park for two night (Roebuck Bay) to make it easier to get things done. Steve also stayed in the same caravan park for the first night to get his shopping done, then moved back out of town 55ks to wait for us to catch up.
Colleen stayed with a relative for two night, to catch up on family news.
Where I was parked in the caravan park is the exact spot to stand to see the Stairway to the Moon. Unfortunately we were two weeks early, so missed out on that phenomena.
I was able to visit a few places, Cable Beach, where a few people were lying on the beach. Then also to Chinatown where I went for a wander around the streets, had a nice lunch and checked out the Streeters Pearl Jetty as the following photos will show.
Then back to the caravan park for a shower, do a load of washing and have a wander along the beach which was directly below my spot accessed by concrete steps at the back of my van.
The next morning I left early, 7.15am to get to Broome Toyota which is next door to Broome International Airport. After checking in to Toyota I walked into the airport, took some photos then walked 15 minutes to the closest shopping mall for coffee and cake until they rang at 9.45am to say all done, and I reversed my 15 minute walk back to Toyota and was able to head out of town soon after to catch up with the others waiting for me at the free camp 55 ks out of town.

Derby WA

I found Derby an interesting place, from the coast back to the Boab Prison Tree.
We met up with some other Greynomads for lunch at the Wharf Cafe. Had a great meal and conversation at the cafe. I wanted just Fish and Chips and that is what I got with a small side salad. Thoroughly enjoyed it overlooking the ocean and wharf.
We were there at low tide where you can see in the photo the water is way down at the bottom of the piles of the wharf. When high tide comes in the water rises up to the actual wharf, 6th in the world highest tides in the world at 11.5 metres.
 Unfortunately we weren't staying in town so weren't able to stay long enough to see that eventuate.
Derby has a very pretty sea front as well as a lot of mangrove swamps. Only a small town but had all the essentials we needed. Fuel, groceries, prescriptions.
We also went to the Boab Prison Tree where the aboriginals were held in captivity a very long time ago. An ugly tree in comparison to many we had seen on our travels, maybe because of it's history.
From there we travelling back towards Broome for our next overnight stop at Nillimbubbica for a couple of nights.
Have noticed in Western Australia they have certainly catered for the travelling nomads with most camps set out with plenty of camping space, new blocks of toilets as well as the old ones left in use. Plenty of rubbish bins all painted yellow with the tops cut at an angle with a grate lid hinged on top for easy access. Also dump points in nearly all the camps.
The council boys come through regularly to empty bins, tidy up and clean the toilets.
A pat on the back to whoever is responsible for getting such great amenities and at good distances apart all along the Great Northern Highway.

Bloodwood Tree

This is a Bloodwood Tree growing at the same place as the Giant Boab.
If you look at where it is seeping, it looks like blood, hence the name.

The Boab Tree plus an amazing man. Edited

Boab Tree Rest area on the Savannah Way
I thought this would be a fairly uneventful overnight stop with having one big Boab Tree. Little did I know.
Only the week before I had been listening to Macca on ABC Radio as I was driving and he was interviewing this man about his walk around Australia raising funds for Means Health and Research into Arthritis. He was in Broome at the time and as it was a weekend he was waiting for Monday to get to the bike shop to have some repairs done on the pram he was pushing. I thought at the time what a courageous man to do be doing this all alone.
What a surprise I got over a week later when I drove into the Boab Tree Rest Area, to find this man sitting under cover at one of the tables.
I couldn't wait to get down there to tell him I knew all about his good work. His name is Mike Pauly, he is walking around Australia as close to the coast as possible. Has a target of 18 months and that includes Tasmania.
His website is ozsoulwalk.com where donations can be made to these worthwhile causes.
That is ozsoulwalk.com
We had a great chat for quite some time, with me making his a cuppa, donating a tin of baked beans and some money for a meal along the road.
Colleen brought up some biscuits to go with the cuppa and Steve brought up a jar of vegemite as he had run out. When I asked is there anything that you need or want he said, some vegemite would be great. Thankfully Steve happened to have some in his coaster.
When enjoyed the cuppa and biscuits until an outback tour bus came in, the driver having seen Mike before came over to say hello.
Next Mike pushed his pram over to the tourists to have photos taken with them.
I felt so humbled to meet this man Mike Pauly as he was doing it the hard way and I was doing it the easy way. God bless you Mike. I know you will read this as you took my blog address.
Later that day we took photos of the Boab Tree and surrounds before settling in for the night and another day tomorrow.
This morning Sunday 22nd June I again heard Mike on the radio talking to Macca, he has now reached Fitzroy Crossing where he will spend a couple of days staying in a private home over night and talking to the school children tomorrow.

Giant Boab



Mike Pauly's pram

Baby Boab Tree

The floor inside the giant Boab Tree, very large area.

Inside Walls

The roof vent to the sky.

Mike Pauly

Mike Pauly and me.

Close up of the base Giant Boab