Part 3 – Pilbara to Broome

Day 8 South Hedland to Broome

Port Hedland/South Hedland is an industrial town. Somewhere to refuel. The Walkabout Hotel is an icon of the Pilbara iron ore pioneering days.

The Sandfire Roadhouse is about halfway between Hedland and Broome. Legend has it that a fuel tanker broke down here and sold so much fuel to passing motorists that it was considered an ideal location for a roadhouse. Today it well known for its flock of colourful peacocks and equally famous for the shirt sleeves pinned to the roof of the bar. This tradition to raise money for the RFDS was started in the early eighties.

Broome was still more than three hours away.

Broome is a pearling and tourist town, nominally in the Kimberley. Its population of around 15,000 triples during the peak tourist season.

Day 9-10 At Broome

We had breakfast by the ocean at the Town Beach Cafe.

We  had crammed a lot into the past eight days so it was time to slow down and relax.

The town was full of tourists. There was plenty of activity at Cable Beach – bathers, four wheel drivers, nudists, boaters, tourists going on yacht charters, fishers, walkers, and weirdos in the dunes.

Later in the day we decided to have a camel ride. There were a number of operators from which to choose.

Tomorrow we would head into the ‘real’ Kimberley.

Go to Part 4 – Broome to Bell Gorge

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