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Saturday, August 29, 2020

A WORLD OF EXPERIENCE

HOLIDAY IN WA 15-page Guide

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The Weekend WestSaturday 29/08/2020Page: 1Section: TravelRegion: Perth, AUCirculation: 205782Type: Capital City DailySize: 8,568.00 sq.cms.

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HOLIDAY IN WA

Perth (& surrounds)At the heart of WA, our city ofPerth glimmers on the banks ofthe Swan River, overlooked byKings Park and Botanic Garden.Ask just about any internationalvisitor about the place (and I’veseen plenty of surveys) and theywill tell you they love our big bluesky, our parks and green spaces,the river. “And it’s so clean.” “Andit’s so safe.” (And those last twolook even more important now).

This is just the sort of placemany people crave to visit, and livein. But familiarity breedscontempt. When we travel, wecrave new and differentexperiences. When we are at home,we often undervalue what we have.That’s just human nature.

Let’s review with fresh eyes,refresh cultural ties,and reinvigorate our curiosity.Think of the city a bit separately

— Perth City, Northbridge, East

In a travel world temporarilyshrunk, WA’s broad horizons areproving a natural antidote.We have borderless road trips.We have roads less travelled.We have places known and loved torevisit and reconnect to. And wehave plenty of surprises.We have holidays for families,couples going quickly, couples goingslowly, and solo travellers whowant to be free and independent.We also have this moment. WhenWA is all ours. Before the worldreturns …STEPHEN SCOURFIELDTravel Editor

Perth, West Perth, Burswood.Then do an odd thing. Pretend

you’ve never been here before.

Take a tour, or dine at a restaurantyou’ve never been to.

There are plenty of restaurantsand bars to chose from, includingthose in hotels — particularly inthe State Buildings next to StGeorge’s Cathedral, from finedining at Wildflower to morecasual Petition Kitchen (one of myfavourites), to Pooles Temple jazzbar in the basement. There’sHearth at The Ritz-Carlton Perth,and plenty to chose from at Crown.

And there’s entertainment at theState Theatre, Perth Concert Hall(WA Youth Orchestra, Beethoven250), His Majesty’s Theatre (fromDracula to the Nightingale andCosi fan tutte) and comedy clubsaround Perth. Or just wanderin to the Art Gallery of WA,and enjoy the city’s culturalprecinct and Yagan Square.

Get educated by taking atour, just as we might inother cities. For culturaltours, try Two Feet and AHeartbeat, GoCultural orFremantle Tours. Forsomething more active,GoGo Active Tours orPerth WaterbikeAdventures. Walk andpicnic in Kings Park,strolling through theBotanic Garden, pastthe big Kimberleyboab and across theFederationWalkway. Takethe kids (or

grandchildren) to Naturescape orMay Drive Parklands, with itsmegafauna sculptures and playarea, while you enjoy coffee atZamia Cafe (another favourite).




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FREMANTLEWith a European feel that comesfrom Fremantle’s migrantheritage, there is coffee alfresco,great pubs and restaurants andplenty to see when you moochabout Fishing Boat and Challenger

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harbours and Bathers Beach. Suchas the Kidogo Arthouse, BathersBeach Art Precinct, and the WAShipwrecks Museum, with itsrelics from ships trashed alongWA’s treacherous coast, includingtimbers from the Batavia, wrecked

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in 1629. Then walk on over toVictoria Quay in FremantleHarbour.

FREMANTLE ON THE LISTFremantle Arts Centre (with itsgood Found shop and Canvas cafe),Fremantle Prison tours, FremantleMarkets, Little Creatures Brewery,the Round House, the other WAMaritime Museum, in VictoriaQuay, home to Australia II and thesubmarine HMAS Ovens.

ROTTNEST ISLANDThe ferry takes us somewherecompletely different.

Our little bit of overseas(without a passport). Yes, andRottnest Island has that feel ofbeing away from it all.

Ride your bike to a quiet bay,tuck in to a sunny nook and read abook. Stay in comfort and reallyfeel you’re on holiday.

Perth (& surrounds)From saltwater to fresh; frombeach to estuary to river.

From kwongan sandplain tojarrah forest.

We have a strong mix ofenvironments on our doorstep.

MANDURAHFor people in Perth and itssuburbs, Mandurah offers a classic“just-away-from-it-all” day trip,weekender, or holiday.

You don’t have to go manykilometres to change the pace andpoint of view.

Environmentally, it’sinteresting, with ocean beachesone side, the Peel Inlet, and canalsin between.

And there’s a good chance to geta feel for that with boat cruises —but even, better, I think, by joiningexperts on the ground, on guidedwalks that teach about thewetlands and wildlife of thePeel-Harvey estuary.

After all, this estuarine system isthe biggest in south-westernAustralia, covering more than130sqkm, and is home to tens ofthousands of birds.

It’s 30 years since thePeel-Harvey Estuary was listedunder the Ramsar Convention asan ecosystem and wetland ofinternational significance.

There’s a good variety ofaccommodation to chose from, too,from family-style self-catering toluxury apartments.

SWAN VALLEYGreen is good. Winter is a treat inthe Swan Valley. Food, wine, honey,mead, chocolate and plenty ofgreen scenery at this time of yearmakes Swan Valley for day tripsand short stays. I’d start with SwanValley Visitor Centre — they’re fullof ideas. For a full day out, head toWhiteman Park.

PERTH HILLSNational and regional parks takeus into the jarrah and marri forest,with wandoo up on the gravel rises.

From Kalamunda (with its ZigZag Cultural Centre) toMundaring, there are places to stayand plenty to see and do.

Follow the Bickley Valley Wine




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A kangaroo on the beach in Esperance. Picture:Stephen Scourfield




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A Vespa parked in Fremantle.




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The streets of multicultural Fremantle.




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St George’s Cathedral and adjacent State TreasuryBuildings, Perth. PIctures: Stephen Scourfield




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Trail, walk a bit of the BibbulmunTrack, or go mountain biking.

For national parks, start withJohn Forrest, but add Beelu,Gooseberry Hill National Park andKalamunda National Park. PerthHills Discovery Centre is a greatplace to begin.

For other parks, try MundyRegional Park, Armadale SettlersCommon, or Bungendore Park.

South-West, GoldenOutback, EsperanceNow we’re on the road, headingfurther afield — heading inland;heading to the south coast — andthis is where WA really starts tocome into its own.

For, when we start to makechoices, we start to see its

contrasts. And we start to see thecontrast of WA’s colours.

The South West ispredominantly green (withcolourful dabs of wildflowers atthis time of year), with a fringe ofgold sandy bays and frame of blueocean.

The Goldfields have the red of

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earth and rock, and the flickeringgreen and silver of the eucalypts ofthe Great Western Woodlands,Australia’s biggest temperatewoodland (between Hyden andNorseman).

But, down on the south coast,come pure colours.

Esperance is one of our mostunusual holiday spots — isolated,independent, self-reliant; aconnected community. It has atrue “country town by the sea”feel. The coastline is incredible,with turquoise water and whitesand that squeaks under your feet.There are remote spots withinstriking distance of the town itself.

And, nearby, Fitzgerald RiverNational Park is full of floraltreasures.

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ESPERANCE ON THE LISTEsperance Museum (love it), WestBeach, the lagoon at Eleven MileBeach, walk up Frenchman Peak,visit Lucky Bay Brewing, eat localseafood (maybe at Craig Adamsand Nardiah Behsman’s FishFace).

FIVE DRIVES ON THE LIST� Fitzgerald River National Parknear Hopetoun on the south coast.




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Rottnest Island from the air.

It’s a nice run through Kalgoorlie,Norseman, Esperance, and thenback through Bremer Bay, Albany,with its National Anzac Centre,and home. Mix and match stays inthese places to suit your taste.� Taking Augusta as the end point,drive from Yallingup down CavesRoad along the way. Caves Road isbitumen (and Boranup Drive, aspart of the experience, isunsealed). It weaves through wineand agricultural lands, pastbeaches like Wilyabrup andGracetown, Prevelly andBoodjidup, Redgate and HamelinBay.� The 48km Great Forest TreesDrive near Pemberton is good forany vehicle, even with its gravel

roads. Winter has its charm, butspring is brilliant in the karriforest in Shannon National Park.There are walk trails and campingat the campsites in the park, orgood accommodation choices inand around Pemberton.� Stirling Range National Park andBluff Knoll. The 42km StirlingRange Drive winds through thepark, from the Western Lookoutnear Red Gum Spring to theEastern Lookout below BluffKnoll. It is on mostly unsealedroads, but suitable fortwo-wheel-drive cars. Stop atCentral Lookout and picnic inwoodlands at White Gum Flat.




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Royal hakea in Fitzgerald River NationalPark on the south coast.




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Caves Road, just south ofCanal Rocks.

Beach on Twilight Beach Road, Esperance.




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Goldfields woodlands. Pictures: Stephen Scourfield




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� Scotsdale Tourist Drive andMount Shadforth Scenic Driveloop out of Denmark. Mostly

bitumen, though a bit of ScotsdaleRoad is unsealed, they suit anyvehicle and are gourmet trails too,

with wineries, restaurants andlocal produce. Through winter therolling hills are green, spring isfull of life and summer is mostlycooler than Perth.

GOLDFIELDS DRIVES ON THE LIST� Golden Pipeline fromMundaring to Coolgardie (thenKalgoorlie).� Golden Quest Discovery Trailcovers 965km, in roughly afigure-of-eight shape north fromCoolgardie to Ora Banda, Menzies,Kookynie, Laverton, Leonora,Gwalia, Snake Hill (InsideAustralia, the Antony Gormley artsite), Rowles Lagoon, Broad Arrowand Kalgoorlie-Boulder.� Granite and WoodlandDiscovery Trail between Hydenand Norseman cuts through one ofWA’s (and the world’s, come to

that) best woodlands. Highlightsare the big granite McDermidRock, with its interpretive signs and camping area, and Lake Johnson, a beautiful natural salt lake. Autumn andwinter are good, but spring (mid August to mid October) is great.

Indian Ocean Drive,Jurien and GeraldtonWe’ve got the Indian Ocean on ourleft shoulder; we’re heading north.We’re getting out of the city.

And immediately we havestepped into salty, beachside-town,remote-bay WA. This is the coastalessence of Western Australia —the narrow, beachy, sun-bleachedstrip north of the city, up IndianOcean Drive to Jurien Bay. On toDongara and Geraldton.

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This is what holidaysare made of, and at thistime of year, the countrylooks particularly good,with many places havinghad recent rain, and thewildflower season lookinglate and long.

A highlight on theIndian Ocean Drive is, ofcourse, the Pinnacles atNambung National Park.Thousands of limestonepillars rise out of theyellow sand, some up to3.5m tall. Composed ofseashells in an earlier era rich inmarine life, they may have takenthousands of years to form, butwere exposed only a few hundredyears ago. They’re on the doorstepof Jurien Bay, which is adestination in itself, on ourdoorstep. It’s a good place to stay,just two-and-a-half hours north ofPerth, with great beaches, coastalwalks, fishing, dunes andwildflowers. Jurien Bay MarinePark is home to Australian




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Kalgoorlie

Norseman

Esperance

Albany

The “wave” at McDermidRock on the Granite and

Woodland DiscoveryTrail.

sea lions.Then on to the pretty stop-offs of

Dongara and Port Denison (anddon’t just bypass them).

These twin towns off the BrandHighway are a couple of charmers.

DONGARA ON THE LISTFishermen’s Lookout, SouthBeach, Granny’s Beach and NunsPool, Illegal Tender Rum Co,Thungara Trails (six walk trails)and hang out at the Irwin Rivermouth.

GERALDTONThe town has a renewed energy.The foreshore has been reworked,there are nice coffee shops andcafes, and an artsy feel mixed in tothe town’s history. It has alwaysbeen proud of its past, but nowthere’s a real sense of the presentand future.

GERALDTON ON THE LISTWA Maritime Museum, BataviaMarina, eat at Skeetas, LatitudeGallery, HMAS Sydney IIMemorial, Geraldton Regional ArtGallery, Yamaji Art Centre, CafeFleur, Culinary HQ, Piper LaneCafe, Salt Dish, Quiet LifeSpeciality Coffee.

The Coral CoastF G ld h d h




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From Geraldton, we head north,maybe with a side trip to Kalbarrior Shark Bay.

KALBARRI ON THE LISTKalbarri cliffs, Murchison Riverestuary and rivermouth, KalbarriNational Park, with Nature’sWindow, Murchison Gorge,Skywalk and pelican feeding onthe foreshore in the morning.

SHARK BAY ON THE LISTWorld Heritage Discovery andVisitor Centre in Denham, ShellBeach, stromatolites at HamelinPool, dolphins at Monkey Mia. Thecountry has benefited from recentrain.

CarnarvonFruity Carnarvon is one of thefood-bowls of WA and a great placeto enjoy local produce.

At this time of year, the growersare producing vegetables includingbeans, capsicums, eggplant, kale,zucchini and sweetcorn. Fruitsnow include honeydew,rockmelon, watermelon,grapefruit and oranges.

And tomatoes, of course (fruitsconsidered vegetables bynutritionists).

Nectarines, peaches and plumscome through in September.

There’s local produce at farmgates and, from now until October,at October at the GascoyneGrowers’ Markets in the towncentre every Saturday. It is run bythe growers themselves — theyoften pick the produce the nightbefore, sometimes even onSaturday morning. Look out forlocal jams, too.

Local plantation owner JoBumbak didn’t like seeing up to 60per cent of all fresh grown

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produce in Carnarvon’sh ti lt l di t i thorticultural district go

to waste, and since 2017has been rescuing fruitand vegetables deemedtoo visually unappealingfor supermarket sale forher Bumbak’s Preservesand Ice Creams.

While the town hangsoff the Fascine (the namegiven to the bay formedby the south arm of theGascoyne River), its coasthas good beaches.

Head out to One MileJetty and its historical

precinct. The jetty put Carnarvonon the map in the 1890s, opening itup for trade.

Carnarvon is also the pivotalpoint of some dramatic WAlandscapes. To the east, there isthe Kennedy Range. To the north,Lake MacLeod and coastal stationcountry — an intriguing bit of“salt and surf meets pastoralism”cusp that drives to the core of WA’sstory.

CARNARVON ON THE LISTOne Mile Jetty Centre, CarnarvonSpace and Technology Museum(including its Apollo Experienceand planetarium), GwoonwarduMia Gascoyne Aboriginal Heritageand Cultural Centre.

COAST NORTH OF CARNARVONFrom Carnarvon, I’m not going tohead straight on up the highway toMinilya Roadhouse and then on upthe North West Cape to Coral Bayand Exmouth.

I’m going to follow the coast for75km up a sealed road to PointQuobba and Blowholes. This iswhere ocean swells force their wayinto sea caves and then explodethrough holes — the spray fromthese blowholes can reach 20m on




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Regional Art Gallery in Geraldton.

Perth

Dongara

Jurien Bay

Geraldton

Wall art in Geraldton.

certain tides. And the best time iswhen a high tide is coming in —before the tide is at its peak.

A kilometre south of theBlowholes is what locals call the“aquarium” — a lagoon filled withcoral, fish and shells, set on awhite, sandy beach.

A $1 million spruce up for the

Blowholes, in this Quobba Coasttourism precinct north ofCarnarvon, has just beenannounced. It will includereconstructing unsealed parkingareas with disabled access, newwalkways and viewing platforms,additional toilet facilities, an entrystatement and interpretive signs.

To get a real feel for life on thisbit of coast, at the southern end ofthe Ningaloo Reef, there’s nothingbetter than a station stay.

NORTH WEST CAPEExmouth and Coral Bay have beenbusy this year — a real hub forWest Australians holidaying athome. And why wouldn’t we?

They both front the NingalooReef — the world’s biggest fringingreef, which comes close to shore.

In fact, in Turquoise Bay, on theNorth West Cape, it comes right tothe beach — you can easily snorkelout over it.

The west coast and Yardie Creekhas the glamour, of course, but




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don’t forget to venture into thegorges of Cape Range NationalPark and walk along the shores ofthe Exmouth Gulf, on the east sideof the cape.

From islands to inlandWhen we travel from reef to range,we take a transect through WA —and not only its geography, but itshuman story.

And we can extend that journeyeven more, connecting offshoreislands with the deep inland.

I draw a line from the heart ofthe Pilbara across its iron-ore-richcountry and into the pastorallands. I continue it to the coast atOnslow, then into the ocean,finishing up on the MackerelIslands. (Carry on west and I’ll runinto Madagascar).

This line doesn’t just connectcontrasting environments, but verydifferent stages and stories in thehistory and development of WA —from the Pilbara, pegged into someof the earliest crustal geologicalevents of the planet, through itsIndigenous past, to the stationsthat brought agriculture to theproductive coast and ocean.

They all share a modern story intravel and tourism.

INLAND ON THE LISTKarijini National Park, with OxerLookout, Weano Gorge, HandrailPool, Joffre Falls, Knox Lookout,Dales Gorge, Fern Pool, CircularPool, Fortescue Falls and KarijiniEco Retreat.

COAST ON THE LISTOnslow’s Goods Shed Museum,Hidden Treasures Onslow Tour,

Ashburton River. Ask at OnslowVisitor Centre. From now toOctober is the best time to be onthe Pilbara coast, with daytimetemperatures from 20-30C and coolevenings.

To drive from Perth to Onslow isabout 1380km. Virgin Australiaflies the two hours between Perthand Onslow.

ISLANDS ON THE LISTThere are 10 islands in theMackerel Islands group, butThevenard is the biggest.

Fish for Spanish mackerel,wahoo, marlin, sailfish, yellowfintuna, red emperor, coral trout,giant trevally, queenfish, Rankincod, crimson sea perch and

northwest snapper. The MackerelIslands are a gazetted naturereserve, with flatback, hawksbill,loggerhead and green turtles.Thevenard has self-containedbeachfront cabins.

PilbaraOver its 2.6 million sqkm, WA hasnearly 190,000km of road — morethan 20 per cent of all the roads inAustralia, even though we WestAustralians represent only about10 per cent of the population.

We have it all — smooth sealedhighways, easily navigableall-weather gravel roads, red dirt

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Road trip planningPILBARA DRIVE THE BIG QUESTIONSWe have to start by answering some simplequestions.

For a start — what are we driving? A light car,family saloon, SUV, or more heavy-dutyfour-wheel-drive? Are we towing a caravan or acamper trailer?

It sounds obvious, but it’s good to be clear aboutwhat travellers are expecting from the trip. If youwant good, fully powered sites for your big rigcaravan, it will require a different plan to those freecamping with light kit from the back of a small SUV.

Are you travelling as a couple, as a couple withanother couple, as a family with strappingteenagers, little kids, solo but with a bunch ofhardcore mates, or in a convoy?

Do you want to spend your time on the bitumenand staying comfortably in caravan parks; or largelyon bitumen but then with lots of good gravel roadstaking you to interesting places; or on good butremote tracks; or right out there, self-contained andhaving to sort any problems that arise yourself?

Somewhere in the matrix of answers that youcreate by sitting down (yes, even with a goodold-fashioned piece of paper and a pencil) andpondering these questions, you will be steered morespecifically towards the sort of adventure you arelooking for.

In modern-speak I’m “managing your expectationswith a view to an appropriate outcome”.

In plain English, I’m suggesting you really workout what you want so that you don’t end upfrustrated, overspending, in the wrong place at thewrong time and wondering why you’d everbothered. Yes, it sounds obvious — but it’s a goodconversation to have when you get out your mapsor apps.

PILBARA DRIVE HOW TO GET THEREDo you want to be mostly along the coast, or inland,or some sort of mix of both?

When I’m heading up to the top of the Pilbara orthe Kimberley, I really like driving up the coast, and

back down the inside . . . North West CoastalHighway from Geraldton, perhaps a side stop atKalbarri, Carnarvon, perhaps Coral Bay andExmouth, Karratha and Port Hedland. Then on GreatNorthern Highway to Broome and into theKimberley.

There’s a chance to explore right on our doorstep.The Indian Ocean Drive is classic coastal WA, takingus from Yanchep to Lancelin, Cervantes, Jurien Bay,Green Head, Leeman, and out on to the BrandHighway, south of Dongara. It’s an excellent sealedroad with facilities and overnight stopping spotsalong the way. There’s the curve of beach and thejetty in Lancelin, then the Pinnacles at NambungNational Park near Cervantes, where limestonepillars rise from the sand, some up to 3.5m tall.Lesueur National Park, north of Jurien Bay is animportant conservation area. There’s goodaccommodation along the way, so just take off inthe family car, or enjoy some slow caravanning.Wildflowers are generally at their peak in Augustand September.

On the way south, come back down GreatNorthern Highway through Newman, Meekatharra,Cue, Wubin and Dalwallinu.

Up the coast — sensibly, for me, it’s three days toBroome if I “just want to get there”, stoppingovernight at Carnarvon and Port Hedland.

PILBARA DRIVE THE INDIGENOUS STORYFor the local Indigenous Banyjima, Kurrama andInnawonga people, this place is part of the Warlustory. The Warlu is a snake creator being that leftthe North West Cape and carved its way north,through these gorges. Today, the Warlu Way is asignposted self-drive from Ningaloo to Broome,swinging in through the Pilbara, which connectssome of WA’s epic sites — Ningaloo Reef, KarjiniNational Park, Millstream-Chichester National Park,the Burrup Peninsula, Eighty Mile Beach andBroome. Essentially, for those heading north up thecoast from the Perth metropolitan area, itencourages stops at Ningaloo, a but swing inlandthrough the Pilbara and then back to the coast forthe final leg to Broome.




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Paddling near the rivermouth, Kalbarri. Pictures: StephenScourfield

Well prepared for driving in the Pilbara. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

Buying local produce in Carnarvon. Picture: Stephen Scourfield

PointQuobba

Blowholes

Carnarvon

Termite mound on North West Cape.




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Joffre Gorge, Karijini National Park. Picture: Stephen ScourfieldInset, Stephen Scourfield writing on his phone in the bush. Picture: Lesley Hammersley




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tracks, marked trails and “two

The park has some great spots.My favourites are Millstream

itself, a watery oasis where theoriginal Millstream Homestead isnow the Millstream Visitor Centreand museum, Crossing Pool and

wheel” limestone and sand trails.Drive trips come into their own

at this time of year, when it’s cooldown south, dry and clear in theinterior and dry season up north.

And for many, the Pilbara’s aperfect target. You can get thereeasily in two days’ drive, and it hasmany sealed roads, good unsealedroads, and tracks to explore.

Something for everyone.

KARRATHA ON THE LISTLook for petroglyphs on theBurrup, dig in to the history ofnearby Cossack and Roebourne,hang out in Dampier, see a

movie at Red Earth Arts Precinct.

Pilbara national parksKARIJINIKarijini National Park coversmore than 627,000ha just north ofthe Tropic of Capricorn in theHamersley Range and has greatgorges carved by 2500 millionyears of erosion. There’s campingand tented accommodation in thepark. Expect warm and clear days,but nights can be cold andsometimes frosty.� Karijini is 230km from Newman,70km from Tom Price.

MILLSTREAM-CHICHESTERFor some, this place on the

Fortescue River is the resting placeof Warlu. Indigenous legend saysthat the serpent was seeking twoboys who had eaten the mulgaparrot, gurdarnkurdarn — hissacred bird.

This is why he’d forced his wayacross the land. He swallowedthem and Millstream is the spotwhere they finally cried out. ForYindjibarndi people, it is a parableabout the consequences of floutinglaw and custom.

The park has some great spots

Deep Reach camp spots on theFortescue River, and Python Pool.� Millstream is 130km fromKarratha.

KARLAMILYI This is WA’s biggest and mostremote national park — the desertdunes, spinifex plains, salt lakesand weathered plateau betweenthe Great Sandy Desert and theLittle Sandy Desert.

Though it is now KarlamilyiNational Park, plenty willremember this 1.3 million hectarepiece of rugged Pilbara as RudallRiver. The main access is along theTelfer-Talwana Track, or theKintyre track, which crosses thepark from north to south.Travellers need to be wellprepared.

The Rudall River’s banks arelined with tall coolibah and rivergum trees . . . and yulbah, the batswing coral tree.� Karlamilyi is 260km fromNewman.

BURRUPSome of the Burrup Peninsula’spetroglyphs, or rock engravings,have been dated as old as 37,000years — said to be the oldest in theworld. It is a massive outdoorgallery. A chapter in humanhistory.

Deep Gorge is a good spot towander looking for petroglyphs.

The Burrup’s MurujugaNational Park became WA’s 100thnational park.

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The river in Millstream-Chichester National Park. Pictures: Stephen Scourfield

Karijini

Millstream-Chichester

Karratha

Red Earth Arts Precinct in Karratha, which opened in May 2018.




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The Burrup Peninsula is 20kmfrom Karratha.

BroomeBroome is an assault of colour.

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Turquoise ocean, red pindanearth, white frangipanis, purplebougainvillea, green tin and redlattice.

And most of all, it is the dryseason’s big, blue sky.

Broome is laconic, tropical, thickshakes and fruit juices, cold beerand cappuccinos. It is wound intothe culture of WA, andmulticultural.

The town’s history stretches outinto the ocean. Indigenous peoplehave lived around Roebuck Bay fortens of thousands of years, livingoff the fruits of the sea.� Explorer, adventurer, navigatorand sometime buccaneer (orpirate) William Dampier firstvisited what he called “NewHolland” in 1688. Dampier wasalso a chronicler, and the journalhe kept during his sailing inspiredthe first “official” voyage ofdiscovery, when he returned in1699.

In his book A New Voyage

Round the World, Dampier toldhow he set off on an exploration of

“New Holland” on the shipRoebuck. And, in their book APirate of Exquisite Mind, Diannaand Michael Preston bring to vividlife the story and character ofDampier (1651-1715), who led thefirst recorded party of Englishmento set foot on Australia.

Dampier’s scientificobservations would influencemeteorology, biology andcartography for the next 200 years.His charts were still in use inWorld War II.

But, important in Broome’shistory, his journals focusedinterest on the area’s beds of pearlshell. The Pinctada Maxima, foundalong the Kimberley coast is thebiggest in the world, filtering 160litres of water an hour. A grain ofsand gets inside the shell and thebivalve mollusc, which thenalleviates the irritation bysecreting nacre to cover it. A pearl.

Koepanger, Malay, Chinese,Japanese, Europeans andAboriginals searched the sea floorfor the shells. By the late 1870s,there was a growing pearlingindustry and John Forrest selectedthe town site in 1883. It was namedafter the colony’s governor,Frederick N. Broome.

Between 1889 and 1891, the priceof mother-of-pearl shell wentthrough the roof, and Broomebecame known as the Queen Cityof the North. At one point, therewere 300 pearl luggers harbouredin Broome.

But the pearling industry all butcollapsed in the 1950s as plasticbuttons replaced shell.

South Sea Pearls is recognised asamong the best in the world andpearling remains a key element ofBroome’s modern life.� Another remarkableEnglishman is also pivotal to

Broome’s story. Lord AlistairMcAlpine first visited the town inthe late 1970s. At that time, Broomewas pretty ramshackle, but he fellin love with the place, saw itspotential, returned in 1981 andspent several months each year,and about $500 million of his ownmoney, transforming the placeover a decade. It’s the stuff oflegend that he signed a deal on abeer coaster to buy land for theCable Beach Club (now also“Resort & Spa”), which opened in1988.

BROOME ON THE LISTWalk Cable Beach, visitGantheaume Point, Pearl Luggers,Broome Museum, pearl shops,




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camel ride on Cable Beach,Matso’s, plan to see Staircase to theMoon (as the full moon rises, itslight reflects on the ruckled,exposed mudflats at extremely lowtides), and learn more about thenight sky. The Milky Way archesacross the sky and stars andplanets seem brighter than everhere. Broome gets more than 300clear nights a year.

MARINE PARK ON THE LISTOn Broome’s doorstep, the massivesweep of Roebuck Bay is a greatdepository of bird, animal andhuman stories. YawuruNagulagun/Roebuck Bay MarinePark is on the end of the EastAsian-Australasian Flyway, givingone of the greatest diversity ofshorebird species of any site on theplanet. Around 150,000 birds visitannually. There are preserveddinosaur tracks, which can beseen, set in rock, at low tide. And,of course, there are the stories ofthe Yawuru people, who forthousands of years have livedaround and off this bay. There are

Gantheaume Point, Broome, with Cable Beach beyond. Pictures: Stephen Scourfield

Boab tree and TownBeach, Broome.

Roebuck Bay

Broome




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the wrecks of six flying boats fromWorld War II, when aircraft weresunk by Japanese Zero fighters.

Kimberley coast(& Horizontal Falls)While the Kimberley is known forits bulldust, red rock and cattlestation country, its coast is oftendescribed as one of the lastwildernesses. It is reported as oneof the most intact tropical marineecosystems on Earth.

There are seagrass meadows,mangrove forests, oceanicmammal populations and seabirdbreeding colonies. It’s a recognisedbiodiversity hotspot.

From sandstone coast withrocky headlands to prominentpeaks, sandy beaches anddramatic drowned river valleys tooffshore reefs and numerousislands, there is diverse landscapeand marine life.

Along its 13,000km coast aresome of the biggest tides in theworld. Spring tide ranges of up to12m in King Sound at Derby, arenot far behind the world’s highesttides of 15m in the Bay of Fundy,Nova Scotia.

Big tides contribute to thedrama.

SCIENCE AND THE COASTThe coast from the BuccaneerArchipelago to King George Riverwas named for its outstandingheritage value in the FederalGovernment’s West Kimberley

Place Report. A research groupworking for Murdoch University’sdepartment of environmentalscience said in a report in theJournal of the Royal Society ofWestern Australia: “It is unlikelythat there are many other regions

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The big drop of King George Falls in the Kimberley.




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elsewhere with the numberand range and scope of sites ofgeoheritage significance foundon the Kimberley Coast.”

CRUISE THE COASTAs remote expedition cruisingalong the Kimberley coast has

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developed and become morepopular, so have travellers’options. There are short trips,comfortable mid-range shipsand high-end, luxury cruises.

A d th f thAnd these are some of theclassic spots on the Kimberleycoast …

KING’S CASCADEIn Cascade Creek, a tributary tothe Prince Regent River, this fall ofmore than 25m is a classic“champagne cascade” waterfalldown a stepped rock face.

RAFT POINTThe red ramparts of Raft Pointdominate the southern entrance toDoubtful Bay. Walk up past boabtrees to caves full of Indigenousart and a view over Foam Passageto Steep Island. The art depicts thelocal Wandjina story of the fishchase across the Kimberley. RaftPoint was named after John LortStokes found tribal rafts at a camphere in 1838.

These traditional mangrovetimber rafts were often made oftwo parts. They separated when a

dugong was speared, one partfreed to trail behind the animal,tiring it.

The hunter was left on the otherhalf, following. The big sandstonebluff is a massive landmark on theKimberley coast.

HUNTER RIVERThe Hunter River twists past rockwalls, then mangroves, and to theHunter Falls and Donkin Falls.They are both nearly 100m tall.

The Hunter River is a snakingwaterway emptying into thenorth-east corner of beautifulPrince Frederick Harbour.

I open a notebook and readagain the words I wrote on one

visit there . . . “smooth, serpentineriver . . . mangroves and muddytributaries . . . tide pushing in . . .crocodiles and azure kingfishers, asea eagle calling overhead . . .”

KING GEORGE FALLSThe twin King George Falls arespectacular. On the 112km longKing George River, they have adrop of more than 50m and morethan 50m of water depth beneath.The twin falls featured in BazLuhrmann’s movie, Australia.

MONTGOMERY REEFThe 400sqkm of Montgomery Reef,20km off the Kimberley Coast,appears to rise out of the sea as the




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tide falls. Fully exposed on a 10mtide, it is up to 80km long.

The reef, opposite Doubtful Bay,appears bizarrely mid-ocean,surrounded by deep,inky-turquoise salt water. And, asthe ocean pours from it, it makes atinkling sound.

BERKELEY RIVERThe Berkeley River flows out to theJoseph Bonaparte Gulf and theTimor Sea, and has waterfalls andgorges. I’ve spent days up here onboats, seeing waterfalls, thendriving underneath to shower in anatural, vertical spa.

Day tripsHORIZONTAL FALLSWhen the tide rises in Talbot Bay,sea water is pushed through twogaps, filling the big “bowls” behind.This creates the Horizontal Falls.

First it streams through the“Wide Gap”, just 20m across, withwater about 40m deep, and then the“Narrow Gap”, further in and only7.5m across, also with 40m of waterbelow. Locals chorus that the bitbetween is called the “Middle Sea”.

Just as these gaps are the onlyway for this huge amount of waterto get in . . . so, there’s only thesame way out, and water rushesback through after high tide.

From the air, they do indeed looklike horizontal waterfalls. Smallboats from expedition cruise shipstake visitors through the

Raft Point is a distinctive landmark on the Kimberley coast.

Walk uppast boabtrees tocaves full ofIndigenousart and aview overFoamPassage to SteepIsland.

Hunter River

HorizontalFalls

Buccaneer Archipelago

King George

River




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Horizontal Falls, but now it’s evenmore popular to fly out on a daytrip in a float plane and take thetrip through in a fast boat.

DAMPIER PENINSULAThe Dampier Peninsula pointsnorth in a triangle, with Broome

and Derby at its two base points.At the top is One Arm Point andCape Leveque.

There are places to stay atKooljaman and Cygnet Bay PearlFarm, where pearling is alive andvisitors can also get out onfast-boat tours into the Buccaneer

Archipelago. It is just 80km fromHorizontal Falls and 130km fromCamden Sound, edged byMontgomery Reef. Cygnet Bay isnamed for William Dampier’s shipCygnet, in which he explored, in1688, the coast of what wouldbecome WA.

On the landKimberley highlightsWINDJANA & TUNNEL CREEK, WESTKIMBERLEY� The still waters of Windjana, backed bytowering rock, are dotted with freshwatercrocodiles. I sit in shade nearby and anAboriginal woman sits near me, delicatelyfingering a fishing handline. Eroded by theLennard River, Windjana Gorge is over 3kmlong with 300m-high walls. This was onceunder the sea — Windjana Gorge NationalPark is part of the 375 million-year-oldDevonian reef system. It is also of greatcultural importance to the Bunuba peopleand was the hideout for Jandamarra, anIndigenous outlaw who led a rebellionagainst European settlers in the 1890s.� Nearby, Tunnel Creek National Park hasan old cave system, part of the sameancient Devonian reef, through which wecan walk 750m, sometimes wading. Thereare stalactites and stalagmites.Windjana is 150km from Fitzroy Crossing,145km from Derby.

PURNULULU, EAST KIMBERLEY� The striped “beehive ” formations of theBungle Bungle Range in Purnululu NationalPark were laid as sediment 360 millionyears ago. They have weathered over thelast 20 million years to the domes andgorges we see today. Iron in the sandstoneoxidised to orange and cyanobacteria inlayers with higher clay content discolouredto give the black banding.Purnululu is 290km from Kununurra,150km from Halls Creek.




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Water begins topour throughHorizontal Falls.




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