After a riot of red, Broome sweeps into view

Motoring through the Kimberleys gives a whole new meaning to 'seeing red'.

The hills can change from orange to a deep red; the earth is red; your socks and feet are a dusty red; as is your car and caravan.

A hill typical of what is seen on the Savannah Way in the Kimberleys.

Even your eyes turn red – but that’s from driving too much into the late afternoon sun.

At last we’re in Broome, after a 1,120-kilometre journey from Kununurra through savannah, Kimberley hills and over lots of dry creek beds.

Kimberley landscape.

On the first leg we had intended an overnight stay at Hall’s Creek, a tiny Aboriginal township with a gold mining history.

However, we found ourselves making good time and decided to stop at Fitzroy Crossing, 650 kilometres from Kununurra.

Lunch under a boab tree.

Fitzroy Crossing is on the Fitzroy River that flows nearly 800 kilometres from the West Kimberley into King Sound just south of Derby.

Derby dance

We resisted the urge to go sightseeing and next day, with a strong tail wind drove 250 kilometres to Derby, which was once a cattle port.

Derby (pronounced Dirby) is a bland little town with enormous tidal flats and some of the biggest tides in the world.

In the bad old days Aborigines were paid with clothing, biscuits and lollies (but never money), for the arduous and dangerous task of loading cattle into ships at low tide.

This albino peacock made lots of friends at our van park in Derby.

Today Derby is a port for exporting nickel and lead.

Our stay was enlivened by the appearance of a beautiful albino peacock belonging to the park, which entertained us for several minutes by parading and dancing.

The dance kept us spellbound.

But Broome, 220 kilometres west, beckoned and next morning we departed early, eager to discover what makes the town so popular.

Broome airport at your door

The first thing that hits you on arrival is the proximity of the airport. The runway looks like another road out of the town centre.

The upside is that visitors can be in town and downing their first cold beer within a few minutes of stepping off the plane.

Downtown Broome.

The downside is that when a big jet comes in to land you feel you can almost reach up and touch its wheels, which is a bit scary.

Broome (pop. 14,000) is one of the most remote towns of its size in the world. As the crow it’s flies 1,107 kilometres from Darwin; 1,682 kilometres from Perth; 3,380 kilometres from Sydney; and 2,117 kilometres from Bali.

Two views of Cable Beach, above and below.

It has an interesting shopping and restaurant precinct, a China Town and cosmopolitan population that reflects the Malay, Chinese, Japanese and Koepang participation in pearling industry of early last century.

Glitzy would probably be too strong a word, but Broome has a newness about it that reflects a big investment in town planning and tourism.

Cable Beach with its long, clean, white sandscape reminiscent of Stockton Beach between Newcastle and Port Stephens, lives up to its reputation.

A small banded sea snake washed up on Cable Beach, awaiting the next tide. We found another, much larger sea snake in a similar situation.

We were surprised to find a roaring trade in hire gear -- beach umbrella $4 an hour or $12 for the day, or a deck chair for $2 an hour ($6 for the day). But it makes sense given that most people travel light.

In World War II Japanese Zeros strafed Broome, then an important refuelling depot, destroying 22 aircraft including 15 flying boats at anchorage. Ground fire downed two Zeros.

The number of northern Australian towns encountered on this trip that were attacked by the Japanese during that war continues to amaze us.

Collyn Rivers still going strong

It was a delight to be able to call on an old journalist friend Collyn Rivers who has built a solar-powered, cyclone-proof home on 10 acres facing the ocean just north of Broome near the road to Cape Leveque.

A huge array of solar panels feeds power to 16 large batteries that provide all the power he and his wife Maarit need on their property.

The system also pumps a constant supply of spring water into his swimming pool obviating the need for chemicals.

Collyn on his unicycle. Note the beach view in the background.

Collyn, who is approaching 80 years of age, is a technical journalist of note.

For many years he was editor of Electronics Today International and has written several books including The Campervan and Motorhome Book, Solar that Really Works and Motorhome Electrics. Needless to say he’s an off-road camping guru.

Beachfront of Collyn's cyclone-proof home. Note the steel staunchions that are embedded in large concrete blocks. Solar array provides all the power the Rivers need.

We had a long and stimulating conversation on topics ranging from our days in journalism to the future of Aboriginal communities – three years ago he completed a program in Aboriginal Studies at Notre Dame University (Broome campus). Maarit meanwhile is doing a Masters in Psychology.

During the conversation he took a call from the ABC for an interview on rust proofing cars!

A gymnast in his youth and long-time yoga practitioner, Collyn rides a unicycle for exercise.

How about this pool!

He’s an inspiration for those of us who think we are ‘past it’.

More about Broome later – daughter Louise and her family will join us for a few days next week when the real fun will begin.

Postscript: What a delight to run into vannies Kathy Farren-Price and her partner Russell Bitcon in Broome. We last saw them in Cardwell, Queensland. He was the guy who kindly broke into our caravan when we lost our keys.