Broome?

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 12:28

ThreadID: 21118 Views:2754 Replies:11 FollowUps:3

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V8Diesel

Hi all, the missus scored a 5 day holiday in Broome through work and we're leaving next Wednesday. Woohoo! Unfortunately we're flying there and back, but I'm intending to hire a 4x4 for a few days and have a good look around while I'm up there. As the rental vehicle won't have any recovery gear, compressor etc, it will just be normal tourist stuff unfortunately.

Any suggestions from the collective brains trust here for some good things to do and see in and around Broome? Haven't been there in 10 years, so I'm sure I won't even recognise the place.

(BTW: In 1988, me, 7 mates and 3 dogs all pooled our money and bought some 44's of fuel, a 25kg bag of spuds and some onions and curry powder and as many cartons of Emu Export (crap beer) we could fit in the tray of a truck. We loaded it all into an unlicensed 1968, left hand drive, 2.5l 6cyl petrol Mercedes Unimog some mates got at an auction for bugger all, fitted a set of dodgy number plates and took off for a wet season 'tour' of the Kimberleys. We made it almost all the way to Broome (at 45km/h) when a cop spotted Jason taking leak standing on the A-frame of the trailer (standard procedure) on the way into town.

We were allbleep(of course), hadn't showered since Perth and we had a roo we'd shot earlier roped to the trailer for dinner that night. We were escorted into town by the officer so all the cops at the station could come out for a look at us. After much discussion and head scratching they told us to stay the night somewhere and come back to the cop shop in the morning. Expecting the worse, we went back with our heads bowed and the head copper gave us a verbal blasting. After checking the brakes and lights worked, he then issued us with a temporary vehicle permit to travel back from Broome to Perth in the Unimog for 'repairs and licensing purposes' and told us to get out of there laughing. No charges, no fines, nothing. We weren't hurting anyone I guess. Why aren't cops like that anymore? Good times)

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Reply By: Member - bushfix - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 12:35

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 12:35

G'day,

if you remember Broome at all, you won't recognise it now. Shopping centres, housing estates. In the five days, you should try to nip out to tunnel creek, Windjanna Gorge, Derby wharf, James Price Point, phew. Cape Leveque might take up too much time. Check out the Roebuch Bay Hotel for any live bands as a session in the beer garden is a good 'un. Someone told me you can't wander up and down the Broome deepwater jetty anymore....

gotta run

AnswerID: 101922

Reply By: TheUndertaker - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 12:55

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 12:55

Most important item to take with you is the chequebook/credit card to pay for the black pearls you will surely buy for your beloved as a thank you for the trip. lol. have fun.

AnswerID: 101925

Reply By: Member - Ross P (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 13:01

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 13:01

If the budget will allow book a sea plane fight to the Horizontal falls. - Once in a lifetime sight from the air and the plane lands a taxis up to the base of the falls.
Also Cape Levique (spelling??) is worth the drive.
Also Baramundi Wings - a great lunch time meal at the resturant on the wharf.

AnswerID: 101926

Reply By: Coops (Goldfields) - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 14:33

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 14:33

be wary that it's still the wet season and all the ussual precautions will be required if venturing off road. Make sure you let someone know where you're going and when you'll be back too as the conditions can change in an instant.

AnswerID: 101934

Reply By: Alan S (WA) - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 15:07

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 15:07

Sounds like your trip was fun, i tried in 1985 in a 1969 4 Dr Landrover Station Wagon with a 4.4lt Terrier V8, 3 mates, 9 cartons of beer, 8 litres of cheap wine. No food because we could buy that on the way.

Left Perth the Sunday Morning all with various degrees of Hangovers. Blew the gearbox 5 k's south of Northampton.

Spent 5 days camped at the Shell Garage in Northahmpton, rebuilt the gearbox and came home.

Haven't tried to go to Broome since.

AnswerID: 101938

Reply By: Member - bushfix - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 15:27

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 15:27

just remembered another good day. Take a charter with one of the local planes to Mt Hart station for lunch then a glorious flight over the Prince Regent River and back down the coast. Around $400 but a great day.

AnswerID: 101943

Reply By: Member - Alan- Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 17:57

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 17:57

Go up the jetty even if it's just with a handline and try your luck V8. There's some great fun to be had there but make sure it's heavy line!
They've built a walkway right up to nearly the end and it's much safer with cattle trucks going up and down.
I'll be there in June and can hardly wait.
Have a good trip.
Alan.

AnswerID: 101964

Follow Up By: fisho64 - Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 02:52

Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 02:52

Yeah thats rite but the jetty is closed completely when there is a tanker there, even fishing boats cant access the jetty, also i think you need to have ID with you as it is a customs controlled area.
Dont know if the ghost ship is still there or not? Last time I worked out of there 14 months ago the taiwanese longliner was on the mudflats by the jetty. It got found drifting with no crew on board near Rowley Shoals a couple of months after leaving taiwan

FollowupID: 359833

Follow Up By: Member - Alan- Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 13:07

Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 13:07

I didn't know that Fisho64, I've only seen the cattle trucks up there. I suppose this is something to do with possible terrorist attacks or accidents whilst unloading fuel.
Surely they don't want ID just to go fishing up on the jetty!
I haven't been for 2 years but first went there in the early 70s and is certainly a changed town now.
June can't come quick enough so I can get back up North.
A.

FollowupID: 359866

Follow Up By: fisho64 - Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 16:27

Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 16:27

regarding ID, you do need the go past the boom gates, but probably wont get asked. However, not many people know that if you are challenged in any customs controlled area and cant provide satisfactory ID you can be detained.

FollowupID: 359893

Reply By: Willem - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 19:21

Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 19:21

Hmmm Broome. Spent six months there in the early 1980's, on two occassions, before it became commercialsed. Great drives up the beach to Willie Creek and beyond and bush camping on the way to Cape Levique. Megabogged a F100 4x4 on Red(something) Beach. Did some subcontract work for Lord McAlpine. Ate turtle on the beach with me Aboriginal mates. Met many characters and generally had a good time there. Everyone was very relaxed about things as long as you steered clear of Kennedy Hill? Alas, all the fun has been taken out of it.

AnswerID: 101980

Reply By: Member - Anni M (SA) - Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 09:25

Friday, Mar 11, 2005 at 09:25

Lucky you! We got back from Broome 2 weeks ago (we flew this time too). The wet season has been unseasonably dry, so access to Cape Leveque and the Gibb river road is pretty good at the moment. However that could change if it rains significantly. If you go to Cape Leveque then don't miss the church at Beagle Bay (decorated with pearl shell, its amazing), spend at least one night at Middle Lagoon, visit Lombadina and One Arm Point and spend at least one night at Kooljaman. I go along with the people who suggested walking along the jetty, and you should have fish and chips at the Wharf restaurant. Really good coffee is available at Blooms in Carnarvon Street. Go for a walk around old Broome and see the original pearlers houses - more like the Broome of old. Have a drink at the Mangrove and look over Roebuck Bay. Broome has changed since you were last there, but look past the shops and housing estates, its still a very lovely place.
Happy travels
Anni

AnswerID: 102043