Yes, we made much of our destination in our previous posts, but Broome ended up being a pit-stop this time round. We did the obligatory town beach park and walk, but we’d heard so much about the Dampier Peninsula that we were back on the Broome-Cape Leveque road just before sunset, re-stocked and looking forward to seeing the ocean again.
We spent the night at the Marani Road turnoff, a dirt road that runs parallel to the coast for about 60klm. We had resigned ourselves to deflating the tyres for this stretch, but I noticed that while tourists pulled up to do this, the ‘locals’ didn’t seem to bother. So, maybe this road ain’t so tough. It took a bit of convincing, but we thought we’d give it a try. As it turned out, it was a pleasant relief to the bone shaking we had been used to in the NT and we tootled along nicely at 50klm.
Our first destination was Quandong Point, a 1klm long narrow strip of coastal heath littered with van sites and campgrounds. There was no vantage point, so we decided we do the equivalent of a pub crawl to find somewhere. As luck would have it, at the first potential lodgings, this couple yelled out, “We’re just leavingâ€. So as they pulled out, we pulled in, and “Voila!â€, we were set. Aaah, the sweet delicious of an ocean breeze. After three weeks traversing the north- west, it was like coming home.
For the next two days we just lounged around with our sangrias and snacks, taking the occasional stroll and swim. We both seem attuned to beachside living (not that we could afford it back in the real world). Knowing the ocean was ‘just there’, seem to chill us nicely. We had pre-booked a cultural tour at the far end of the peninsula about 130 klm north on the Wednesday, so we left about 9.30 on the Tuesday to give us plenty of time.
Up until last year there was a ninety kilometre stretch of this road that has been described as one of the most difficult to drive, prone to flooding in the wet and deathly corrugations during the dry. It was the kind of road trip best left to fools and documetary makers. But in 2018 the push was on to seal it, both for the locals and to boost employment through tourism. We’d never had even considered it except for this and even as I write, they are still finishing off a couple of small sections. The effect clearly has been transformational on local indigenous communities. Camping grounds and glamping grounds have started to appear. From billboards to advertising painted on old car bonnets, the welcome mat is definitely out. Before the upgrade, it was pretty much a fly-in for the ‘nouveau riche’, but now anyone can drive the two hours from Broome…..and we did, arriving just on lunch at Djarandjin Campground, next to the only roadhouse on the peninsula. This is a classic example of what I’m talkin’ about. Keycard security, Murcutt inspired amenities blocks and plenty of room. We did a prelim check-in with the tourist office and then settled in for the arvo, catching up with the world and friends. We were both excited about our indigenous tour the next day, and we weren’t disappointed.
