AAPT- Around Aust by Public Transport 2021

 ...late. Changing time zones sure messes with the body clock.  We had breakfast at 12.30pm! Leisurely day walking around. First, another Cathedral, quite a contrast to that in Broome. Interior was quite unadorned...appropriate as the feature was the stunning stained glass windows The two peace windows are posted to FB. On the waterfront at the waterpark we met s cyclist. He had ridden from Newcastle over five weeks..also doing a lap. But he admits is quite unprepared. We chatted for over an hour about riding in remote areas, especially about water, as he had little capacity on his specially made bike to carry much volume.  Hope he makes it! Fish one direction...no fish the other side! Low tide. Best public art..outside the Performing Arts Centre. Made our bookings for the next two days. Didn't swim- day was pleasantly warm but quite a wind. Despite all this we still didn't get to put feet up till 8.45 after dinner.  So ends Day 44...watching the last days of the Gir...

At Katherine ..still on a bus! Stopped for our one and only break. Time to chat with an interesting fellow passenger. He was travelling to Canberra to see his daughter and other places to bring back a 4wd he had bought. He lived in Wyndham, worked mostly around Halls Creek in construction, and obviously had good relationships with the locals. But appreciated the challenges of Kununurra and related great insight into the generational differences.  When we arrived in Darwin by bike in 2008 there were only two high rises..the city has grown. We had breakfast and a leisurely walk. This area is about to be redeveloped.  John McDouall Stuart...my favourite explor er in whose footsteps we rode up the centre. Taxi driver to the airport: He wad originally from Timor Leste. - one of eleven. 8 came to Australia. They all married different nationalities, Thai, Chinese, American, Vietnamese, Phillipino,...his own children all married Indigenous......."we have this really big family!" If A...

 We packed the bags ready for a pickup late in the day then were collected by the tour bus. Our driver had only been in K for 5 weeks- he came on his way to the Whale Sharks and they desperately needed drivers,so he stayed. Says the sharks will still be there next year. The first half was a drive up to Lake Argyle, via the Durack homestead. The backyard. Several graves in the front yard. The original site is underwater but the house was salvaged prior to inundation. We popped in to a 'resort' to see their infinity pool .....somewhat smaller and older than we expected. But on to the real business.  First view of the lake, but that wasn't our destination. Over the wall we went The wall is constructed entirely of natural product. It holds back many Sydney Harbours of water. Looking to the lake.. And the other side There you see our next transport. A "fast" boat for  55km/ 3.5 hrs down the Ord River and the Kununurra Lake system. Now I'm the one with 200 pics! It ...

 And Luke headed off for a flight over Argyle and the Bungle Bungles. I headed for the pool. . It was good to have some quiet time..read in the cooling breeze. Luke returned, Mr Geology very satisfied with 200pics. He had two Scottish people on board with him; she appeared to be too nervous to enjoy. That would have been me! Headed off for our sunset dinner cruise on Lake Kununurra. Slow travel to take in the changing light. The sunset was pastel. Haven't had really striking display since Geraldton, but each day is different. Dinner was a relaxed affair, steak,fish,salads followed by lime and coconut tarts.  Then the eclipsing moon rose, a bonus. We watched it until the eclipse was done but no good at phone photographing it. They dropped us home to end the 42nd day.  Action day tomorrow.

 The day to solve logistics. Issue#1: no taxis, seems they are only for Indigenous. We are 2.8km from the town. No food or drink here.  Don't want to walk several times to town each day. Solutions: For tonight we bought the necessities and made a delicious repast..quinoa and tuna with cottage cheese. Tomorrow we are taking a dinner cruise..they pick up and drop us off. Thursday: see next Issue. Issued #2:Bus to Darwin departs 9pm Thur evening. Motel checkout 10am, have to get bags into town.  Solution : booked a tour on Argyle. Pick up 11am. Can leave our bags at motel. Tour drops us back at 6pm. Will bribe to take us and bags to town. Checked out the  pub. We will dine there (with bags) and stroll to the bus stop. We will manage without taxis! But did find another resource. An enterprising woman runs a service called We Are Ready. Called transfers rather than a taxi. Swim was fab in the heat of the day. So ends the 41st day, feeling easier. Water lily lagoon.

 ...early.  6am bus, Broome to Kununurra, 1124kms as we detoured to Derby for a freight drop. Travelling with Greyhound now.- veeeeery comfortable seats. Derby was much smaller than I imagined..a big wide main street with Boab trees down the centre. I can't quite get what attracts peoples there, more investigation needed; maybe it's fishing. Contrasting was the beauty of this Boab with the ever present security bars and screens. Spot Luke! From there we were on floodplains- sometimes the bus gets stopped here. Our first stop was Fitzroy Crossing, the river more a surprise than the town. We passed some famous  turnoffs, Quamby Downs, Mary River, Jubilee Downs, Louisa Downs, Margaret River, all in a varying, stunning landscape. Through the Mueller Ranges and onto our next and final stop at Halls Creek. I found it pretty confronting. Lots of graffiti, the swimming pool closed and the Tourist Info Centre almost barricaded.   As we moved on we were hoping for  a stun...

 Panoramic tour of the town to start. Expert local guide made it a pleasure  1st stop, Cable Beach. Yes 22km long. Looong flats at low tide. Learned about Lord McAlpine.  Gaurentherne Point. . The site of dinosaur footprints, exquisite rock formations and a lighthouse. Footprints under the sea.  Because of flats and rocks,access for boats is at a premium.almost car park rage on the beach. Alex our guide was full of background info...nothing like a local. Cables, camels, crocs and communities all featured. There are over 220 Indigenous communities in the Kimberley, 60 of these in Broome, although I had expected a greater presence.  Tourists really dominate and the town is geared to this. like everywhere they are currently facing staff shortages. Next was the port, pearl luggers and pints.    These aren't luggers but houseboats used at the Vertical Falls. The red sand below is called Pindan (?). Alex forbade us to walk on it because it permanently stains...

DAY 38 we arrived 6am in Broome. Nothing open so taxied to our accom which seemed a long way away. Not open either but only had to  wait till 7. Bags dumped then we walked back to the Broome markets....via Maccas to get coffee. Surprise! TheTourist Info Centre is closed every weekend- really useful! Markets had quality stuff but we have no extra room since we are still carting Tassie layers. Markets are held in the Court House grounds-we bumped into a court attendant and had an enlightening chat. Court sits on Saturday to deal with Friday night arrests. The  spire of the quaint church caught our eye..whoops! It's really a Cathedral. Followed the trail to a great museum of the SSJG nuns who first came to Beagle Bay. Took a nana nap,went to church then to Chinatown fir a curry and the Sun Movie Theatre. Tired but happy, that ended day 38. Best thing here is the Broome Explorer bus..constant and reliable. And their cute bus stops featuring the Asian influence. Dotted throughout t...

 We knew we were in for a walk. The Tourist Info Centre was a 3.5km walk to start, and frankly was not worth the effort. As you can see, out of town ! But  it gave us a chance to see some of the delightful architecture in the town, which was only built mid 60s.  The new Health Campus- great facility but a shortage of Drs. Even the bridges are attractive. If course, there's plenty of metal in this town! The canopy of the walkway, Performing Arts Centre. Luke was keen to visit a notable rock art site so booked a tour.  Not realising how far out it was, we ended up having to get a taxi both ways which to say the least  was not economical! We were disappointed with the actual tour although the site itself was amazing. The tour added little to the comprehensive intepretative signs around the site. The two indigenous women who did the tour were pleasant- the upside was we got some insight into  how they live and work in the town and their challenges. A whole art ...