Kristy 7

Broome, Oh Beautiful Broome, How I Love Thee, Let Me Count The Ways!

 

It’s no secret, I love the town of Broome and now my kids share that love too.  I woke up today to a story on the Today Show about the benefits/disadvantages of taking children out of school for family holidays.  I guess my stance is pretty clear but I’ll back it up with facts.  I completed year 12 with ease, got my first preference at university and obtained my science degree without much fuss.  That’s quite a lot of time spent in formal education settings, however it wasn’t until I travelled this country that I learnt about early pioneering, the history of European settlement, the role of religion in the development of Australian culture and Aboriginal history.  I certainly did not know that Broome was attacked on the 3^rd of March 1942, my children however know all of this.  It was wonderful to wander out of a museum recently and hear the kids agree that they learnt more in the previous 2hrs than they’ve managed in all their schooling life.  More importantly though, it was wonderful to hear the volunteer at the museum comment on the respect and behaviour that our kids displayed.

We settled in to the same caravan park that we’d visited four years earlier and settled in where we had left off.  Relaxation overload.  After a lazy start we set our itinerary and hit the first destination, The 12 Mile Bird House.  It was bloody hot, evident by the birds hiding in the back of their aviaries, beaks open, wings lifted looking exhausted.  Soon enough we were all open mouthed, arms outstretched and gasping also.  A stop at the beautiful Mango House on the way home saw us all freshen up with mango smoothies.

We pretty much became a family of four in Broome and I wouldn’t be surprised if we return to Melbourne without Ryley as he continues to plot his move back to Broome permanently.  Day after day we’d drop him at the Broome wharf and return at 6pm to pick him up.  He was supposed to catch and release but sometimes seeing is believing and if he didn’t bring his catch home there’s no way I’d believe he’d caught it.  He was proud as punch to bring home his big Queenie the night that we had visitors for dinner.  Needless to say we found those same two visitors on the wharf the next day. 

Tamsyn and I were very keen to do the Willie Creek Pearl Farm tour but it’s fair to say it could have been better.  The tour was very informative, morning tea was delicious and the boat cruise was relaxing.  It would have been so much better though if my Dad/Grumps had provided us with his credit card details.  The $6000 chain of pearls that Tamsyn modelled really should have come home with us!

If Ry’s fishing addiction wasn’t already troublesome enough it only got worse as we left the van in Broome and headed north to Cape Leveque.  Sadly the days were overcast which meant that we didn’t see the Cape at her absolute best but the experience we took away was nothing short of life changing.  Cape Leveque is Aboriginal land occupied by the Bardi people.  Many communities up there are off limits to our white family but the few areas where we were permitted access where unbelievable.  The tragic history of Missions, formal school settings, exploitation and disrespect were at times overwhelming.  In particular the use and abuse of aboriginal families in the process of gaining wealth through pearling by the Japanese.  More than one tear was shed as we travelled around.  Still, if we learn nothing from history than surely we’re doomed.  The Church at Beagle Bay is an astounding example of architecture, artistry and bloody hard work.  The Mission is long gone now and the congregation that gathers every Sunday morning at the Catholic Church consist of just 30 or so faithful parishioners.  The minister is an African man with a smile that lights up the room. 

On our second night at Kooljaman in Cape Leveque we headed out on a fishing expedition with a local elder named Bundy.  Very little information was provided, we were simply told to meet Bundy out the front of Djardjin store at 6.30.  Bundy pulled up alongside us a few minutes late with a ute full of kids and four dogs chasing him down the street.  “Ya let ya tires down yet?” Was pretty much the first thing he said.  “Um no.  I wasn’t aware that I’d need to.  If I let them down will there be somewhere that I can pump them back up?” I ask as I scan the surrounds for anything in town that resembles a petrol station, all the time assuming I’ll be left blowing them back up by mouth.  “Yeah I got one?” Came the reply giving me only a smidgeon of confidence.  Suddenly a lady pulls up beside us and jumps out, she’s white and has two white girlfriends with her (now I’m thinking at least I’m not going to be the only unskilled white girl out here getting bogged, my confidence starts soaring).  Hannah introduces herself as one of the locals who Bundy now refers to as family (confidence hits a record low as I realise I am absolutely going to look like a dopey white girl).  Hannah gives me a few tips for getting out to the beach, we deflate the tires and head off in convoy, Bundy, Hannah and I, kids still seated in the back of the ute and four dogs dodging car wheels as we go. 

We arrived safely (minus two dogs who dropped off the pace a few kms back) and set a fire on the beach.  We broke into several groups and were given spears.  With as little as no instruction we headed in to the dark water using iPhone as torches and commenced the spearing experience.  UNBELIVABLE experience of a lifetime.  Soon enough we were joined in the water by the four dogs and our snack bag was transformed into a catch bag, having run out of fingers to hang fish from we started loading our backpack with catch after catch.  We saw sharks, rays, deadly stonefish and an abundance of fish.  The kids who Tamsyn and I were partnered with even caught a turtle by hand just to show us what they look like up close, to my delight they released him back into the water only to have him retaliate to the capture by ramming each one of us fairly in the shin.  The hunt was soon over but the experience was not, we cooked up the fish on the beach and enjoyed it with Bundy and his family.

Sleep came easily to all of us that night in our little hut under the protection of our mozzie nets.  The kids were up bright and early ready to meet up with Bundy again to make new spears and go crabbing.  Again the kids sat in awe as they watched and learnt.  Unfortunately there would be no crab breakfast for us as the tide moved in far too quickly so Bundy diverted from the original plan and took us out to some sacred ground near Chilli Creek. 

Before setting off south Tamsyn had inquired with Bundy if any of the kids in town would benefit from basketball boots or equipment having noticed so many kids in town playing basketball in bare feet on the concrete courts.  Long story short, it looks like we’ll be heading back later in the year to deliver some basketball equipment and running some clinics.  As we set off down the long stretch of red road it quickly became apparent that we had escaped quite a lot of rain while we were away. We bumped, bounced and sloshed our way back to Broome with smiles on our faces.

Broome experiences 10mt tides which means that the tide shifts out to sea over a kilometre at times.  It’s during these times that the WW2 Catalina wreckages can be viewed.  It just so happened that we were fortunate enough to be in Broome at this time.  It was heartbreaking to learn that the Japanese had fired upon the boat planes as they sat at the door of freedom waiting for the tide to change so that the Dutch families aboard could walk ashore.  In one fowl swoop more than 70 civilians were killed in Roebuck Bay and the remains of their vessels lay in the crystal waters today.  Following this touching experience we headed out to the local museum where Taj drank in all the information that he could about WW2.  Tamsyn took a bit more of a shine to the story of Diamond Jack and Ryley, of course, focussed on the history of fishing in Broome.  For whatever interest it ignited, it left all three kids keen to attend the ANZAC day dawn service.

Along our travels we’re always blessed to meet some likeminded, lovely families, so in farewelling Broome we also bid farewell to two families who we immediately befriended.  Lovely couples with great kids.  Good luck and safe travels guys, we miss you already.

Now to make our way across the border!