Cape Leveque 27-28 September

Very mixed impressions of Cape Leveque. So much was terrific, scenic, challenging and interesting, yet it was also the worst place we have stayed from a campsite and weather perspective, and these factors combined to leave us feeling happy that we could only stay the one night, instead of the two or three we intended, as being the start of WA school holidays, and Queens Birthday long weekend, there were no vacancies beyond Friday night.
Anyway, the good bits: The road north from Broome is a little over 210 kilometres with almost half of that unsealed. By now we have come to realize that 'unsealed' can mean anything from billiard table smooth, to teeth rattling corrugations, to near vertical rock climbing and all permutations and combinations in between. This one is special! Basically it is fine red sand over a sandstone base for 100 k's. The depth varies from a light sprinkling to wheel grabbingly, speed suckingly, direction changingly exciting. The width of the road varies as well. One minute it is wide enough for four roadtrains to go side by side, and the next it is about a Nissan and a half wide, and you can bet which sections you will meet oncoming traffic on.... Not only does it get quite narrow, but it tends to slope steeply in towards the middle making the camper trailer continuously try to slide down the hill (quite exciting when passing oncoming vehicles or overtaking slower ones!). It is also quite badly corrugated in places, but these are nowhere near as bad as the Gibb River Road or Oodnadatta Track as being sand they don't cause the same intensity of vibrations. Having said that, the retaining latches on the fridge slide both failed on our way back down the next day (Vibratum wins again). There was a distinct lack of Jaycos on this road where even the school buses are serious 4x4 trucks.





So, we were feeling very tough and special with our Patrol and go anywhere camper, among plenty of like company. This was seriously out of the way country, frequented by serious travelers. POP! The bubble burst when around the next bend came a falcon wagon loaded up with camping gear.... Oh well it was a good feeling while it lasted. But seriously, what were they thinking? It must have been a horrendous drive with only two wheel drive and bugger all ground clearance. And it wasn't even a hire car!
The bitumen starts again just south of Beagle Bay as you enter the native title part of the peninsula. The Bruddas, Cuz's and Sistas get all the good roads.
Beagle Bay is not what we have come to expect of an Aboriginal Community (at least the ones near or in the bigger towns). While there were still derelict vehicles (mostly Land Cruisers and Patrols here with only a sprinkling of Commodores) in almost every front yard (one even had three - must have been the mayor), the houses looked to be in good nick, and everything was neat and tidy (except for the dead 4x4s). There was a real sense that the people actually cared about the place. Good to see. The Sacred Heart Church is quite special. It was built in 1917, and the altar and walls have been decorated in mother of pearl and cowrie shells. The whole church is slowly being renovated/restored, but is magnificent just as it is now.















We spent the night at the Kooljaman Resort (which just means it is a caravan park with permanent tent accommodation as well, with a restaurant and bar). The scenery was spectacular (I'm going to have to buy a thesaurus at the next big town we get to as I'm running out of adjectives!) with the usual pristine beaches and red red cliffs. Yet another beautiful sunset over the ocean was enhanced by the spotting of several whales spouting. Unfortunately they were too far off shore to see anything more, but terrific all the same. Followed all this with a wood fired pizza and the best chips ever all washed down with an icy cold sparkling. Divine.