Tag: Broome Australia

Where in the World Are We?

We are in Broome on the Northwest coast of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean.

Today, the high tide was at 11:31 AM at 32.42 feet high,

and the low tide was at 5:43 PM at 2.49 feet for a difference of 29.93 feet.

BROOME, AUSTRALIA
THE GATEWAY TO FURTHER ADVENTURE IN THE KIMBERLEY REGION

Broome is a beach resort town in western Australia’s Kimberley region. Along its Indian Ocean coastline, the white sands of 13-mile-long Cable Beach offer a dramatic backdrop for sunset camel rides. At Gantheaume Point, nearby, dinosaur tracks are revealed in the beach’s red rocks during low tide. Broome’s historic Chinatown overlooks Roebuck Bay, a jumping-off point for cruises to local pearl farms. 

Wandjina is a powerful Rain Maker spirit associated with the northwest region of the Kimberley in Western Australia.
Wandjina dreamtime images are painted on the rock galleries and in caves throughout the region, marked in red and
white ochre. The Wandjina images are painted in significant ritual sites for the region’s Aboriginal people, and the
paintings were traditionally repainted each decade to ensure the image was kept fresh and lively.

The significance of the Wandjina dreamtime story was shared by many language groups across the west and coastal areas
of the Kimberley, including the Ngarinyin, Worrorra, and Wunambul people. Wandjina is the most significant Creation
Spirit is associated with rain and, therefore, the seasonal regeneration of the land and all natural resources. The body of
Wandjina is often shown covered with dots that represent the rainfall.

The cyclonic wet season brings rain to the Kimberley, and elements of the torrential rains, such as lightning and thunder, are
often included in the imagery around the head of the Wandjina. Ceremonial dances that pay homage to the Wandjina
Rain Spirit can include headdresses that symbolically refer to lightning and thunder. The facial characteristics of
Wandjina can be seen to represent climatic features.

The eyes of the Wandjina can represent thunderstorms, and even the line between the eyes resembles a nose but is
a power line used to transfer energy. Small brush marks on the Wandjina body usually represent raindrops. When depicted with only head and shoulders, the Wandjina is said to be moving across the sky in a cloud or storm. A full-bodied Wandjina is said to be present walking the Earth. Some attempts to date the rock paintings of Wandjina in the Kimberley suggest that they may date back 4,000 years. The Wandjina images are often painted alongside much older images of Gwion Gwion (Bradshaw figures) that date back at least 18,000 years.

MALCOLM DOUGLAS WILDERNESS PARK
Cuddle a baby crocodile, see the rare cassowary, or pat a kangaroo. At the Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Wildlife Park, about a 15-minute drive from Broome, animal lovers can enjoy close-up views of some of Australia’s quirkiest and most formidable creatures and learn about their habitats and behaviors. Wallabies, dingoes, snakes, and lizards also inhabit the park, and a range of feathered critters, from emus to cockatoos and kookaburras. Stay for the croc feeding, when some of the largest crocodiles in Australia demonstrate their surprising agility as they lunge for food.

SIGHTS

• Broome Bird Observatory
• Roebuck Bay Lookout
• Chinatown Broome
• Broome Turf Club
• Horizontal Falls

Today’s Excursion – Broome Sights, History & Wildlife

We explored the history and wildlife of Broome during this scenic, half-day sightseeing excursion to Gantheaume Point, the Pearl Luggers Museum, and the Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park.

Broome City Tour & the Pearl Luggers Museum

We enjoyed a narrated sightseeing drive through Broome. We saw Chinatown, Matso’s and Captain Gregory’s House, and Town Beach. We also visited the Pearl Luggers Museum. The museum chronicles Broome’s glory days in the 19th century when the city was known as the ‘Pearl-fishing Capital of the World.’ We learned about this bygone era and viewed historical exhibits that included a pair of beautifully restored, sail-powered pearl luggers.

Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park

We visited Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park. Founded by adventurer, filmmaker, and former crocodile hunter Malcolm Douglas in 1983, the park is home to estuarine crocodiles. The crocs, some bearing such colorful monikers as Agro, Miss Fitzroy, and Deek, are mostly rogue specimens captured after annoying fishermen or frequenting public waterways. After some free time to explore the park, proceed to Gantheaume Point.

Gantheaume Point

The red sandstone cliffs of Gantheaume Point contrast with the azure waters of the Indian Ocean. While Gantheaume Point’s 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprints are best seen during low tides, a plaster cast is available for viewing. Nearby is Anastasia’s Pool, carved from the sandstone by a former lighthouse keeper for his arthritic wife.

Tonight’s dinner was in The Restaurant.

Check out today’s Chronicle.

Where in the World Are We?

We are in Broome, Australia,/ in the South Pacific Ocean.

BROOME, AUSTRALIA
LARGEST PRODUCER OF THE WORLD’S FINEST QUALITY CULTURED SOUTH SEA PEARLS
Gateway to the oldest and most elusive of all Australia’s nine regions, Broome is where your Kimberley adventure begins. The ancient landscape has long held travelers spellbound: The Kimberley is three times larger than England but has a population of just 35,000, is over 65,000 years old, and is home to 2,000 km of coastline. Almost impenetrable and incredibly remote, the red-baked earth, prolific wildlife, majestic canyons, and swimming holes are the stuff of Australian wilderness dreams.

English explorer William Dampier was the first explorer in Broome in 1668. However, the land had long been used as a trading route between East and West Kimberley for Aboriginal families. These semi-nomadic tribes respected strict, unwritten rules regarding ownership of the land. The Yawuru people remain the Native Title holders for the township of Broome.

Broome itself has over 84 Aboriginal communities affiliated with it, 78 of which are considered remote. The city grew from its nascent pearling industry of the late 19th century. Pearl diving was dangerous in the waters surrounding Broome, and for many years, divers were limited to Aboriginal slaves and skin divers who faced cyclones, sharks, crocodiles, and ear and chest infections to bring up as many pearl shells as possible for their masters.

Natural pearls were rare and extremely valuable, and when found, they were placed in a locked box. At the peak of its industry, around 1914, Broome was responsible for 80% of the world’s pearl trade.

SUN PICTURES, BROOME
If you’re looking for things to do in Broome at night, head to Sun Pictures in the heart of Broome’s Chinatown and watch a movie in the oldest operating outdoor theatre in the world!

The cinema was born in the early 1900s as a store owned by the Yamasaki family. The family loved movies and they converted part of their shop into a little Japanese playhouse. In 1913, a pearler purchased the building and transformed the store into a cinema.

Sun Pictures welcomed its first official audience in 1916 with a silent movie and has been screening movies ever since. Today, the cinema is listed as a heritage site, and includes a small museum.

SIGHTS

• Broome Historical Museum
• Gantheaume Point
• SSJG Heritage Centre Broome
• Cable Beach
• Buddha Sanctuary
• Bali Hai Spa in Broome
• Dinosaur Footprints
• Matso’s Brewery

Today’s Excursion – Panoramic Broome & Matso’s Brewery

We discover the highlights of Broome during this scenic orientation tour of the town and its environs.

Broome Panoramic City Drive

We depart the pier for a narrated sightseeing drive through Broome to see Chinatown, Matso’s & Captain Gregory’s House, the Broome Museum, and Town Beach.

Gantheaume Point & Japanese Cemetery

We had a photo stop at the spectacular Gantheaume Point with ancient sandstone formations and fossilized footprints of dinosaurs. Aqua waters and brilliant red cliffs on Roebuck Bay are the backdrop to Broome’s Golf Club. We continued to the Japanese cemetery and wandered through the ancient granite headstones and learned about the history of the hard hat divers.

Cable Beach

We passed by the famous Cable Beach, considered one of the world’s great beaches of 13 miles of white sand adjacent to the azure waters of the Indian Ocean.

Matso’s Brewery

Your tour continues with a visit to Matso’s Brewery. Housed in a restored 19th-century building, this award-winning microbrewery makes lager, wheat beer, and an alcoholic ginger beer. During your visit, you will get a chance to sample the famous beer.

Tonight’s dinner was a Sunday Family Dinner in La Terrazza.

This Sunday our culinary journey took us to the beautiful Côte d’Azur – Nice!

Although Nice belongs to the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Nice gastronomy is unique.
Cuisine Niçoise reflects Nice’s geographical location on the Mediterranean Sea, its strong historical ties to Italy, and the local ingredients of Provence. In 1998, to preserve the authentic Nice cuisine, the French designated the appellation “Cuisine Nissarde.”

The Nice restaurants earn the “Cuisine Nissarde” label by adhering to traditional Nissarde recipes and ingredients.

Check out today’s Chronicle.