Half way up the Dampier Peninsular from Broome is Banana Well getaway with access to Beagle Bay Creek via a bush track with a tidal range of 10mtr, crocs and bull dust everywhere.
We left Broome on 05/06/2021 for a short drive to Banana Well Getaway on the Dampier Peninsula. We had been told that the road from Broome to Cape Leveque (top of the Dampier Peninsula) was all tarred. Well it is except for the start which is being redone and of course, the 14km driveway to our camp.
We are here for a week to down tools, plan the second leg and do a few jobs along with day trips. Luckily we have picked a beautiful quiet place with basic but very clean facilities. Unfortunately, there is no swimming as we are along Beagle Bay Creek which is home to crocodiles 😄. There is a small pool which we can use to cool off in with lots of mozzies 🤣.
We had planned on visiting Beagle Bay aboriginal settlement including the Mother of Pearl Church built by German immigrants along with aboriginals. However, the settlement is closed due to COVID-19. Totally understand but disappointed all the same.
On 08/06/21 we had a day trip up the north west side of the Dampier Peninsula to Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. The day started with a boat trip to see the massive tides. Cygnet Bay is at the top of King Sound where the tides can be as much as 13m rushing in and out of the sound twice daily which also includes the islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago. We walked up stairs to board the tender which drove into the sea and transferred us to the inflatable rib. It was pretty rough getting out to the islands and a very wet boat. Really great fun as the rib roared around the islands and waves with its 2 x 250hp engines pushing us through the flood of incoming water with at least a 5 knot flow in a channel up to 60mtr deep. After the excitement we changed into dry clothes for a fabulous lunch on the veranda overlooking Cygnet bay.
On 10/06/2021 we visited Kooljaman resort at Cape Leveque on the tip of Dampier Peninsular. The western beach whilst beautiful is not for swimming due to sharks and rip tides but the eastern side is ok. So we headed along the beach to the rocks for a snorkel. Not the best with only a few fish but we did see 2 pimply looking rays hiding in the sand. I think we’ve been a tad spoilt with Ningaloo! Again, a delicious lunch including prawn tacos. The food we’ve had in WA has been amazing.
We head of to Derby for a few days on 12/06/2021 to see the horizontal falls and then the trek across the famous Gibb River Road will begin.
