Week Commencing 01.08.10
Very Important Month, Birthdays include:
03.08.10 Harley Entink 15.08.10 Cecilia Copeland 17.08.10 Jenny Purtill (60 big one) 18.08.10 Jason Kluver 25.08.10 Josh Potter 26.08.10 Melissa Marchetti (my little baby) 29.08.10 Mine (very important) 31.08.10 John & Wil’s Wedding Anniversary
Sunday 01.08.10 - Here we are another month gone, wow August is here. We are up early after a restless night of storms hitting Broome. We are lucky to be able to hitch up in a break in the weather. Today we leave Broome after 22 days here. We are heading for Barn Hill Station stay. Barn Hill is situated on Thangoo Station, which is a working cattle station. Alf and Maria Grey purchased Thangoo in 1960. The property is approximately 43000 acres and stretches 85 kms along the coast between Broome and Port Headland. The property runs 8000 head of Brahman cattle which are marketed to the live export trade through the port of Broome. Barn Hill is an Eco based park. Activities include, fishing, lawn bowls and general resting and walking along the beautiful beach. We have set up camp and can finally use our generator, so yes we can have foxtel tonight. It has been a very stormy afternoon with heavy rainfalls as the band of storms move over us. We were able to go for a long walk along the beach late this afternoon. Hoping tomorrow will be fine and we can hopefully catch some fish for dinner. We did indulge today as they were selling freshly baked Custard slices, yum very very nice.
Monday 02.08.10 - Woke to windy weather which made things a little miserable. We headed down to the beach to try our luck with the fish. After about four hours still no luck. Back to camp to have some lunch and decided to have a rest and then a big walk along the beach before dinner.
Tuesday 03.08.10 - Today we packed up cam to head to Port Smith. We have been told many different things about this area. Thought we would go and make up our own mind. We have not been disappointed, it is different but we both think we will enjoy it here. The park itself is well presented, no grass all red gravel, the actual site is big and we have a nice shady spot. We are told the kangaroo’s come to visit and not to leave your door open as the help themselves to your bed. After settling in we head down to the beach. The lagoon is set among lots of mangroves and when the tide goes out you can actually walk to an island but you must be off it before the incoming tide or you are stuck there until the next low tide. We are going on a boat over to the island tomorrow around midday and then they come back and get you 4 hours later. We thought there was no phone service, but another traveller told me to go over near the tractor in the paddock and you can get service. We were able to speak to the girls tonight.

Wednesday 04.08.10 – Today we get on the boat to go over to the island for fish four 4 hours. We all met at the shop and they pick us up in the really old rust bucket of the 4WD. Our driver was a black fellow called Mully. He is a very special person, he is very witty and lots of fun. We then transfer onto a small dingy which is overloaded and off we go to the island. John and I walked along the beach and decided to try our luck amongst some rocks. Fished all day without any luck, but he did catch a turtle who gave quite a struggle. Poor fellow, but we did manage to release him without injury. Just before we were due to go home , John brought in a small flathead. All in all we had a fun day and met some lovely people. By the time we got back to camp it is near 5.30 time for showers dinner and an early bed.


Thursday 05.08.10 – We have a lovely couple next to us, Kerry and Trisha, they are regulars here come to Port Smith every year and have done this for many. Kerry and his mat Ron invited John and I to join them to go fishing today at M>>>>>>>>>>>. We set off on yet another adventure. We head out the back of the camp along dirt roads, instructions like turn right at the old car and left at the patch of trees. Lucky for us we had Ron and Kerry driving ahead in their car. We travelled about 10kms to this special spot. It is like a lagoon that is tidal and we arrive on low tide and fish the incoming. We have to walk over rocks and oyster shells to the special spot where you fish. John and I were very happy we had our reef shoes with us. We got a good feed of fish for all of us. We were surprised with how many species were here. We caught, bream, trevelly, cod, mangrove jack and a couple of others nobody knew what they were. Here is Western Australia you make sure you only keep legal fish. Fisheries are always around checking. When we arrived back in camp with our catch we were told the Fisheries had just been in. The fish was filleted and shared between everyone. Tonight the Park puts on a Fish and Chips night for $5, donations going to the Royal Flying Doctors. They also have raffles and the local aboriginal band plays. They were fantastic and we were all up dancing and enjoying ourselves. Once again a great night was had by all and we met some lovely people. It seems alot of folks from Perth area come here for two or three months in the winter. What a great place to do this.

Friday 06.08.10 – Today we were up early as we were all going fishing at 8am, only to find someone must have had one too many last night and we need not go until 10am. Another cup of coffee was in order and some more tackle to be made. Off we go and we run into Tony and Faye who we met on the first day over at the Island. They were going over there again today but realised they had missed the boat (another one with one too many the night before). Anyway I jumped in their car and was going to show them the way hehehehe! I was doing ok for awhile buy luckily John and Kerry had forgotten something and they found us. Once again we went to the special fishing spot and today John was the lucky fisherman, 1 golden trevelly and 3 legal size bream. All in all we got a good catch and the fish was shared around. Tonight we are having fish and chips (fresh only out of the ocean a few hours) yummy yummy. At present have a nice glass of wine and watching the Carlton Essendon game on telly. I almost forget today and yesterday we saw a flock of Broglas, just beautiful. I feel so lucky to be seeing and doing all these wonderful things. Life is good.
Saturday 07.08.10 – Lying in bed enjoying a sleep I hear a knock on the door, it is Kerry who’s up for fishing. John tells Kerry I am sleeping, but no I am not going to miss out on another adventure. Up and ready to go within the hour. This morning we are going to Gordon Bay to try our luck. We travel along a very narrow track for about 10kms and then out of the car and walk up a sandhill and then over the rocks to the beach. Once again my rod is too small so I go walking and shell collecting while the boys fish. Not a very successful day for us, Kerry got a nice Golden Trevelly which he donated to me (Thankyou Kerry I will enjoy). After about four hours of fishing we head home. The afternoon spent relaxing , reading my book and John watching his AFL and Races. Kerry and Trish joined us for the later game. John then cooked a yummy dinner of fresh fish and chips and salad.

Sunday 08.08.10 – This morning we went off to The Point by ourselves, lovely views and lots of rocks. We took the wrong road and came across an aboriginal family and they gave us directions, just keep veering left and you’ll be right. We eventually found our way back to the old burnt out car. John threw a line it but no luck today. We have had a relaxing afternoon. We are heading off to the cliffs with Kerry and Trish and some of their friends for a barbie and watch the Sunset.

Around 4pm we set off to the Cliffs. We enter a road where the sign says NO Entry on we go along this very narrow track. The track then takes us over the plains and then we hit the sand dunes, change into 4WD and up and over the dunes we go. We stop at one point to build a marker so we can find our way out (very re-ensuring). Then over some rocks and here is this beautiful plateform where we are going to sit and watch the Sunset. To the left is a sandstone cave, Trish tells John to climb inside and he will get some great shots. We watch the sunset and then the boys cook dinner. We are about 20mtrs up from the beach and as the tide comes in it starts splashing up to where we are sitting – time to leave. We then cart all the stuff to our cars and head off home. We find the marker and so we are on the right road. Things are so different driving through this country at night. We thank Trish and Kerry for sharing this special spot with us. Wow it was fantastic and we are so grateful to both of them for sharing Port Smith with us.