Each year, for a number of years, my parents, Jen & Col have joined (lead) the convoy of ‘blonde’ nomads up the coast to the idyllic beauty and warmth of Broome in the Kimberley – in the north west of WA – it averages 29 degrees & blue skies every day between June & August.  So over the past 10 years or so my sister, her boys and myself have been meeting them up there for a family get together.  This year was no exception.

Here’s a photo journey of My beautiful family and Broome’s special scenery……

Arriving or leaving Broome by air is always spectacular….. I do prefer arriving though.

On the flight from Perth to Broome you are offered a small snack.  It’s only a short flight after all, but today’s snack took me by surprise, not only because it was delicious – something new on an aeroplane, but it was also made by this lady – Simmone Logue, who used to have a bakery/magic food shop right down the street from where I lived in Balmain, Sydney about 100 years ago…. do you remember Bec & Jason Lewis?  She made the most amazing Banana Cake with Passionfruit Cream Cheese Icing – it was the best cake I’ve ever eaten.  I have tried to replicate this miracle since then with only mediocre results….

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Broome is known for its amazing sunsets…

And is also a very popular spot for 5sies and watching said sunset… Here’s Me Jenny is the first ballet position.

Me Sister and her gorgeous boys, Joe and Charlie – look how lovely and tall they all are!  For scale, I think I come up to a shoulder?

Charlie & Joe squishing in with their Nana. xxx

Me Jenny & Me Col wearing medals – Jen was awarded the Gold and Col the Silver for 1st and second place in the “Reaching 50 years of married life – together, without a single stabbing incident” event.

Another popular activity on Cable Beach (or in our case, spectator sport) is getting married as the sun sets.  I tried to talk Me Jenny & Me Col into renewing their vows on the beach for their 50th anniversary which was met with what can only be described as contempt. 😳

You can ride a camel up the beach a bit.  We did this several years ago and that’s the beauty of a camel ride in Broome… or anywhere, you only need to do it once.

Every low tide the crabs come out and dig their holes and they do it by digging these little balls of sand out of the hole – one at a time… so the beach is FULL of these unique piles of sand balls….. until the tide comes in.

No Saskia, I haven’t spilled my plate of cous cous, although I can see where you got that from 🙂

Broome has amazing rock formations…

Low tide at the wharf

Rock patterns…

BYO chair…

Low tide at Cable Beach

It’s a great place to catch up with other much loved family who are on their way through town.  This is my cousin, Mark and his gorgeous wife, Leanne.  We tend to catch up with them in Broome more than anywhere else, but no matter the location, it is always good to see their lovely faces.

Just another sunset…

Me Jenny trying to stop the sun from going down.

Things you find on the beach…

Patterns in the sand…

Gantheum Beach 5sies with friends…

When a kiddie walks into your shot…

When in Broome the ladies like to sample the lunches on offer.  Here we are at the Mangrove Hotel overlooking Roebuck Bay.

And here’s the other side of Roebuck Bay…

Rock pool creatures at low tide…

Colours of Broome.

The road to Crabb Creek…

Low tide and the wind’s in!  What?

This is great weather to sit in the car and watch as people navigate the mysteries of getting their boat out of the water….. I’m not sure how this chap got himself into this situation, but with a bit of oomf, he eventually got himself out.  Well done to him.

It is not a trip to Broome unless you purchase a new hat from the Hat Lady at the Saturday Court House Markets….. and you must wear it whilst having breakfast at the Town Beach Cafe.

This was today’s view from the Town Beach Cafe.

The first week we were in Broome we stayed at the Caravan Park and found a frog in the toilet.  This frightened the bejesus out of me, but after much ‘trying to catch’ said frog by my nephews, Me Col “sorted it out”.  In the second week, we moved over to a unit across the road from the caravan park and then found this chap on the window of the bathroom – I think it was the same bloke.

More wildlife in the garden of the unit… This chap gave me the evil eye, let me photograph him and then took off, never to be seen again….. look how long he is!

When the conditions are right – clear sky, full moon & a low tide which happens once or sometimes twice a month, you get The Stairway to the Moon.  Everybody gathers at a spot overlooking Roebuck Bay to watch the moon rise and as it does it reflects on the low tide sand making it look like a stairway of light leading to the moon.  It’s quite magical just to watch, but most people try to get a photo of it.  This was my effort of a photo…

But this is what it’s meant to look like – NOTE: this is not my photo.  This is the photo on the Broome Visitor’s Centre Website.

My sister, Jodie and I had been doing the walk between Cable Beach & Gantheum Point which is about 5kms, so on my last day, the conditions were perfect – a low tide, coming in, so Me Col dropped me off at Gantheum very early, the sun hadn’t even made it over the dunes yet and I walked one last time…. for this trip.

Looking back to Gantheum Point.

Then it was time to say goodbye to Cable Beach and goodbye to Broome.

Until next year…..