Gambanan - Broome

(Photo: Dusk, Gambanan)

Rhys - Ganbanan was one of my highlights so far. We found a simple camping site (suits me) overlooking a beautiful coral bay that has a 10+m tidal range. First day of mud crabbing Gerard (fellow traveler), Lachlan and I walked miles over the tidal mud flats across the bay on an out flowing tide and up a mangrove creek. It was hard to find the holes of the crabs and knowing a croc lived on one of the pools makes you a bit cautious, as we don’t want to meet the croc. We caught one of a good size then walked back across the bay on low tide. On arriving back to our campsite found out the girls and Campbell had gone reef walking as a reef was exposed for the first time in two years. Lachlan and I chased them over another bay in the other direction only to find them leaving! On arriving back we then went mud crabbing again (with Campbell) on the shore side of mangroves that covers with water only on very high tides. Again walking waste several miles against an incoming tide then as the tide turned walking back against on outgoing tide. Very tiring but we did get 4 more large crabs, saw several undersize ones and met an inquisitive shark. Next day very, very sore, but it was all worth it.

Out in a tinny fishing with Gerard, Campbell and Mutch, we caught Bluebone, Long Tom, Bar Cheeked Coral Trout, Giant Trevally and Spanish mackerel, enough to feed a small campsite. While out in the boat we saw a turtles and two metre + bronze whaler shark jump clear of the water chasing a fish amazing sight. This shark was seen later in the day swimming across the fish trap at our campsite, no snorkeling on the reef around here!

Still sore from the crabbing after 3 days! This day we packed up and then the children made a traditional spear, which was a unique experience. Over our time at Ganbanan we had numerous sightings of Gouldian Finches.

Nearly two weeks roaming around the dusty bush, bad showers (if any) salt water swimming, hot and sweaty we arrived back in Broome. Kathy had found a place to stay that was more in keeping with what we had once been accustomed too. A near brand new, two story self-contained apartment complete with white towels, white sheets tiled floors. It was very hard to know where to stand or what to touch as we were all so grubby, all the same once we where all cleaned up it was much enjoyed.

Kathy – We have really gone from the sublime to the ridiculous in this last week – from bush camping to a brand new modern apartment with all the bells and whistles. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Gambanan campsite was very interesting. It was a great experience. Gambanan is run and owned by a local Bardi aboriginal family (Frank and Maureen Harvey and family). Frank is on the Kimberley Land Council and Maureen teaches Bardi and the local school so they are quite a family.

A family we met at Kooljaman, Gerard, Inga, Matthew and Jacob, arrived at Gambanan at the same time as us and we ended up camping, cooking and fishing together. Thanks for the great time guys. Campbell enjoyed competing with their boys as to who could get the dirtiest the quickest – fun!
On our second day we found there was a fishing, site seeing trip to the reef off Gambanan which had not been exposed for two years due to the tide. Apart from a bit of confusion as to the location it was an amazing experience. I was able to take numerous photos of the coral that the tide had exposed and Campbell was able to see a turtle being caught (you’ll be pleased to know it was let go) and he also got to hold a spear with skewered squid and fish. The tides here come in and out so quickly we ended up waist deep in water to get back to shore.

Also on this day Rhys and Lachlan went mud crabbing with Gerard and caught one mud crab. Rhys and Campbell then went mud crabbing with spears in the afternoon with one of the local bardi men and they caught four crabs – the wonders of local knowledge! Inga and I were sustained, however, by Lachlan and her son, Matthew, shucking oysters for us off the rocks where Inga was fishing. They would have to have been the freshest oysters I have ever had!

The sunsets at Gambanan were spectacular and the water changed colour depending on the light and the tide. It really is a piece of untouched tropical paradise (but with dust, midgies and strong winds!).

The next day Rhys, Campbell and Gerard went fishing on Gerard’s boat with Mutch, one of Frank’s sons. Meantime Inga and the rest of us went fishing off the coast. We only managed to catch one undersized coral cod. Rhys and co came home with numerous fish. Some were so beautifully coloured it almost seemed a shame to eat them but we did! For tea that night we had bouillabaisse with fresh fish and mud crab and more fish that we cooked on the coals of the campfire along with Rhys’ damper. Talk about a gourmet meal in the middle of nowhere!

The wind really picked up that night, as it had at Kooljaman and Middle Lagoon. The gusts were so strong that we could barely keep the pegs in our camper trailer. We decided to go back to Broome as we were a bit over the wind, dust and sand. In keeping with the timing of the locals up here (everything either happens hours late or earlier than scheduled) Campbell managed to drag Mutch out of bed to show us how to make traditional(ish) spears just as we were heading off to Broome. We made the kids spears in record speed and then rushed off to Broome.

I had managed to a newly opened apartment in Broome after negotiating on price. When we walked into the apartment we realized we had won big time. The apartment is beautifully furnished with a kitchen to rival ours, three toilets, two bedrooms and a study nook and a lovely large deck. There is also a beautiful pool area and fantastic artwork by a renowned Kimberley artist in the apartment. Yes!

We have really enjoyed doing very little here (apart from watching the Olympics, washing clothes, restocking and repairing and having lovely hot showers). We went to the local Anglican church this morning which is literally over the road. By coincidence Dad came to Broome about 10 years ago and visited the church and did a watercolour painting of it. We enjoyed the service and minister spoke on Philippians 3 which is my favourite chapter of my favourite book in the bible. Pippa has greatly enjoyed cooking us cupcakes and anzac bikkies. She has really missed baking and we have really missed her homemade treats so it is a win-win situation.

We are now heading for Eighty Mile Beach and then down to Karajini National Park then down the coast to Kalbari where we are spending a week in a resort with our friends Steve and Wendy.

Lachlan – The next day we went to Ganbanan. We built a cubby hut. We went mud crabbing. I had blisters on my blisters. Then we built a big wall of grass and hide in it because the adults attacked us. The next day we had mud crab and fish soup. When we were going we saw some people who made spears so we made 3 spears. Then we went to our apartment.

Campbell – Went to Gambanan. I made a spear. We went fishing. Went in my friend’s tinny. We caught lots of big fish. One of the fish we caught was called a Longtom. It had very long and sharp and sticky teeth. A shark jumped out of the water. I saw it.

We went on a walk on a coral reef. We caught two squid and one fish. We saw a turtle and I got to hold it.

We are in a big apartment that is nearly nicer than our house. It has lots of beautiful things and it has a big LG plasma. It is very cool. We can watch the Beijing Olympics and it is very big.

Pippa – We went to Gambanan. We have been having fun do stuff like fishing, playing with our friends, going to the beach, going mud crabbing and squidding. I made a spear.

My favorite place so fare is The Gibb River Rd, Wangi Falls and Gunlom Falls.

At the moment we are in Broome. We are staying in Very nice apartments. I go swimming every day. We watch the Beijing Olympics the closing ceremony was good. I like it in Broome. We went to a market for tea. We played tiggy.