Derby - Windjana Gorge & Tunnel Creek

Derby is a small Aboriginal town. The Aboriginees seem to be well integrated into society, though there are always problems.  All who live there, agree it is a very social town and many prefer to work in Broome for the week and drive home to Derby.  A lifeguard travels twice a week from Derby to Broome to go on Lifesaving duty on Cable Beach (220 ks).  He is in charge of the nurses at Derby Hospital. I found a beautiful pool to swim in at Derby.  I was there with about a dozen or so Afghan Detainees from the Curtin Air Force Base, which is currently acting as a Detention Centre (800 detainees).  The runways there are 5 km long, to take the biggest planes.  They are increasing the size of the Detention Centre.  In war time, I'm sure they would quickly be evacuated if the base was needed for war. They detainees had four guards with them, one a young woman who had a Bronze Medallion, as most of the Afghans dont swim well, so they received a lifesaving device around their waists.   It was hot and they all enjoyed themselves at the pool and were happy to chat and practice their English.  All were about 22 years of age and looked like nice young men.

 

The biggest shock at Derby was the ocean is red.   It is 50% Kimberley red mud mixed in with ocean water.  Its not safe to get into it.  Derby has the highest tides in the World at 13 metres. This means the town is surrounded by mud flats where the tide spreads out all over the place when it is high tide.  It looked a little bit like Wyndham where five rivers empty out into the sea and the mud flats go as far as the eye can see.  There are islands beyond Derby where the once again returns to blue and the ships go out for weeks at a time to fish.  There is a French fish and chip shop on the long promenade out to the shipping terminal where they serve yummy food.  Their Air Conditioning system consists of hundreds of tiny sprinkler heads around the roof of the building, which spray the clients every two seconds with cool water. It works very well.

 

Graeme decided to take a bus tour out to Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek.  The bus was a big and sturdy 4WD vehicle, which can tackle the Gibb River Road.  He had a great day out there and the pictures will tell the story.  The Prison trees were used by the Police in olden times to hold mostly Aboriginees, as a resting place, overnight.   What a terrible experience for them - all chained up, some by the neck.  Some of them were taken as divers for the pearling interests in the earliest times.  Derby used the Boab trees as street plantings down the main street.

 

Tunnel Creek

Windjana Gorge

Windjana Gorge

Boab tree

Crocodiles at Windjana Gorge

Tunnel Creek

Tunnel Creek