Wonderful Wyndham

Sunday, July 20:

Left Kunnunura at 9 and arrived at Wyndham at 10.30am just in time for the market in the caravan park and then took off after lunch to Port Wyndham, the jetty, museum and the ore loading piers.

The loading dock at Port Wyndham, six kms north of Wyndham.

Monday, July 21:

Spent the morning and early afternoon exploring the rest of Wyndham. Went to the Pioneer and Afghan cemeteries.

The Pioneer Cemetery included graves of those men who died during the construction of the meatworks at Wyndham in 1914-1916. Two died on the same day from different causes – one of sunstroke and the other drowned.

The Afghan Cemetery is a little out of town and quite small but contains about half a dozen graves with stones marking the head and foot. It is said the graves are so large because the Afghan’s lead camel was buried with him – don’t know how true but the cemetery is a tribute to the Afghans’ contribution to the development of the Kimberley.

Our next stop was The Bastion which is a high peak above the town from which you can see the Port and 4kms south the township. You can also see the five rivers which flow into Cambridge Gulf – the Ord, King, Forrest, Durack, Pentacost rivers. Great view over the port which ships out ore from the Kimberley Mining Group – the mine is located west of Doon Doon and trucks pulling four ore trucks each go backwards and forwards about 150kms each way, twice a day and night. We counted five trucks but I guess there are more.

A views across where five rivers join. Taken from the Bastion.

Next stop was the crocodile in the main street. It was made by the school kids for the town’s centenary where I purchased a hand carved boab done by a local Jaky Weaver for $25.

Next stop was the town’s giant Warriu dreamtime sculptures in a park next to the outdoor cinema. 

Then we got adventurous and travelled along a dirt road for 20 plus kms looking for the prison boab tree, Aboriginal rock art and the Moochalabra Dam. We also saw a pair of Broglas which escaped from view and the graceful Black-necked Storks.

Wally standing in front of the Boab Prison tree.

The local fisherman was advertising barra so I called in but they didn’t have any barra as his is still out fishing and the water is still too cold for them. Instead I purchased some Jew Fish and barra fins which you cook the same as barra. I’ll try anything.

Then it was back to camp and well deserved swim. At 6pm we head back to port Wyndham to the hotel where we had barra and chips.

Our camp at Wyndham Caravan Park.

I was told I should make up a lemon butter to pan fry or put the barra fins on the barbie  – butter, lemon juice, white wine and capers and a dollop of cream. Don’t have the latter two but will try the other.