13 - 2026 - July - Broome to Exmouth, Western Australia

 

Entry 13 – 2026 – July – Broome to Exmouth, Western Australia

We do love the warmer climate of northern Australia. Sadly, it was time for us to head south from Broome and we were not looking forward to the cooler climate down the road a bit.

Before leaving the area, we remembered to obtain a picture of the Cape Leveque Road in 2026, looking very different from when we were last on this road in 2014. The old Cape Leveque Road, was over 200 kilometres of horrendously corrugated dirt track, with deep bulldust, often impassable and boggy during the wet season. An all-round treacherous road.

There was a marked increase in the volume of tourists heading north. The roads were busy with caravans, motor homes and 4wd’s.

We spent a night at a road side stop. It was congested, very different from around three weeks prior when we stopped for a night when heading north. It seemed like the volume of tourist vehicles had dramatically increased. We may have been lucky with our timing, exploring the Broome area just prior the peak period.

We had allocated around two weeks to drive about 1,700 kilometres to our next booked location. Our research for targeted stops along the way showed there were limited “special,” highlights.

We had been spoilt over the last couple of weeks by the magnificent scenery of the Dampier Peninsula. It felt like we were becoming fussy, wishing for more additional superb scenic locations.

We had previously explored the Broome to Exmouth area and couldn’t remember any locations we thought worthy of a return visit.

We decided Cape Keraudren Reserve was a desirable location, previously visited and depicted in blog 11 edition. For this visit we decided to seek out a camp spot at another one of the camping areas with views eastward across an ocean frontage bay.

All the ocean frontage camp spots were occupied, though we were happy to secure a camp spot nearby. It was another good setting with ocean views one side and views of the locals on the other.

Our arrival coincided with the timing for the appearance of the “Staircase to the Moon,” viewing. Thus, our strategy for seeking an eastward ocean view.

Broome promotes this as one of their main tourist attractions. In reality there are a number of other locations this phenomenon can be viewed. We thought Pender Bay would have been a good one and Port Hedland had a beach it promotes for the same.

It is all about the location and timing when the moon rises and there is a large area of water between you and the moon.

It is a rare spectacle for people living away from the eastern shores of Australia.

The first two photographs obtained with our phone showing our preparation, awaiting the arrival of the moon and our caravan location with its outside orange night lights illuminated. There seemed to be a vehicle with headlights situated on the hill above our camp, possibly also waiting for the appearance of the moon. We especially liked these photo’s highlighting a night sky, star filled background.

During the day we had assessed a location to optimise the best position to set up our camera for the arrival of the moon. The bay looked grand, full of beautiful turquoise coloured water. Unfortunately, with the fast moving 7 metre tides of this region, the bay appeared to be near dry when the moon was due to appear. Grr.

Looking at the below pictures, closest to the moon, it appears the reflections are from the damp sandy floor of the bay with the tide out. Closer to the foreground you can see some wave movement on the small amount of water in the bay providing some lovely reflections, titled “The Stairway to the Moon.”

It was an enticing beautiful location. Looking east, from our focal point, the bay appeared to be about two kilometres across. In the distance we could see people camped along the beach. Looking west we would watch the setting sun over the Indian Ocean.

We had stayed for three nights and decided another two would be nice. What we hadn’t factored in was the last two days was a weekend and the beginning of school holidays. People moved into our buffer space behind and in front of us. They were loud and obviously didn’t have any regards for others nearby. The campground region became a whole lot busier.

It was time to continue our journey south. We planned to travel along the coastal highway.

Leaving Cape Keraudren Reserve it was a drive of about 150 kilometres to Port Hedland. From 9.50 am to 11.30 am Mary counted 55 caravans, 8 camper trailers, 16 motor homes and a heck of a lot of 4wd’s with roofs loaded with camping gear heading north.

At Port Hedland we restocked the caravan fridge and pantry. The tow tug fuel tank was filled. About 300 litres of water was added to the caravan water tanks. The RV campground was at near capacity with around 100 vans parked up. Very different from a couple of months earlier with six including us.

We thought a free camp location about 100 kilometres south seemed more inviting for the night. We arrived to find this free camp was also busy with people. It was very close to the highway and noisy with large road trains travelling by. We eventually settled on another free camp location about another 30 kilometres down the road. It was more to our liking.

We both had a giggle. We were getting fussy with our expectations of a free camp. It’s a free camp, “FREE.”

The following day we continued onwards. We were travelling through the Pilbara region and we were both feeling “chuffed,” with the beautiful views of the landscape around us.

We had just decided not stop at the next populated area of Karratha, to continue south to explore some of the next town’s region offerings. at the township of Onslow.

At around 10.30 am a truck travelling in the opposite direction threw up a rock damaging our windscreen. The damage sustained, requiring a new windscreen. We both laughed knowing we were now stopping at Karratha. It was the largest town we would be near for quite a period of time.

Around 11.30 am we obtained phone reception at the town of Roebourne located about 50 kilometres north of Karratha. There was a phone call to our car insurance company, whom confirmed there was an acceptable windscreen replacement business at Karratha. We received confirmation for a windscreen replacement.

At about 12.30 pm the windscreen business contacted us and provided us with an appointment time for a windscreen replacement, the same day!

At about 1.15 pm we parked opposite the Karratha Windscreen Service business. The caravan was disconnected from the tow tug.

At around 1.35 pm a technician drove our tow tug into the building to work on the windscreen.

At about 3.30 pm whilst seated at our comfortable caravan dining table we saw our tow tug driven out of the workshop with a new windscreen fitted.

At around 4 pm the caravan and tow tug had been reunited and we continued south to our next “free” camp location.

By about 5 pm we were all set up, camped at Miaree Pool rest stop. We were about 200 kilometres short of our targeted location for the day, with no complaints from us.

It had been a roller coaster type of day. When our tow tugs windscreen suffered terminal damage. Our initial thoughts, we could be held up for about a week, waiting for the damaged windscreen to be replaced.

First, we had checked our insurance policy. Then we commenced with a number of phone calls, communicating with various organisations. There was “the luck of the draw,” whom we spoke with and we were pleased by the presentation of the people we communicated with. Then there was the onus on us to communicate the right description/wording and it seemed we may have got it right on this occasion.

The repair job wasn’t perfect. They hadn’t located the cable to the caravan rear view camera in the right position and hadn’t re-fitted the dash cam camera to the windscreen claiming they weren’t sure of the positioning.

Those jobs Steve accepted to address himself.

By days end it had been a great outcome. There had been an element of incurred mental fatigue with our brains needing to focus on preparedness, for many different scenarios of “what if’s.” By the time we had set camp, consumed our evening meal, we were both sound asleep, quite the bit earlier than normal. We had been informed our choice of a Toyota motor vehicle as our tow tug had greatly helped, as the windscreen repair business stocked most Toyota vehicle windscreens.

Continuing onwards to Onslow it had been recommended by some fellow travellers to utilise the Peedamulla to Onslow Road, reducing the google maps presented route by about 80 kilometres. As it transpired this was a dirt road. We encountered two other vehicles over a distance of around 100 kilometres providing a more relaxed driving venue. There was a section of road with an interesting landscape dotted with large termite mounds.

We spent a night in a caravan park at Onslow. If you liked fishing and had a boat, Onslow would be a good destination. We were provided with a site overlooking the fish cleaning station. It was in use most of the time, a busy location.

We did a walk-about around town. There were some interesting sculptures.

After around 1 ½ hours of walking we had seen most of what was on offer at Onslow.

Heading out of Onslow we spotted a location where you could get up close to some termite mounds.

The township of Onslow was another town with a port specialising in the shipping of iron ore and salt. There was a nearby iron ore mine site with a sealed road solely for mine vehicles travelling directly to the port. It was gratifying, not needing to contend with very large mining vehicles driving on the same roads nearby Onslow.

Not far down the road, we deviated down another dirt track leading to the Ashburton River. Continuing with the theme, everything is big in Western Australia including the display signage. The track had been recently closed for a period due to some rain, reiterating we were in 4wd territory.

There were people camped along the river’s edge spread out over a few kilometres. We located a smallish access spot and set camp next to the river, with our closest neighbours about 200 metres away. From within the confines of our caravan, looking outside through the windows it seemed we were surrounded by sparsely leafed trees with limbs curling in all directions. The setting felt like we were in an enchanted forest. The following morning, there was an addition to the enchanted forest. It was shrouded by a morning fog adding a mystical appearance. It was a peaceful location, just how we liked it.

 

From the comfortable inside environment of our caravan, we watched the rising sun on one side and the sunset on the other. It was a different, grand setting.

 

The birds also seemed to like the setting with plentiful bird sightings. We enjoyed listening to the different bird chatter and singing.

From our Ashburton River location it was about 500 kilometres to our next targeted local. We were quite contented with our river location. We ended up staying 4 nights, leaving a 3-day time line to get to our next booked national park.

Around the 200-kilometre mark from Exmouth there was a noticeable change with the roadside displayed signage. When entering back onto the highway from the many roadside rest stops there were arrows painted onto the road surface showing what side of the road vehicles were required to travel.

We were about to enter the 260 kilometre long, UNESCO World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef. It is a spectacular location, globally renowned for its accessibility where visitors walk from the beach into thriving ocean coral gardens. It is a Mecca snorkelling location, attracting people from around the world.

The township of Exmouth was the main support centre for everything to do with the Ningaloo Reef. Our first photo shoot showing our caravan nearby Exmouth’s Big Prawn.

 

Picture of prawn