Anzac Day - Broome  to Fitzroy River Crossing  - Hot & Sunny   Temp 34C       Distance - 442km

Today we leave beautiful Broome and the Indian Ocean and head across the top of Australia for approx 5000km to Townsville (Queensland) and the Pacific Ocean.

The scenery changed - the creeks & rivers actually had water in them.  Once again we were travelling through remote country with very little traffic.  We wanted to call at Derby and then after that make for Fitzroy River Crossing. When we say there is nothing in between, we mean nothing - no fuel for approx 270km and no habitation other than cattle station which are way out of view.

 

 

 

 

There are many cattle beside the roads and inevitably some are killed by the traffic especially the road trains.  The one below on the bridge would have been impossible to miss.  There is all sorts of other road-kill too - mainly roos.

Dead Cow

How about this for car transport?

We travelled along the Great Northern Highway and diverted for 50km to take a look at Derby - not much there except a bit of history as shown below......

 

 



Boab Prison Tree

Frosty's Pool

The long Cattle Trough - catering for 500 head at a time
(as detailed above)



Boab Tree - prolific in this area

We stopped at Fitzroy River Crossing to refuel & spend the night - a very small community with a mainly indigenous population. We asked a policeman on the side of the road if there was another caravan park east of town and he directed us to the one below which turned out to be excellent.  It was just a couple of km east of the township.

Fitzroy River Lodge Motel & Caravan Park

The Fitzroy River Lodge was a beautiful location - large spacious caravan park, motel etc.  There was a beautiful pool and restaurant.  On arrival we went for a swim in the pool and met other travellers including a couple from Switzerland.  We had dinner in the lounge bar where a Quiz Night was being held.  Steve would have loved that!  Memories of Emu Park in Qld last November came flooding back. 

Early start again tomorrow to Kununurra - a distance of 667km.