First stop for today is Gantheaume Point, which is near the southern end of the peninsula that Broome sits on. Theres a lighthouse here, but it looks more like someones plonked a large lantern on a water tank stand than the sort of lighthouses were used to seeing. The red rock formations are spectacular. There are supposed to be dinosaur footprints here, but were struggling to spot them. Maybe they were baby dinosaurs, or, more likely, we wouldnt know a dinosaur footprint if we tripped over one, which we may well have.
We stop briefly at the port, which doesnt look anything special, not that Im sure why we thought it would.
Next cab off the rank is a lookout over the turquoise blue waters of Roebuck Bay. We wander from there down through Chinatown. This has apparently been the towns main hub since the early pearling days of the 1880s, when more than half the population was Asian. It was apparently awash with brothels and opium dens in those days, but there dont seem to be too many signs of these here now, although that said Im not entirely sure Id know what to look for. Its in
the process of being revitalised, and although its a bit chaotic due to the construction activity, it still looks very attractive. Were told that they need to do most of the building in the dry of the tourist season, because if they tried to pour concrete in the wet most of it would likely end up in the Bay. We take a quick peek in the Broome Outdoor Cinema. It opened in 1916 and is apparently the worlds oldest still operating picture gardens. It still screens several movies every night, whereas most similar establishments around the globe apparently now only show one or two per week.
Were told that well need shoes that we dont mind getting wet for a tour in a couple of days, so Issy shepherds me into a shoe shop. We find a style that Issy thinks might be suitable, and the young assistant asks me what size and colour Id like to try on. Im good on sizes, but I defer to Issy on colour. I instantly realise my mistake. Pink with purple spots, if youve got it, is my beloveds helpful response. The assistant returns with a tan set which she says is
all shes got in my size. Whatever.... I very briefly try them on, and then take them off again and go to pay. Wait, says Issy, you should at least walk around the shop in them. I put them on again and take a few short steps. The reactions from both Issy and the assistant suggest that Im not doing this properly. The assistant gets the giggles, and then tries to recover by telling me that the colour suits me. ....so much hassle. No wonder I always leave it to Issy to buy my clothes.
We pass the hotel that wed booked into originally; at the time it was the only one that had a room left, but recent COVID lockdowns have changed all that. It seems that it was best known for its wet Issy says we should have lunch there to see what we missed out on. We have to hand over our credit cards before theyll let us sit down; apparently a lot of patrons have been doing a runner lately. We dodge broken glass near the door where it looks like someones recently tried to break in. Issy thinks that one of the
waitresses has got a rifle. It turns out to be part of an umbrella stand, but still, the seed has been sown. The outdoor eating area is surprisingly attractive, and the foods pretty good too. Maybe we should have stayed here after all. At least then all Issys wet training wouldnt have gone to waste.
Next stop is the iconic Matsos Brewery, where we visit Gallery Sobrane in a small building in the Brewery grounds. Sobrane has apparently done quite a bit of silo art around the country. She does it all freestyle, which Issy says is without copying it from something smaller (or something bigger I guess, but probably not in this case). Ive got no idea how anyone could possibly do this, but we watch a time lapse video of the artist in action, mostly suspended from a scissor lift, so theres the proof I guess.
