Broome Day 2

A Day of History, Farewells & a Sneaky Art Purchase or two!!

Today was one for stretching the legs and stretching the mind. We wandered Broome’s streets under wide blue skies, digging into its complex and confronting past. White Pearl Divers of Broome by John Bailey has been my companion lately—a gripping, eye-opening read that doesn’t shy away from the raw truth. Broome’s “Wild West” history is both fascinating and infuriating, especially the brutal treatment of Indigenous people and the ugly, racism that permeated the era. What’s hardest to get my head around is just how recent much of it really is. It makes me very cross.

In between the history lessons and local stories, we turned our attention to the Tommi camper—our faithful home on wheels. It got a good clean-out and a bit of a sprucey wash ready to hand over to Rod (Jan’s brother-in-law), who’ll be continuing the Tommi camper adventure up north-east. It’s a strange feeling—closing the chapter on the camping leg of our journey. There’s something final about packing away the folding chairs and rolling up the last dusty camp mats.

We’re flying to Perth tomorrow, so tonight was all about packing things into bags in order to fit them neatly on plane . We complete this part of our journey with dinner and catch-up drinks at Matso’s with Rod. And yes… we may have slipped into the Black Stump Gallery and emerged with a “souvenir” or two. Couldn’t resist. The art here is extraordinary .

Tomorrow, a new phase begins. For now, Broome leaves us with full bellies, full minds, and maybe a little red dust still in our shoes.Læs mere