Willie Creek (18km North of Broome)

We just spent a great week at a little spot north of Broome on the banks of Willie Creek.  

Had trouble uploading some photo's on this post so there are not as many as I wanted at this stage.  We dropped back to Broome and got some fuel and bee-lined it to Port Headland to meet up with Heath and base at his place for a few days.

We overnighted at a rest area and dropped into 80 mile beach caravan park and had a look and were definitely glad we didn't book or choose to stay as nothing but a beach and the ocean with wind blowing 30knots (off shore at least).  Got to Port Headland and started cleaning!  

All are well and hesitant to leave the tropics!

Free Camp and the best one yet!!! Right on the banks of Willie Creek about 18km North of Broome.  There is a Pearl Farm just down the road where the girls each brought a nice present for themselves.  Fishing was fantastic, nice cool nights and warms days!  Stated here for 4 nights

Pretty Crab!!  The colour of this little crab was incredible.  I took a dozen pictures but they were all over exposed and only got this one.   

The crabbing was pretty good with all big bucks and only 1 jenny in two days that we crabbed.  Could only get crabs on the run-in about last 3 hours and the secret bait all WA use is lamb neck chops.  They work a treat and a zip-tie through the centre of the chop makes them the easiest and cheap bait which I can't wait to use next time home in Qld.  I also spoke to a WA fisherman that just returned from around OZ trip and he used lamb necks everywhere he went and they cleaned up.  This piccy has Kate, James and Lucy Chilvers who we have tag teamed with since Mitchell Falls and great company/friends. 

Was by myself so was a bit hard to photograph nice little Jack on troll for barra. 

Little Lucy Chilvers with a Jack that nearly pulled the rod out of her arms.  Had a ball playing with these little fella's between running the dilly pots. 

The last few days there was no water to get up the creek until about 2pm so we had a ball drifting up with the tide and fishing the shallow gutters catching heaps of whiting and flathead.  Good fun on the light gear and was sorry to leave after figuring out the hot bite and location for the best whiting and flatties.

Little barra flicking the rocks for Jacks.  

Finally.....able to clean the van and the car...first wash since we left home and so nice to have a clean home again!  This is in Heath's driveway at Port Headland where we are once again re-stocking, cooking meals and roasts etc..to freeze and carry as we head out to Kurajini and then up to Exmouth and environs.   

Broome and Cape Leveque.

We are back in Broome for a re-supply after tenting/camping at Cape Leveque for 3 nights with the Chilvers family from Victoria.  (Paul, Sil, Kate, James and Lucy).  The van is all new again (Fridge fixed etc) and going to a free camp about 20km up the coast on Willie Creek for a few nights before we start heading south and into the colder climate.

We fished Broome a couple days and brought some air-matresses and tents and headed up the Cape.

As the song goes....I still havn't found what I'm looking for....... Hope all are well!

Cheryl and a typical creek Jack of about 35cm.  We caught a couple of Jack and heaps of cod (by heaps I mean 20 +).  We only kept 3 nice sized cod for a feed that night which was sensational!

Crabbing in Dampier Creek which is the main creek right next to the town.  It seems not many tourists and few locals fish it that much?  We caught 8 nice bucks the first day and 5 the day after for a nice big feed of crab for everyone.  Pots are illegal here and I purchased 4 dilly pots which fished (robbed) every 20 to 30 minutes did o.k!  I actually think that there is a great deal of wisdom in the fisheries banning traps and could see it being a good thing in Qld.  Having to physically fish for crabs and not just throw in a crab pot and leave it for a day or so would protect the crab stocks greatly by reducing the ability to catch without effort and only increase the catch for those going to the trouble to do so. This will stir some response from my rellies in Sarina no doubt!




Jessie Bell and afternoon tea!




BBQ: Sausage on bread (gormet with cheese, onion, bacon etc) Cable Beach.  We did this a few times as the kids had a ball making sand castles and swimming while we sat and had a drink, cooked a feed and watched the sunset.

Broome Races!  We went along for a couple of races. This was the first race and we had a bet on the Green Colours whose name was ' Just James' for young James Chilver our best camp buddies and friends/camp together the last few weeks.



Artistic license - Cable Beach



Kacie and Kate Chilvers swimming Cable Beach.

Kooljaman Resort, Cape Leveque.  Although a magic place the rules and regulations of the facility completely stuffed up the feel for the place.   You can't fish here, you can't drive there, you can't basically go past the 1 square kilometre (if that) of the bloody place in case you insult the customs of the locals.....? What a crock of rubbish.   The wind would blow a dog of heat at any time of the day so there are limited avenues for fishing or boating.  The designated fishing beach is a rock strewn mongrel beach that can only be swam at a very limited part of the tide.  In front of our camp at high tide as this photo depicts we finally got peeved not being able to fish anywhere and tossed a lure and caught and immediately released a couple of Queenfish.  Not 5 minutes into it as if Big Brother was watching two blokes rock up and command you can't fish here!  The crabby old bag next door chipping in..."you can't fish here!!!!"  Crikey we paid $420.00 for our two families to camp at the joint for 3 nights in tents on the ground with no power.   Cape Leveque infuriated me and unless you want to set and do absolutely nothing and  slowly die avoid the bucket of Elephant snot it is!

Magic spot but don't dare do anything especially flick a lure off your balcony....God forbid!!!!  Oh yeah, and that's the designated swimming beach...smashed on the rocks and drowned dare you risk it.  Cape Leveque is definitely over rated.

Cape Leveque sunset on the West cliff side beside the designated fishing beach where you have more chance of hooking a mermaid least any resemblance of a fish. 

Sacred Heart Church - Beagle Bay on the way to the Cape....very impressive!  Just don't forget to pay $10 per person for the right to drive into the bloody community and look at the place.......then  the donation to look in the church......can you gauge I'm sick to death of having to pay tooth and nail just to go anywhere!  Queensland absolutely destroys WA in the bush/places/fishing etc.... QUEENSLANDER!!!!  

Tried to put the kids onto a fish but the wind very bad and tides huge/running to do anything.  Dropped them back and Paul and I went and found a school of Queenfish and had a ball for half an hour.  Then when we went back to the beach to pick up some of the others for a fish the beach dumper waves on both sides swamp the boat...it's a terrible place to try and retrieve a boat. We saw other boats all get swamped and nothing you can do about it due to the limitations on where you can go.   ARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!  Blow it out ya bum WA!

Paul Chilvers grinning with a nice Queen fish on soft plastic.  Cape Leveque light house in the back ground.  I'll probably have to send in $5.00 per photo when they find out I took some? 

I can't find this fella in my reptiles book....can anyone help me?  Lizard on the Cape road on the way home.  I had to chase him to stop him getting away before photo.  He ran up my leg like a goanna so funny times had by all! 

 Sorry for the negative vibe to this post but I can only say it's how I feel about the joint.  It's a shame because we heard nothing but rave reviews about places like Cape Leveque bit it seems in recent months/year the rules and regulations have basically shut any activity down.   Oh well....I still call Queensland home and will NEVER leave!

Bless you all and hope to report happier times soon! xx