Dour Disapproving Derby

Most people we’ve met stay at Derby and do the Gibb River Road or Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek from there, but we decided to make it a flyby on our way to Fitzroy Crossing. We are so glad we did, as it seems to be rather ant-children in Derby.

We left Broome and stopped at the Willaire Roadhouse to buy the Yeeba meat that everyone around here raves about. We just grabbed a family meat pie, as the freezer was already rather full. It was then a short drive to the highlights of Derby – the Prison Boab Tree and the longest trough in Australia. The boab tree has a rather awful history. White settlers used to round up aboriginals and force them to dive for pearls in Broome. On their way to the boats to Broome, they used the enormous boab tree and its secure chamber to rest in overnight, before departing from Derby by boat. What a horrific way the ‘White Australians’ have treated the indigenous population.

The longest trough was built because Derby was a departure point for the cattle that were bred anywhere near here. Cattle would be rounded up and driven to Derby. They would rest in this field, take water and then be loaded on boats. The water was drawn into the trough by the windmill at the end.

We also had to get a photo of the longest bus by the longest trough!

We then headed into the town of Derby itself, via the Visitors Information Centre, which had a sign clearly stating that children were not welcome unless closely supervised by a parent. Sheesh. There are 2 caravan parks in town, one of which also doesn’t welcome children. Apparently they “don’t have the facilities for children”. I’m not sure what facilities they mean… power and water now and then is all our kids need! Finding the information centre closed (at 3pm on a weekend) we went straight to the famous jetty to check it out. Derby has enormous tides (which go up to 12m!) and a jetty which curves around in an arc. Usually you can drive along it, but we had our usual bad luck and a section was closed for renovations the day before. We had to content ourselves with a walk and a look over the side to see the water rushing by.

Having found such a loving welcome for our children in Derby, we didn’t find it difficult to shoot through and find a free camp along the road to Fitzroy Crossing! We stayed at a camp listed as “Big Boab Tree” and BOY was it big! Waaaaaay bigger than the prison tree we had seen earlier that day. After a play and a climb, we sat down to the most delicious meat pie we’ve ever tasted. Yum!!