We have now 'officially' completed our 'lap' of Australia - even though it started anti-clockwise and is finishing in the other direction. We drove in to Broome for a few hours to complete the circle and spoil ourselves with a coffee at Cable Beach, and I had a wonderful swim while Alf changed a wheel on the car! Then we said our goodbyes to the 'coast of the west' and started our drive heading east and towards home!! We were familiar with this section of road...

While contemplating the rain situation in Marble Bar, we decided to drive further north to Barn Hill Station, which is a working cattle station as well as catering for tourists, and situated on the beautiful coastline just south of Broome. A lot different to 80 mile beach and it reminded us a bit of Cape Leveque with its red ochre cliffs and sandy beaches with clear water. We also noticed such a difference in the air temperature coming further north too - hotter...

Eighty Mile Beach, a few hundred kilometres below Broome is a lovely oasis to relax and soak up the atmosphere of the north. We were looking forward to having a swim in the turquoise waters of this long stretch of beach, but were informed (with a chuckle) that the water is only about 20cm deep for about a km as it is tidal, and that there are sharks roaming in the shallows! So, what else does everyone do here?? Fish and collect shells! Apparently in the high sea...

We've definitely had a big dose of mining towns now! Even down to comparing the size of the 'cruiser' with the 'big boys' in town! Lots of big trucks, long trains, 4 wheel drives, ships, tug boats, iron ore and salt piles abound in this area, as well as the mark of the Pilbara - RED DIRT! Some tell us that it will be with us forever! It's been interesting to see the ports of Dampier, Karratha, Point Samson and Port Hedland, where the majority of the mining exp...

Leaving Karijini behind us, we continued our journey through the red Pilbara via the Rio Tinto Railway Road, which we had obtained a permit for in Tom Price. This dirt road is about 200km long and follows the railway line where a lot of the iron-ore mines are, so there are usually road trains and other mine vehicles using it as well. Fortunately for us, we didn't see any road trains (they are only allowed to do 60km/hr), and only a few 4wd mine vehicles, but we ...