06 Jan 08 Derby. Population 5,000 plus march flies. Below, you can see: A cattle trough and windmill built in 1911, it is 120mt long and can water 1000 head of cattle at a time, it is the longest in the southern hemisphere. Next is the "Frosty Pool" built in 1944 during World War II as a bathing area for troops near Derby. We then took a drive along the infamous Gibb River Road. Santa on a rooftop in town, nice to see the locals have a sense of humour!!!!! Check out the size of the boab - you gotta love them. Next is the "Wharfinger's Museum." ----wharfinger.n.one who owns, or has charge of a wharf ------- we both have new jobs now. DB is morse coding to the airport, and Margo is the new telephonist/fashion designer..........The main street here features rows of beautiful boab trees in the centre median strip. There is a great lingerie shop here "Derby or Bust" - get it? The sunsets. Oh my word, the sunsets, they are stunners, this is the one from the aft cabin window of the bus, overlooking the mud flats. The 12 metre tides flow in from the Buccaneer Archipelago from the King Sound, all of which come from the Indian Ocean and Timor Sea, they are the highest tidal range in Australia. Out on miles of these mud flats, one can search for the famous Desert Amethyst, (but DO NOT DRIVE on the flats) and there it was, Margo found some...yay....it is actually old clear glass that after being left in the sun turns purple because of the lead content in it.






















































































































































06 Jan 08 - Derby. The Boab Prison Tree. This ancient majestic tree is the whole reason DB brought Margo to Derby, I have wanted to see this tree since primary school. The 1,500 year old tree has a circumference of 14.7mt, it was used as a prison or holding bay en-route to Derby Gaol by blackbirders (settlers) who captured and used Aboriginal people in the pearling industry.......................................................................................................................






























06 Jan 08 - Derby - look what I found, and, out on the way to the wharf is an old crane, just like the one Margo's Dad (Neville) used to drive at Brecketts at Wollongong........................................................................