Derby - 30.07.2012 to 02.08.2012

The town of Derby has a population of some 4,500 people. Half of the population are Aboriginal Australians. A high proportion of the population are employed in State and Commonwealth Departments or services such as Main Roads WA, Health Services and the Water Authority, and in providing services to outlying Aboriginal Communities. The remainder are small business people employed in servicing the mining, pastoral and tourism industries.
Derby is located on the tidal mud flats on the edge of the King Sound, about 220km north east of Broome. It has the highest tidal range of any port in Australia. A visit to the Jetty in Derby soon tells you how high the tides get here.

Derby Jetty, ugly by day......

beautiful by sunset

The boab tree is a major feature of Derby. You will see boabs along the main streets and Derby takes pride in preserving the huge original boabs in the town. 

The famous Boab Prison Tree is located 7 kilometres from the town.  This huge tree is believed to be around 1,500 years old and has the girth of 14.7 metres. It was used as a staging point for prisoners being walked into Derby in the early days. 

Just as you turn to go to the Prison tree there is a bore and cattle trough built from concrete that can handle 500 bullocks at one time and is now the length of 120 metres. Water is pumped into the trough by a windmill.

now thats one long trough

 Further out of Derby we were given directions to some wetlands where there were heaps of birds and it was here that we saw our first Jabaru. Overall Derby had some interesting sights, but lacked a certain quality that you find in other towns. The next day we set off for Winjana Gorge for a day trip.

Brolga

Jabaru

wood ducks aplenty