we are back in broome for a few days. we could have gone directly to derby but since we have to wait for some postal deliveries we figured we could divide the time between broome and derby (broome being the bigger place with probably more things to do and see).
one thing we felt we had not done justice yet was the dino tracks. previously we’d gone to reddell beach and seen mainly sauropod tracks there. the main reason was that the tracks at gantheaume point are only accessible during very low tides.
the tracks there are partly made by theropods, medium sized carnivores not unlike the infamous t-rex. while the sauropod footprints are big and round the theropod footprints are three-pronged and a lot easier to identify.
as you can see they look a it like emu tracks.
we have been told that in the stories of the local aboriginal people the emu man plays an important role. this could be the reason why: the aboriginal people would have known about these petrified tracks for a long time and it would be more than logical to associate them with an emu-like creature.
it is pretty amazing to think that theropods might have hunted here more than 100 million years ago and we can still see their tracks.
there are only three days every month when the tide is low enough to expose these tracks. in addition one has to be lucky to not find them covered in sand – which would mean one would not find them at all. we can only imagine how many more tracks are out there under the water, maybe never to be found.
even without the dino tracks cape gantheaume is an amazing place and definitely worth a visit. i’m sure kris will select some of the amazing photos she took when she finds the time.