Derby

Derby was the first town settled in the Kimberley area and is where you will find the infamous Boab Prison Tree. This hollowed out tree has a girth of 14 metres and was used as an overnight lockup for prisoners before being taken into Derby. Some say the tree is over 1000 years old!

Derby was set up to service the pastoral industry of the inland and the pearl shell industry of the Buccaneer Archipelago. Nowadays it's a regional administrative and supply centre to the surrounding areas. It's also known as the Gateway to the Gorges and is the major stop off point for people travelling on the Gibb River Road.

Located at the base of the King Sound, Derby has the highest tide movements in Australia peaking at 11 metres! Any excursions out to sea need to be planned around these times, or you could be stuck on a mudflat or worse still, stuck in the middle of a fast rising tide!

Derby's history includes the story of the Aboriginal outlaw Jandamara or Pigeon as he was known to the European's of the time. He was said to terrorise the area in the late 1800's and hid out at Tunnel Creek. It was near Tunnel Creek where he was finally tracked down and killed.

In addition to the Boab Prison Tree, there's the Wharfinger's House Museum, Botanical Gardens, Royal Flying Doctor Base and School of the Air. Aboriginal Art and Design is also on show in town.

Shopping
The major shops are open seven days with restricted hours on weekends and public holidays. Normal opening times are 8.30am - 5.00pm weekdays and to noon on Saturday. Two supermarkets are open after hours every day. Fuel is available seven days a week from one outlet. A local market operates on Saturday mornings (May - October) in Clarendon Street, the major shopping area.

Dining Out
Derby offers a selection of meals from a la carte to takeaway from a variety of outlets. Dine in airconditioned comfort or al fresco and enjoy local seafood delicacies or a more traditional menu.

Wharf's Restaurant and Takeaway - Lonely Planet says the best fish 'n chips in Australia.

Lwoy's Chinese Restaurant, locally known as Louis.

Travelling to Derby
A commuter link with Ansett Australia via Broome, booked through an Ansett Australia travel agent, provides daily air services to and from Derby to most major Western Australian centres. A local charter service links flights to Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Kununurra.

A coach service is operated by Greyhound.

By road, Derby is only two hours from Broome (221km) and 2.5 hours from Fitzroy Crossing (256km).