Its the colours that astound the most . Predominately oranges of many shades and tones that bleed into reds and golds. Photos cannot perform the task of capturing these extraordinary hues. Then there are the blues. Shades ranging from the lightest aqua to deep dark ocean blue.

Nature abounds. Mother whales with babes traveling close, come in near shore and play. Turtles are frequent and the fish - well Cape Leveque is a fishers paradise! Snakes, lizards,birds and frogs are frequent visitors to the campsites, safari tent accommodation, staff quarters and our house. Green frogs choose toilets as their favorite abode and have to be chased out or ignored depending on tolerance levels.

Bobby, one of our staff members had an early morning habit of bringing his coffee from his staff kitchen just after dawn to an old bench seat perched on the very edge of the towering cliffs overlooking Western Beach to take in the early morning colour created as the sun rose on the other side of the peninsula . Perfect start to a day in paradise he used to say.

Our day typically also started very early. Sightseeing flights from Broome would leave around 6.30am to arrive at Kooljaman for breakfast. The unsealed air strip had to be checked daily and the phone often rang at this hour to check that all was OK for the planes to land. We would be at work by seven opening up the restaurant kitchen for the breakfast staff and preparing money for tills. The days progressed from there - never the same and always challenging in the way that hospitality management just is.

Challenges for us in this year at Kooljaman included a bushfire that threatened the entire resort accommodation and our house. Three times the fire turned back onto our house and if not for the amazing bucket brigades of staff and guests so much would have been lost. With no outside help arriving for almost three hours, volunteer staff and guests fought alongside us and our Assistant Manager Jojo, as an heroic makeshift but determined fire brigade team and saved all the accommodation ..

We had amazing staff who truly loved the remote living. Conditions were challenging with only one truck delivery a week so the chefs in particular had to be extremely organized and resourceful. 

At the end of a busy day though, the colours of Kooljaman called out to be noticed. Down to Western beach we would go with a good red wine, soft cheese and some good company.The stress of the day would fall away leaving a lightness of spirit. As the frothy white waves crashed onto the beach and the orange red and gold colours slowly leached into the early evening shades of grey, the first star signaled time to go. Time to go back to the house and the mundane chores of existence. Time to be ready to answer calls from guests who couldn't light the BBQ, or had lost power or water. But the lightness of spirit from experiencing Sunset remained.