COMMUNITY INFORMATION Calendar of events 2016 PLEASE CHECK Mud Crab Races – July now joined by its sister Kimberley www.derbytourism.com.au The Mary Island Fishing Club hosts three Photographic Awards has resulted in a Mud Crab Races each year. The Mud unique collection of works for the Council for precise dates closer to Crab Races are held at the Mary Island and Shire’s resident art collection. events Fishing Club Rooms on Elders Street. Each competition respectively offers Welcome to Derby and Fitzroy For more information visit their website: local artists and photographers the Crossing – March www.maryislandfishingclub.com.au opportunity to exhibit their works into several different category awards are Each year the Shire of Derby West Fitzroy Crossing Rodeo/Camp Draft presented. The galleries remain open Kimberley organises ‘Welcome Events’ – July for Derby and Fitzroy Crossing. These for a further five days following the Generally held in July at Fitzroy exhibition opening for viewing and days are specially designed to welcome Crossing, and has all the action of new residents to Derby and show them sales. Some creative workshops and a full rodeo program. Contact email sessions will also be held during the groups, services and activities available [email protected]. Entry fees apply. in each of the respective towns. Kimberley Creative Visual Arts Month. Derby Bush Poets Breakfast – July For further information please contact Competition entry forms are available the Shire of Derby West Kimberley There’ll be laughter a plenty, jokes at www.sdwk.wa.gov.au. Entry fees – (08) 9191 0999. galore, when the local talent take apply. For further information please the floor at Derby Memorial Pool. contact Shire Community Development ANZAC Day Parades Local talent, along with special guest Officer – (08) 9191 0999 or Both Derby and Fitzroy Crossing hold artists present classic and original email [email protected]. ANZAC Day Parades on April 25. bush poetry. A full cooked breakfast CWA Flower & Produce Show Co-ordinated by the Shire of Derby is available for a modest fee. Contact and CWA Craft Show West Kimberley, please contact them Robin Bowcock – 9191 1782 (ah). Organised by the West Kimberley Air for further information – (08) 9191 0999. Entry fee applies. Branch of CWA, these two separate Buccaneer Fishing Classic – April Mowanjum Festival – July events showcase the talents of local A classic fishing competition, staged Mowanjum Community invites you to Derby people. Contact Cynthia Smith in April, it covers the waters of the view its Art and Culture in this two night – 9191 1021 for more details on each Buccaneer Archipelago. Competitors event, held as part of the Boab Festival. event. come from all parts of the Kimberley Day 1: Family evening with art displays Ike Stol Fishing Competition – and Pilbara to partake in the event. and contemporary music. August Mary Island Fishing Club organise the Day 2: Traditional cultural evening Fish and Crab the King Sound. event. Contact Sara Hennessy – featuring art displays and corroboree For more information contact 0408 914 873. dancers. Held at the Mowanjum Sara Hennessy – 0408 914 873. Derby Moonrise Rock Festival – July Community 12kms from Derby Derby Rodeo – August along the Gibb River Road. Contact Heaps of local bands, pumping out An annual campdraft, rodeo and Mowanjum Art and Culture Centre – the best Kimberley Rock! For more gymkhana, this 3 day event is held in 9191 1008. Entry fee applies. information, contact Bill Hart – August at the Rodeo grounds, Ashley (08) 9191 1869. Entry fees apply. Boab Festival – July St. Fun for all the family, shady grounds, food and drinks available. Full rodeo Derby Races – June/July Derby’s premier event featuring a combination of Art and Culture and program including Broncs and Bulls. Derby hosts two race meetings, this year Live music Saturday night. Entry fee they will be held three weeks apart. lots of fun. Held during the July school holidays, some of the events include applies. For more information contact The first race meeting is the ‘Derby Mardi Gras, where the Boab Queen is Marianne Cannard – 0418 958 921 or Cup’ to be held on Saturday 25th announced and crowned, Kimberley Art Kerrie Stanley – 0419 173 882 or June. Most of the Derby townspeople Prize, Float Parade, Mud Football, Golf email [email protected]. along with a large gathering of visitors Open and lots more. Corporate Cup Day – October congregate to have a great day out. For further details please contact the Held in October at the Sporties Club, The second race meeting is the “Mad Boab Festival Committee, Bill Hart – this annual event, comprises mixed Hatters on Saturday 16th July. A great 0428 911 869. teams who partake in a number of sports and novelty events. Contact event to show off the innovative hat Kimberley Creative Visual Arts Peter Matison – 0419 921 833 or email designs that Derby race follows create. Month Friday 10 June – [email protected]. Both meetings have great racing, Friday 10 July TAB and bookmakers facilities, The Kimberley Creative Visual Arts Boxing Day Sports – December entertainment, and of course that game Month hosts the annual Kimberley Art The art of cockroach racing, seed of chance “Two Up”. Gates open at Prize which has been facilitated by the spitting and stubby sipping and more 11am, Bar opens at 12pm with the Shire of Derby West Kimberley since unique Kimberley sports have been first race at 1.30pm. Contact West 1970, and the Kimberley Photographic perfected over generations. The hard Kimberley Turf Club President, Rod Award which established in 2012. work and training culminates at the Giblet – 0429 900 095. Entry fees The Kimberley Art Prize is one of Sporties Club on Boxing Day, with apply. WA’s longest running art prizes, and proceeds going to local charities. Contact Nadia Gerrard – 0438 911 010. PLEASE NOTE: Dates are subject to change without notice. Please contact event organisers for confirmation of each event. 26 DERBY & FITZROY CROSSING – COMMUNITY & BUSINESS INFORMATION West Kimberley attractions COMMUNITY INFORMATION Tidal Footprint – DVC Archives DERBY The Jetty is a popular place from which to view the stunning sunsets over King Sound or to fish for silver cobbler, shark, DERBY VISITOR CENTRE golden grunter, north west salmon and mud crabs on the incoming tides. These tides are Australia’s highest and the Cnr of Loch & Johnston Sts, Derby second highest in the southern hemisphere. PO Box 48, Derby .................................................9191 1426 Fax ........................................................................9191 1609 Email ........................................... [email protected] THE CENTENARY PAVILION Web ............................................ www.derbytourism.com.au Located at the jetty, this Pavilion tells of the geography and history of King Sound and the Port of Derby. The Pavilion The Derby Visitor Centre Inc was first established in 1973 features a colourful 28sqm mosaic tile floor depicting facets and now trades as the Derby Visitor Centre. of life in the district. It is a non profit incorporated organisation run by a local Management Committee elected by its membership and WHARFINGERS HOUSE MUSEUM aims to assist visitors to the town, tourism operators, media Corner of Elder and Loch Streets representatives and the local community. New members are Open on request. (Call at the Derby Visitor Centre during welcome. opening times for a key.) The Visitor Centre is located at the corner of Loch & Johnson The history of the Wharf and the demise of the steam ship, Street and can assist with tour, coach and accommodation the SS Colac, continues in displays at this Museum devoted bookings. A variety of souvenirs is available for purchase. to the communications history of the town. Displays feature The Visitor Centre is open seven days a week from April to the shipping, telecommunications and aviation history of the the end of September and Monday to Saturday the rest of area together with small displays on fossil mud lobsters and the year. termites. The building is a fine example of the prefabricated wooden THE DERBY WHARF/JETTY housing of the 1930s well adapted for living in a tropical The first wharf, built in 1894, was a wooden T shaped structure climate without the benefits of air-conditioning. It was located at the northern end of the present steel and concrete restored in 1988 as part of the Bi-Centennial Project. jetty. It was linked to the town of Derby by a horse drawn Opposite the Museum can be seen one of the oldest tramway, crossing the mud flats via a causeway where the buildings in Derby. This is the old Wool Shed, for the export present day road is located. Wool and pearl shell were the of goods prior to 1964. The import shed, where goods major exports in the early days. In 1964, when the new jetty imported were stored for collection was demolished in 1998 was built, live cattle were exported and fuel, oil and provisions to make way for a direct route to the wharf. were the main imports. The last passenger ship visited in 1973. DERBY & FITZROY CROSSING – COMMUNITY & BUSINESS INFORMATION 27 COMMUNITY INFORMATION The horse drawn tramway extended extended to a length of 120 metres. The ART & HISTORY from the Jetty down Loch Street as far flow from the bore was dropping off even The Spirit of the Wandjina Art Studio as the King Sound Hotel site. Nearby by 1919. Now water is pumped into the at Mowanjum Aboriginal Community was a quarry that was used to supply trough by a windmill. The water from the welcomes visitors. Phone (08) 9191 stone for the causeway across the bore has a rich mineral content and was 1008. Work from this community was a mud flats. The tramway finished near reputed to have therapeutic properties.