Mangroves are a very new experience for me. My first real experience of them was in 2024 when we went to Darwin in the Northern Territory. So I was looking forward to having a look at the mangroves in Broome.

 

 

Mangroves are basically shrubs or trees that have adapted to living in the upper tidal zone in saline or brackish water. Their root systems have developed so they can resist tidal forces and cope with saltwater immersion. They stabilise coastal areas preventing coastal erosion and protect from tsunamis. At the same time they provide an important ecosystem that support an incredible diversity of species. In Broome the mangrove systems occur east and south of Roebuck Bay. The tidal range is huge which means a vast expanse of mud can be exposed at low tide. Now there were two things that put me off exploring when the tide was out. The first was that the mud is soft. I’d seen Reef Egrets and Striated Herons sink quite deep into it. The other was salt water crocodiles. They live in the tidal rivers, creeks, and mangroves around Broome. At Streeter’s Jetty there was a sign warning of the dangers of crocodiles and the Jetty does get closed if there is a sighting. So as you can see my exploration was a bit limited, but it was enjoyable and it was nice to see and photograph something a bit different.