Homeward bound

Our stopover in the Flinders marked the four month point of our trip. Now with only 2 weeks left I'm starting to ponder the trip and the somewhat scary end to what has been an amazing adventure. A part of me wants to be home NOW and a part wants to turn around and RUN!

So what I've learned (or has been reinforced) ? 

... appreciate each day you are privileged to have, avoid living with regret

... dont just look, see

... slow down

... you can easily live with less

... water and fresh produce are precious resources

I admit I am looking forward to living without the never ending dust. We've lived and breathed it for at least 3 months. Every thing we own in ingrained. I'm looking forward to doing something with the photos and inspiration I've carried. 

However I'm feeling uncertain about where to head from here work wise. What I do know is that it's not back in the same direction. Time will reveal.

CC FlickR image by Susanne Nilsson

Borderline

Today we drove from the Flinders Ranges to Clare down the R.M.Williams highway. The Orroroo Shire was looking lush with hectares of healthy green crops and fat livestock.

It was  run of seasons like this one that attracted my Great Grandfather A.R.Addison (M.P.) c1880. He uprooted his family from a successful flour mill business at Middleton with the prospect of success in the more frontier lands to the north. 

My Grandfather​ 'Addie', the youngest of 9 children was born at Orroroo and his mother died soon after. Today the town cemetery includes the graves of his parents, uncle and many siblings, but he (farmed off to be raised by an aunt when his father remarried a woman uninterested in raising some one else's children) escaped for a career with the ANZ bank that took him to N.Z. via a start at Mt Gambier at only 17.

Today in a good season the rolling green hills are scattered with stone ruins, a reminder of the fickleness of the semi desert regions, and the hunger and heartache of many who took their chances and failed.

Feathered friends

One unexpected pleasure has been the amazing bird life on the trip but particularly in the Kimberleys. In retrospect I should have brought binoculars. Instead I've managed to take a few zoom pics and enlarged them for identification.

As mentioned in a previous post, we've been lucky enough to see Gouldian Finches and other endangered species. Further south in the Pilbara we constantly drove past wedge tailed eagles on the side of the road atop recent road kill. Such magnificent birds.

The sound of the west Kimberley was definitely the kites, and for a month we met these Great Bowerbirds at every stop. Unlike our southern bowerbirds these gather white and green objects and build bowers from sticks, often right in the middle of campsites. At Silent Grove we had a pair 2m away in a tree. He (below) kept flashing his brilliant blue nape feathers and throwing leaves at her but she was much more interested in us.

Great Bowerbird - image by Robyn Jay

But it's the Willy Wagtail who has followed us right around the nation. No matter where we are he's there to make sure we stay in line!

Cairns

I saw another last night as we sat watching the sunset in Purnululu. We've come across cairns along our journey often in remote and unexpected places. I love seeing them.

n the crudest most simple form they have been trail markers guiding us through rocky terrain. In other places they have been large creations built at times and by people unknown seemingly for aesthetic or scientific reasons. They mark summits, beautiful places,  and those rich in natural resources. Some cry out to be further enhanced; incomplete stories looking for further content but with an open ending. Others are complete to be admired and tended until a force of nature (or lack of respect) ends their life.

CC FlickR image by Valerie Kuki - https://www.flickr.com/photos/59807308@N08/11248341614/

Fire

There's nothing quite like sitting around a warm campfire with a glass of port under the stars. However, we've had surprisingly few campfires on the trip with most national parks and conservation areas banning or restricting fire use.

Certainly people here have strong opinions about fire use and perhaps overuse in the Kimberley. Its about finding the right balance.

If you've ever lived in the top end and stood neck deep in spear grass towards the end of the dry season you'll know it feels like a tinderbox. Dry season burn offs have been part of aboriginal life for tens of thousands of years but today these include matches from cars and incendiary drops from helicopters.

Down at Mornington Wildlife Camp the AWC with some traditional owners has designed a fire program that also involves some stations and a fair extent of Central Kimberley. We were told of a huge fire a few years ago that swept from the NE down through the country blackening all country and burning for weeks. The new program burns the land in carefully selected patches early in the season so that when big late dry season fires do occur they don't cause as much devastation.

Of course it's not only the vegetation that suffers in a big fire. We were told the story of a collared feral cat at Mornington that normally has a restricted territory but which after a big fire traveled quite a large distance to patrol the edge of the fire front catching all the small fauna as they escaped, then returned back to its normal hunting ground.

Our journey into the Mitchell Plateau was a hazy one with burning ground and fallen trees along the track to the falls. In fact many places we've visited have been recently burnt and our feet are often black from sooty ground. Rising smoke and hazy skies are most definitely something to be expected traveling in the Kimberley in the Dry.

Fires coming into Kununurra

Not the promised food bowl

We've spent the past week in and around Kununurra, and we've been interested to view first hand the land that as a child I was told would be the winter 'food bowl of Australia'.

As you can see from this Crikey blog post and even Govt info, the Ord River irrigation project has been and continues to be doubtful in its success and controversial with looming Chinese projects likely....
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2014/02/13/good-money-after-bad-the-nt-government-and-the-ord-river-irrigation-scheme/
and
http://slwa.wa.gov.au/wepon/land/html/ord_river.html

Crops such as cotton and sugarcane have come and gone. I'm astonished that cotton was ever viable given the humidity of the wet season! Where vegetable crops do exist they are very healthy looking. I've never seen sunflowers and corn growing as green and healthy as we have here, and cyclones appear to largely bypass the area. However market changes, distances and economics have paid their price.

CC FlickR image by Pete Hill - https://www.flickr.com/photos/blundershot/3365590516/

Over 60% of production now is Sandalwood plantation (we are hearing rumours that it is not producing oil) and locals have commented to us how the much the community has changed as a result. I imagine that in the earlier years of the scheme many young people gained harvesting work that now does not exist.

Despite all this the town feels like it's thriving. There's a healthy community of young families, alternate types,  a good market, galleries and cafés. We're off to make good use of the market again tomorrow before heading south. The market gardens continue and where monoculture has failed, healthy, sustainable, mixed farming will thrive.

17,000 years in pictures

I've had an interest in Aboriginal rock art since studying it in high school so it has been amazing to stand in front of works throughout the Kimberley some thought to be up to 17000 years old (dated by carbon dating fossilised wasp nests on top of paint).

At school I remember all sorts of weird and whacky theories about the arts origins and meanings (Wandjinas relating to aliens etc) so it has also been good to read and hear some more informed details.

We've seen a range of styles, the mot common being the ancient animal and Guion Guion (Guyon or Bradshaw) figures and the much more recent Wandjinas with related spirit figures. Up on the Mitchell Plateau at the Munurru sites the art was accompanied by burial recesses.

Amazingly enough most sites are relatively unprotected and generally well appreciated and respected by travelers. The worst issue we have encountered has been bus loads of 4wd tours with ill informed and ignorant tour guides. Only certain ochre colours have survived; the yellow and white typically fading away.

This is our favourite panel from Munurru; elegant dancing Guyon tasseled figures. I am reliably informed that it's fine to capture and share these publicly available works. Please let us know if this is not the case.

Guyon figures at Munurru site, Mitchell Plateau

Stretching our limits

Now, I love driving and having spent time in the top end and regional areas I'm not new to being off-road. We've also got a 50mm lift and full under car protection.

So, as we neared Mt Elizabeth station we looked into visiting Bachsten camp via the Munja Track. We were advised not to take the camper trailer and instead booked in to stay in one of the camps cabins. 'It's 7-8 hrs' we were told.
So we set off, allowing 8 - 9 hrs of daylight. After stopping to view some rock art, and to find and recover the Go-pro after it's mount snapped and it fell off, we soon realised that we were way behind schedule.
And then we met the first of three jump ups.

Returning up the Magpie jump up on the Munja Track

For the uninitiated, essentially a jump up is a steep, rocky incline/ascent into or out of a gully area. The three on the Munja track were about 3-5 kms from entry to exit. Now I can honestly say that had I known just how rough they were I probably would not have ventured forth. Certainly as we're approached the Magpie jump up the words 'Steph, I'm not sure this was such a good idea!' passed my lips. And of course it was foremost in our minds that we also had to return!

So with sweat on our brows and fear in our hearts we lurched forward metre by metre, often with one person directing via radio from in front of the car. Amazingly we got there and back relatively unscathed. 

The trip over ended up taking us 10 hrs  to cover the 140km and Steph bravely 'soldiered' on in the dark with me hanging a torch out the side window to be able to see around sharp corners. Coming back we managed 8.5 hrs! (The owner takes 6 hrs btw).

Was it worth it you ask? Absolutely!

Synchronous fishing

Yesterday we visited Parrys Lagoon up near Wyndham, a wonderful wetland teaming with birdlife.

Apart from a few loners, the pelicans spent the entire time fishing together as a group, swimming in one direction until one put its head under and the rest followed, then swimming back as a group in another direction. Very funny to watch. Almost like a training exercise.

Pelicans fishing

Stowaways

Living in a confined space for an extended length of time has it's challenges, but one we didn't really count on was sharing it with other critters.

Early on in the trip, while traveling with Kathie, we managed to pick up some ants that decided the folds of canvas might make a good nest. Thankfully we dealt with them fairly easily and quickly..

Some time after leaving Broome we noticed a bag of bread rolls had been chewed into. The following night in the same location Steph put out his infrared camera which revealed a mouse. The way it looked and moved suggested a run of the mill town mouse. And we moved on. A day or two later I lifted the bed to access clothes and there it was, up in the battery compartment but with easy access to our clothes for a cosy nest. Not much we could do being out of town but a visit to the hardware in Fitzroy Crossing soon fixed the problem. Poor little guy.

About this time I started smelling more thing bad under the bed and assumed it was the mouse. When it continued to worsen after catching the mouse I though it may have left babies somewhere (heaven forbid).

The next day I set about locating the source. It didn't take long to track it to Steph's undies/socks box where treasures are also carefully packed. A black plastic parcel had a chewed spot in it; it looked like the mouse had tried to access what ever was inside (which I couldn't remember at that point).

it turned out not to be something trying to get in, but something trying to get out! Up at One Arm Point on the Dampier Peninsular we had visited a trochus hatchery where the son of our camp hosts worked.  We bought 2 beautiful polished shells there.

Polished trochus shell

Now at this point I know you think it was the shellfish and that they had sold us a live shell, but no. As I unwrapped the parcel I found a shriveled up hermit crab that somehow had taken up residence, stayed hidden on their table of sale items, and then got wrapped up on purchase and had sadly died under our bed!

Small pleasures

I'm sitting in a queue in the stone bath house (ablutions block is far too crude a term here) at Ellenbrae Station campground. People are sitting around the huge donkey wood fired hot water system waiting their turn.

My pores are filled with dust, fingernails are black, feet and shoes a testament to the sooty land and dusty tracks I've covered today. My denim shorts are brown and my hair tied back; 3 days since my last shower. We gather at this place as strangers and sit sharing the same old snippets; the information of travelers ... one young couple from western NSW have only 6 weeks and clearly are trying to travel too far in the time they have. Another couple from Balmain are returning after 20 yrs to fill in some gaps including Mitchell Falls in a hired Apollo that is not insured on that road. Is it worth going to El Questro given the holiday season? And there are questions to me about the Munja Track - is it as bad as they say?

We all look in awe and comment on how clean peoples feet are as they finish their shower. True, the facilities are inadequate for the 20 or so people in the campground but we wait patiently.

Then it's my turn.
For just a few minutes I luxuriate under the low pressure but deliciously hot shower and do my turn reappearing to the awaiting audience. My feet are clean, at least for the next 5 minutes as I stroll back through the dust to our campsite by the ghost gums.

Marvellous Mornington

A real highlight of our trip so far has been Mornington Camp about 90km south of the Gibb River Rd in Central Kimberleys. It's actually near the head waters of the Fitzroy River that we met near its mouth and again at Fitzroy crossing and Geiki Gorge.

Mornington is managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (http://www.australianwildlife.org ) established more than 10 years ago because Australia has the worst mammal extinction rate in the world and a very high proportion of our surviving animals and plants (over 1,700 species) are listed as threatened with extinction.
AWC seeks to establish sanctuaries by acquiring land and through partnerships with landholders and implement practical land management – feral animal control and fire management – informed by good science.
Large stations in this area have been purchased by individuals and then pastoral leases taken out that enable AWC to do their work.

We were lucky enough to see the endangered Gouldian Finches and Purple Crested Wrens and spent a day as guaranteed sole inhabitants canoeing on Sir John Gorge. Magic.

Canoe trip on Sir John Gorge, Mornington

Fellow travellers

Grey nomads. They don't have a great reputation really do they? So it's interesting to see and meet who REALLY is on the roads of remote Australia other than us.

The renowned grey nomads do exist. We've bumped into them in their dressing gowns in caravan park shower blocks, and they've watched us, instant coffee in hand, as we pack up camp and escape back into the bush. Our friend Kathie talked of her experiences of caravan etiquette, park 'happy hour' and the subtleties of waving to passing compatriots on the road.

But there is another world of travellers out there. Most of our time has been spent in National Parks and similar unpowered camp grounds so who inhabits these?

Certainly we have met a lot of retirees; people in comfortable off-road caravans and hybrid vans who have hit the road, many semi-permanently. And why not? They've reached retirement, maintained their health, children have left home and they want to make the most of the time and their savings to see our gorgeous country rather than sitting at home vegetating. 

Overwhelmingly, the other group we mostly meet are young European travellers; German, Estonian, French, Swiss, Danish etc. Typically they hire vans or Apollo 4wd utes kitted out for camping. Many are circumnavigating Australia or are here for at least 6 months. One German woman we spoke to went home only long enough to work to save enough money for her next trip. Over a conversation about how wonderful it was to have clean hair, she divulged that the longest they had gone without a shower as 3 weeks in Angola! Without fail they are loving Australia. They are well researched and prepared, and willing to go to places and to experience, what most young Australians do not. They are respectful of the country, and angry when they find the bush abused (strewn toilet paper and rubbish) and we are.

We've seen very few young Australian travellers. Probably the most noticeable were in clapped out vans and dreds sitting around in the Cable Beach car park, having reached 'mecca'. We're a long way from the rest of the world, but even if we cannot find the means to see it, it's sad to think that our youth are not immersed in their own beautiful land.

CC FlickR image by anonphotography

Sorry

As we pass through the north of WA we are cognizant of its bloody and tragic past. Steph will post more on this topic but for Sorry Day I wanted to share with you a piece of writing I found in the old Roebourne jail; one of the destinations for many northern Aboriginal men in the late 1800s.

Image from the old Roebourne jail museum

The excerpt is from 100 Years of the culture of womanhood in the Pilbara by Llyrus Weightman, written as a small community project.

'How can we write Aboriginal women's herstory unless we are Aboriginal women? We can't, we can only look at it from when European records began, that is, written documented history. We can only read about these historic events and imagine how we would feel or react. For our Aboriginal sisters we can only imagine the pain, frustrations and helplessness felt as herstory unfolded for them.

Firstly their land was invaded by a race of people who had no understanding of kinship or family and tribal roles and responsibilities.

They were enslaved and turned into domestic servants, a race of people who did not find building a house or structure to give shelter necessary, when they could simply move with the season.

Made to shepherd a strange animal that destroyed their water holes and beloved land. They were coerced and raped and began to produce children of mixed race. They were 'Black birded', kidnapped from their families and forced to work in the pearling industry. How would we feel to be home in our community and have men ride up and steal our family, never to be seen again? To see our men marched away in chains of iron, a most horrid metal that was also alien to their beloved land. The invaders then said we would take care of the people and herd them onto reserves, again not understanding the tribal law. Then the government decides to take all the children of mixed blood away and civilise them. They did this by teaching them the white mans way and taking away their heritage.

History tells us this was a grave injustice to these women. We can no longer depend on the oral tradition of women passing herstory on, we must record and document this herstory. We must not forget and never allow this history to repeat itself in such a destructive and irreconcilable manner.

Let the next millennium never have to say they are sorry for.'

Otentik

In addition to Steph's posts about our tech gear we'll also make some posts about the trailer setup and the gear we wouldn't live without. This is the first post for the latter.

One thing we use almost every day, for wind or sun protection, or to offer privacy, is our Otentik sunshade.

We came across one of these at a 4wd show and later purchased it direct from Israel. They are not cheap with postage, but worth every cent.

They are made from polyamide lycra and while designed for beach use (corner bags filled with sand weigh it down and collapsible poles raise it) we stretch ours between poles of the annex, over the corner spikes and with bulldog clips where needed. It's strong and stretchy, takes no time at all to put up, rolls up to a tiny parcel and after some pretty rough use shows no sign of damage.

We'll be buying another sometime!

Purple otentik shade at Kennedy Ranges NP

No excuses

We left the Millstream-Chichester N.P. today and headed west to the coast again. The Millstream end of the park is an oasis of clear springs and flowing water from the artesian basin that waters the surrounding Pilbara towns including Dampier, Karratha and Roebourne.

Its a fragile place. Just recently a popular camping spot and swimming hole has been permanently closed following cyclonic rains that eroded the river bed leaving trees with exposed roots ready to fall.

The wetlands are also said to be one of the most culturally significant indigenous sites in WA. Swimming is not permitted in the crystal clear waters of Jirndawurrunha pool.

Despite the fragility and preciousness of this area it felt strangely unloved. I can forgive the yellowing signage in the old Millstream homestead visitors centre, made harder to read due to lack of lighting (the could easily set up some solar powered lighting Steph so rightly pointed out), and the displays that were dusty and poorly kept. However within coo-ee of the rangers station, there was evidence of cattle (probably from the adjoining station) trampling the recently wet ground amongst the melaleuca forest and small seasonal creek beds. Hard hoofed heavy animals and fragile ground simply do not mix.

It was a stark reminder of the consequences of a Govt proposing to allow cattle back into our precious national parks.

The Breakaways

If you Google 'The Breakaways' in WA you won't find much, and in fact we could easily have missed it.

A fairly nondescript brown tourist sign pointed to the right off the Hyden-Norseman road. We'd traveled around 170km east from Hyden stopping to read a variety of Shire and historical info boards in pull-in bays, and to be honest I'd had enough. But in we went.
We were confronted with a wall around 5m in height and which extended in a semi circle of 200m or so of the most amazing colours and shapes. A dark ironstone ridge top capped beautiful chalky white, pink, purple and orange walls beneath. Breathtaking colours! A field day for photographers and artists and a must see if you're over that way.

For more images see my FlickR stream

Lullaby

I've always loved the sound of the sea. As a child the gentle crashing of waves on the beach accompanied me when I went to bed at night and years later I hope the lapping of waves in the bay where we lived during Nic's first year remains in his distant memory. 

That love comes with a deep respect however. I have no desire to venture into its depths, battle it's waves or test it's power. 

They say there are mountain people and sea people. Environs where we are most at ease and our souls can rest. Today I sit with the smell of salt air, sea breeze on my face and the sounds and feel at home. 

Lincoln National Park

Paying our respects

The Walls of China, Lake Mungo

It's appropriate perhaps, as we head off on our journey, that the first major stopover is Mungo National Park where the oldest known skeletal remains in Australia and oldest cremated remains in the world (both dated around 42,000 yrs ago) were found. A chance to connect to our ancient history and clear the metropolis from our souls.

Its ironic perhaps that they have been found as a result of European mismanagement of the fragile land; erosion caused by land clearing uncovering the past.

With rain clouds looming we drove the 70km Mungo loop track and the following day packed up a sodden camp and slid our way through the mud to Mildura, the last campers out before the road closed and even heavier rain fell on this desert landscape.