More Jandamarra and Aussie Culture

An unexpected link back to the Jandamarra story at Fitzroy Crossing, and a classic Aussie event in Derby today.

We made an early start, well, just organised really without making an effort, and went down to the Fitzroy River because it was a little early for anything else. It is wide and flat at the crossing proper, not entirely dissimilar to its Queensland namesake.

First stop was at the Crossing Inn, a hotel and caravan park, but making a name for itself as an art gallery. The outside is adorned with paintings from the local High School, done after the school won a 2000 art competition. Inside is a gallery of works of local indigenous artists. Many of the artists shared names with famous pioneers of the area, or of street names, so the claim of locality was probably justified, even if the manner of the girl on the counter seemed a little forced. Much of the display was very tempting.

Next on the list was an unexpected find on two fronts. The first was why would a glassworks gallery exist in such a place? The second was what did that have to do with the Jandamarra story?

Dr Sawfish’s Glassworks and Gallery is the latest venture of a very talented local artist. I think he has been in the area for some time, but at age 40 I’m sure he grew up somewhere else. He has had a varied career, working in ceramics, developing indigenous art programs in schools, and developing commercial galleries and encouraging artwork in aboriginal communities. His latest venture is a glass working gallery in a hired shed,and although he has only been working since November, he has a stunning repertoire and is expanding his markets through the Kimberley and further afield.

He is clearly passionate about indigenous issues, and spoke at length about the problems of grog in communities, the CDEP, identity and culture, and the future development of Fitzroy Crossing. He will also have a minor role in a movie being filmed in the area called “Jandamarra’s War”, playing a police officer speared in battle. The filming is actually next week, taking place on location at Tunnel Creek, and the movie should appear on the ABC in November. That was surprising news for us as we had heard that some years ago Mel Gibson had considered making a movie covering the same story, but that the problems of working in the area were too great.

On to Derby and on the way we saw some massive Boab trees. One of these was used as a prison tree. This was reasonably common, as old boabs grow to a vast size, some metres in diameter, and are hollow in the trunk with the wall thickness being of the order of 15-20cm. If there is some damage a hole can appear and access to the inside is possible.

This particular tree was involved in the “Blackbirding” trade, Kimberley style. In Queensland, Blackbirding referred to the kidnapping of pacific islanders with the intention of having them work on Queensland cane plantations. In the Kimberley, it referred to the process of removing aborigines from their homelands, such as was done in Jandamarra’s battle in Lillimooloora, but repeated across the Kimberley. The removed aborigines for forced to work in the pearling industry or other pioneer ventures in the area. This tree was a staging post on the way to Derby.

After a brief tour of the Derby Jetty, watching the tide and having a chat to a local about it, we checked in to the caravan park before attending the local Crab Racing carnival. This is organised as a fundraiser by the local fishing club, and seems to take place a few times during the holiday season. The actual racing consists of heats through the afternoon, followed by an auction of the placegetters in the heats. The heat losers wind up in the pot and are sold off with salad for $10 a plate. The auction is a vehicle for selling drinks, and is broken up by a live band. The actual final is all over in about 30 seconds, and the “owners” of the winning crab and placegetters get a share of the auction takings. To make sure it is all above board, the local town professional, a physio who also happened to be a bronze medal winning Beijing 2008 Kayaker, was judge.

Of course, while the crab race is the vehicle and the excuse, the entertainment is really about the banter of the auctioneer to keep the party feel rolling. Adding the band and a jumping castle for the kids completed the ambience. Since we are not big crab eaters we rounded out the evening with barramundi and chips down at the wharf.

Hello Kedron State School, Mrs Smith, Mr Fogarty and Mr Vickers!

Completing the Devonian Reef

Today saw us travelling down the old Devonian Reef, from Windjana, through Tunnel Creek and into Giekie Gorge. We stopped first at Lillimooloora for a brief history lesson – see associated post.

The first major stop was Tunnel Creek. A fascinating piece of geology, it flows underground through a range between two plains of nearly equal level. The Devonian Reef, being of aquatic coral origin, is limestone. It is believe a small fracture in the limestone allowed a stream to work its way through the rock through the ages. Limestone being soluble in the right conditions,  allowed the creek to work its way down through the rock, and the resulting fissure was closed up behind (above) the stream by more fill from above.

The rock itself is white limestone, with rich red veins flowing through it. I have read no explanation for this colouring.

Tunnel creek as we know it today runs for about 750m, about 100m below the range above. Near the middle the roof has fallen in, effectively creating two tunnels each of the order of 350m long. In general the tunnels are 10-15m wide, and up to 12m high in the middle. There are some features of typical limestone caves in places. The walk involves some wading, for us sometimes over our knees. Once out the other side the creek continues as normal.

Don’t be fooled by my camera which can take photos in the dark. It was dark in there! It’s amazing what can be achieved with a long shutter opening and waving a torch around.

On our way out to the Great Northern Highway (and bitumen – yay!), we passed an old mine.  It was notable mostly for the bizzarre alien landscape it occupied, but also for the two-up toilet left behind. I’m sure Louis will fill you in with the details at some stage.

 

Fitzroy Crossing seems to be a town under construction. Perhaps we will discover more tomorrow, but the impression I have is of a large indigenous population, and a recent injection of huge amounts of government money for services. I suspect it will be good when it is finished…

Giekie Gorge is the main attraction just 20km out of town, and the last stop on our Devonian Reef tour. Had it been our first stop on this trip it would have been impressive, but coming as it does when we have already done the Katherine Gorge cruise and after 12 days away from civilisation, the hot walk impressed us mostly for how tired we all were.

Jandamarra

Today found us starting out deep in Jandamarra country. I believe I have written about him before, but today we found out more of the story.

This part of the Kimberley was not settled until relatively late. While the coast had been explored by the Dutch and the English in the 1600s, the inland exploration was not begun until 1837, and settlement not attempted until the 1860s. Stocking did not really begin until 1879, and in the 1880s Lillimooloora station was founded.

Initial contact with the local clans was hospitable, but as the reality of the land takeover became apparent, resistance grew. As with most regions up here, working stock would not have been possible without the assistance of the local Aboriginal population, both for local knowledge, skills and labour. Jandamarra showed initial talent as a stockman at 14, and was soon a crack shearer, horseman and with a rifle.

He did retain his aboriginal clan heritage, and was initiated by the elders of his clan. I believe during this time he reverted to a traditional life, but was arrested three years later for spearing stock. In recognition of his skills, he was returned to working at the Lillimooloora station. Being comfortable in white society, he befriended Richardson, a white stockman, and when Richardson joined the police, Jandamarra became his tracker.

By 1886, the difficulties of raising stock in this country stressed the settlers and created suspicions between the parties. The whites believed the local aboriginal population either were responsible directly for taking stock, or brought bad luck in more nebulous ways. In any event, pressure from the settlers led to round-ups by the police of the local aborigines. As a policeman, Jandamarra was involved in action against his own people.

One particularly successful campaign resulted in the capture of most of the clan elders of Jandamarra’s own people. Richardson, revelling in his success, imprisoned the elders in the police outpost at Lillimooloora station. He took their prisoner ration entitlement and held them for seven days. During this time, the elders worked on Jandamarra while he watched over them at night. Eventually the old clan ties won over and Jandamarra shot Richardson in his sleep and freed his clan members, all of them hiding out in Windjana Gorge.

In the ensuing days, the outlaws (or freedom fighters) killed two of a new settling party before a heavy police reinforcement from Derby came out and fought a day-long battle at the gorge. Jandamarra was seriously wounded, but the settlers believed he had been killed. In the coming days, hundreds of clan members were rounded up and killed during an effective open season as the government rules on race relations were “relaxed”.

Jandamarra fought on, hiding out at Tunnel creek some 20km away. Using guns and ammunition captured from the settlers, he ran a campaign leading the police away from his people and for three years fought a losing battle as they were slowly captured or killed. The success of this campaign led people on both sides to believe he had magical powers, but in reality he was only using his extensive local knowledge and working with his land.

By April 1897 the last of his free clan members had been captured, and in a desperate attempt at freeing them, was shot near Tunnel Creek. The shot was fired by Mongo Mick, another aboriginal tracker whose magical power was elevated to the same position as that previously occupied by Jandamarra.

Now it is a commonly held truism that the winners get to write the history books. In this case the Lillimooloora Police Outpost ruin is held as a memorial to Richardson, a policeman killed in the line of duty. However, perhaps it is fitting that the name of Jandamarra is more famously remembered as starting the legend of aboriginal people channelling magical powers from the land, and of an important figure in the century-long struggle of native people for recognition in their own land. A neighbouring station is now run and owned by current members of the Bunuba clan, Jandmarra’s own people.

Windjana Crocodiles

Today we saw heaps of Freshwaters Crocodiles, or “freshies.” We did a walk into Windjana Gorge and saw one about every 10m. Below are a selection of photos.

King Leopold and Devonian Reefs

The day started in the King Leopold Ranges, and the Gibb River Road was to take us up and through them. Most notable because the road over is bitumen, not because they are of any real size. It did however let us get a good view of the plains surrounding.

Down the other side and back into serious beef country. Napier Downs seems to take it seriously, and it must have been at least 30km across.

A brief diversion into Lennard Gorge, another steep sided cutting with waterfalls and rock pools, but no swimming this time.  The track notes warn you to stay out of the gorge because “once in, the options for getting out again are limited.” Unseasonably warm for the last week according to the local ranger, and today that walk was hot.

Napier Creek also saw us into the Devonian Reef country that we will stay with for the next few days. This is an ancient coral reef which grew upward as the seabed fell over millions of years. It is estimated that it grew to a height of 2km before the land lifted again and the seas retreated. This part of the reef is seen at Napier Downs, Windjana Gorge (where we are camped tonight), Tunnel Creek and Giekie Gorge, on the agenda for the next two days. The reef continues out into the Timor Sea and makes landfall again at the other end of the Kimberley, near Kunnunurra.

Windjana Gorge was probably a tidal break  in the coral reef and became Lennard River which carved the gorge into the shape we see today. It is a spectacular limestone formation, but it is also notable as the place most likely for viewing freshwater crocodiles. It did not disappoint.

 

Back in fly country again, the likes of which we hadn’t really seen since Kakadu. This photo is as requested by my brother.

 

 

Crocodiles

Today we saw lots of freshwater crocodiles in Windjana gorge. We saw a crocodile on the bank and in the water.

Elliot.

Another day, another swim

 

As I kind of expected, the day did not get off to a fantastic start. I pulled the back wheels off to discover that the shock absorbers had in fact leaked a little oil, which is usually indicative of failure. I didn’t pull one off to prove it though. What I wasn’t necessarily expecting was the associated destruction of the bump stop. Probably not as critical, but does explain some of the rather hard bumps we have been getting more of lately.

Since this car comes with roadside assistance, and an upgrade to our RACQ, I figured it was time to see what could be done. So packed up and down to the Mt Barnett Roadhouse and store. Used the phone and got through to Mitsubishi, explained the situation, who then put me on to roadside assistance. I was just starting that conversation when the phone went dead. Asked the woman in the shop. “Not again, it’s just been out for a fortnight and they’ve only just fixed it.” No point hanging around there.

Next stop Imintji about 80km down the road. An aboriginal community and store, but boasting “the only mechanical repairs on the Gibb River Road”. They also love their AFL, with four team flags on the poles outside. No phone though. And no shock absorbers, was the answer to my not very hopeful question. So far so good, so might as well keep going the next 30km to our campsite. The road is good, and they are working on it to make it better, so that is good. And the car just loves loping along at 60km/h, so it was a very peaceful drive.

Lobbed in at lunchtime, so down to the gorge carpark, then off for a swim. I think Louis has covered this bit. Arrived back to a now much busier campsite, and while the others setup, I went back to Mitsubishi for another go, since for some bizarre reason there is a phone here. Went round the story again, but concluded they are only offering a tow to the nearest dealer (Broome), and given our current isolation we’d probably have to wait here a day or two which doesn’t enthral, and would make the last of the Kimberley a backtrack, which also doesn’t suit.

So I think the plan will be to aim for Broome under our own steam by Monday, and hope that we can get a booking and parts for a repair job then. If they decide it is warranty, then we’ll let them do it. If not, I think I’ll get some aftermarket ones, because if real ones give up after about 300km of corrugations, they aren’t worth persisting with.

Some spectacular travelling today. In the morning more of the open woodland before climbing a range (they call them jump-ups around here mostly. Then the country changed into more overtly rocky terrain, perhaps reminiscent of Arkaroola in the northern Flinders Ranges, but with more vegetation. We also moved into core beef country, and we saw some big herds and some fine specimens, perhaps a little too close for comfort at times.  Later today we entered the King Leopold Ranges, where we will spend the next little while. A low range but imposing rock. In this predominantly flat country, it doesn’t take much of a range to get a name.

Lynne went chasing some elusive crimson finches before sunset, and had some success.

p.s. Hello 1S

Walking Bell Gorge

Today we passed through more Gibb River Road. After finding out that two of the Bump Stoppers and some of the back shock absorbers had died on the Kalumburu Road we got away from Manning Gorge Camp. We drove to the Mt Barnett Roadhouse to get fuel and some groceries. Diesel was expensive, at 199.5 cents per litre. After trying to get the pay phone at the Roadhouse to work and failing, we started driving again.

At the Imintji Store we bought two onions and a book with photos of the Gibb River and Kalumburu Roads. As you might be able to see from the picture above, they like their AFL up here. Diesel here was “The Cheapest Diesel On The Gibb River Road,” at 194.5 cents per litre. Whether or not that was true, all the the Diesel on the Gibb River Road is very expensive.

After driving for about 50 kms, we came to Bell Gorge carpark. From there we went on the 2km return walk to the cascades. Izzy and Elliot had a lot of fun counting “dots” on the way there. The pool was a nice temperature for cooling off in without getting too cold. I swam over to an overhang where there was a shallow area, then over to the cascades and back. Izzy and Dad went to a deeper pool downstream, but I didn’t go because I was out for a bit at the time. After an hour’s swim we got out and walked to the top of the cascades, where we had another short swim ( about 100m away from them, though).

  Louis 

More broken stuff

Came down off Mitchell Plateau today. Contemplated going to the Surveyor’s Pool, but a 5km indistinct walk in turned us off. Also thought about Port Warrender, but the road notes for this says the last 8km takes two hours. Given that we get upset when 80km takes two hours, that lone got the flick as well. Kalumbaru would have been nice as well, but it was another 100km, and the road was said to “deteriorate”.

Perhaps I’m getting soft, but the roads and the distances have taken the edge off my desires for the moment.

Apparently our broken long-life milk was a common problem amongst travellers, so I don’t feel so bad about that one. The eggs that survived the trip up, I had hard boiled, and they got smashed up on the way down. The remote thermometer for the fridge gave us a scare, saying 42deg, but in fact it had only switched itself to Fahrenheit mode. I couldn’t for the life of me convince it to return to normal, so I pulled the batteries. That solved that problem, but now it has forgotten how to talk to the remote sender. I remember that you had to hold your mouth just right to fix that, but I’ve forgotten how. If someone wants to go to Evakool.com.au and look it up for me, that would be appreciated.

The power socket fell out of the inverter, so the netbook is only half charged, but fortunately it runs for hours, so no problem yet.

However, the biggie seems to be that I no longer seem to have any rear shock absorbers. I was a bit suspicious on the way down, as the road seemed to have gotten rather worse in two days. Then it started wagging its tail on corners and the soft stuff. Finally I was wondering why every floodway had six evenly spaced bumps coming out that I could never see. Stopping tonight I jumped on the towbar, and got three bumps. Not good. Harumph. Tomorrows problem, but I’d be surprised if there is anything to be done until civilisation. That’s about four days away.

Most of the driving today was over old roads. Only the last 90 minutes or so back on the Gibb River Road was new. Mostly open tall woodland with grassy understorey. Coming into Mount Barnett and Manning Gorge was a low range with the typical eroded escarpment and cliff face which was quite spectacular in the setting sun.

An Unexpected Bonus

You just never know what you will find, or where you will find it. What is the connection between the Mitchell Plateau and Homo Floresiensis, or “The Hobbit”?

We spent last night with a ranger, who has been in the Kimberley for 30 years, and at the Mitchell Plateau since it was gazetted a national park. He has a specific interest in the anthropological history of the area. Specifically, he is looking at the artwork to discover particular periods of occupation of the area, and to tie that in with other archaeological techniques to provide further information and to aid with dating.

He has identified three quite distinct periods of occupation. What he calls the “archaeological” period, which is up to hundreds of thousands of years perhaps, the “Bradshaw” or “Gwion” period, which seems to end perhaps at an ice age around 17000 years ago, and more contemporary occupation, from 1800 years ago.

And he is no interested amateur. He has connections in very high scientific places and that is where Homo Floresiensis comes in. The archaeologists involved in the dig on Flores, in Indonesia, have also come to the Kimberley and conducted digs in an attempt to identify a link perhaps with occupation from Indonesia. They have been dating charcoal from middens to identify distinct periods of occupation, but also using more creative methods. To identify the age of a piece of artwork they dated a wasp nest built over the artwork. That was placed at 1200 years, meaning the artwork was at least that old. By identifying the style and ochres used that aids in dating all sorts of other sites.

They are also using a new dating technique, something to do with illuminance spectroscopy. There were no real details given, but apparently they have a technique for determining how long and object has been obscured from light. This is very useful in aging midden mounds by dating the sediments used to make them up. It can also date rock falls and other such geological events. He claims to be able to get to individual years in hundreds of thousands of years timescale. If it is true, then it is indeed a powerful tool.It also correlates well with radio carbon dating, which runs out of puff at around 10000 years, and so can be used to corroborate other evidence.

He hopes to be able to get to Indonesia to participate in digs there, and perhaps twig some correlation that may help tie the whole story together. He showed a commercial video, made in conjunction with the ABC, about the whole “Hobbit” controversy, the implications of a hominid only 17000 years old, but with a much older brain structure, perhaps 700000 years old, and questioning the development of modern humans in Africa, perhaps indicating a more broad Asian Savannah origin. But the real juice of the story comes from the possibility that given the timescales and geographic proximity, the Kimberley might hold a real key in changing our view of the origins of humans.

Other points in his presentation (he waxed lyrical for two hours, and would easily have kept going till midnight he said). He showed some footage of the nesting of the Black Grass Wren. It nests in the wet season, when the park is closed and access difficult. That was really a vehicle for showing us the Mitchell area in the wet, and vastly different it is too. He also gave us some rundown on the white history of the area, with grazing and, more importantly, mineral leases. Even though this is a national park, there are still two mining leases current in the area. It was shown some time ago that exploiting the bauxite in the area is not economically viable. However, with the development of the North-west Shelf gas and Timor oil, the cost of energy up here could tip that balance. In favour of the park though is the fact that a competing minerals company has given up leases on surrounding areas, so it is hoped that Rio Tinto will do the same. There is some pressure on from government for the issue to be decided this year.

The last point explained why the helicopters are allowed to work out of the camping ground. Apparently they were here first, and getting rid of them is not so simple. They are being managed into less sensitive areas though.

An Eerie Light

Some years ago, I was doing the coursework to become a commercial pilot. Not that I had any intention of becoming one, but my sister-in-law did, and the stuff she had to learn was interesting, so why not. One of the subjects covered was the physiology of sight. Now I won’t bore you with the details, but there are actually a number of different functions in the eye which go to make up vision, each suited to a different situation, be it detail work, peripheral, low light etc. One of the things I read at the time was that low light sensitivity was poor at rendering colour. I have always known that is why star photos are always colourful, yet we normally see just points of light.

What was demonstrated to me in dramatic fashion was the falsehood that is “by the light of the silvery moon”. Some photos taken by that very light at full moon on the Mitchell Plateau demonstrate that the moonlight is anything but silvery, giving a complete range of colours, if only you know how to look.

These photos look entirely normal, until you notice there are stars in the sky. Neat, hey!