Rock Art - Leaving Mitchell Plateau

Every day I carried a light backpack with me – more of a fabric bag with straps really. In it I carried things I might need – and usually didn't. Twice, getting off the bus, I decided to travel light and leave it behind, both with dire consequences. Once was at a rock art site and my camera's SD card became full. The second was on the Yellow Waters Billabong cruise at Cooinda. At least on the latter occasion I had my phone with me and could take photos with that, after a fashion – the light was so bright it was all but impossible to see what I was actually snapping.

So it was that, coming back from Mitchell Plateau, near the King Edward River crossing, we turned off the road to this unmarked site and came to the most remarkable collection of Aboriginal rock art – only some of which I was able to photograph. Fortunately there was a second site nearby, by which time I'd replaced the SD card, but in deleting not so good pictures randomly at the first site, the pictures themselves became a bit of a muddle in terms of knowing what was taken where. But that was a minor hiccup.

Both sites have some protective fences but no signposts that they're there. Few people go there so there isn't a lot of chance of damage – although one member of our group had to be told “Don't touch!” - but no doubt looking to the future in protecting the sites from too many visitors. The art was amazing. It's also incredibly complex. As 21st century Europeans we see it as simple figures, but to the artists and the Aboriginal people looking at it, complex stories are being told. Too much for me to take it all in.
You can read a little more about this rock art site here 

At one point I could have taken photos but didn't. Again, some did in spite if being asked not to, as this was a sacred site. Aboriginal culture in this part of the world is to bury a body for a certain time and when, amongst other considerations, the bones are bare and parched, those bones are then moved to a permanent burial site. We saw some of those temporary burials, in rock niches, open to the elements, while we were there.

Not just any old rocks!

King Edward River (Munurru) Rock Art
More Photos here

Crossing the King Edward River, leaving the art behind

Mitchell Plateau

Getting to the plateau
After a feast of gorges, it was off to the Mitchell Plateau and Mitchell Falls. Dispensing with the bad stuff – this was the one and only place where the toilets made me gag and, unfortunately, we were there for two nights. It shouldn't have been that way – they were long-drops and there was a resident ranger who should have kept them up to scratch. OK. Done with the bad.

The Kalumburu Road wasn't too bad at all – about as bad as I'd expected the Gibb River Road to be but wasn't. It was slow going and we bounced along, but it was OK. I was astonished at the huge number of Livistona palms growing in the area. These were the palms I'd been so anxious to see at Palm Valley. Granted, the Palm Valley specimens were more lush, but they were growing in and around the Finke River so got more water.

That night we were half expecting our guide for the next day to arrive and give us a preview talk, but he didn't show. Not a wasted evening though, sitting around one of our better camp-fires.

Lots of Livistona palms
More photos here

Hiking to the Falls
Another expectation bites the dust. Because a helicopter flight back after the walk “down to the falls” was included in the price of the tour, I assumed it was going to be pretty steep going down. Not so. Rough, certainly, but that made it slow going more than anything, although coming up on even the slight rise from “the bottom” would probably have tested me and one or two others I suspect.

We made lots of stops along the way as Brownie, our guide, explained all about aboriginal lore, plants, animals, rock art ... and we looked at the scenery! First stop was Little Mertens Falls, no indicator of what was to come but giving another great cross-country view. Next was our first major rock art stop. It's amazing stuff. Aboriginals are allowed to refresh the artwork, according to their needs. Remember, these are the equivalent of Western arts' stained glass, paintings, mosaics, murals, etc for passing on stories in a pre-literate age. Not all rock art has been refreshed, so much so that for some, the colour is there but nothing of the 'paint' that can be carbon dated.

Next it was scrambling behind a small waterfall (not exactly reminiscent of being behind Niagara!) then across boulders that were a foretaste of the climb to Emma Gorge. Rest stops, be it amongst the boulders or along the rocky path, always involved a search, usually unsuccessful!, for a comfortable spot to sit. (Needing to search for safe and/or secure footstep places goes without saying!) Shade was often at a premium too. It was hot!

Then we got to Mertens Falls, with a sizeable gorge, some beautiful pools, and, joy, a Mertens' Water Monitor, a gorgeous fellow (or female?) who eyed us off but seemed unconcerned at our presence. Water was flowing over and down into the gorge - just! - but it's impossible, really, to imagine what the falls must be like in the Wet. More rough and rocky 'paths' to negotiate, and we were there!      

Tiny wildflowers on the way to Mitchell Falls
More photos of the hike here

Mitchell Falls
First stop before the falls proper was a swim in the Mitchell Falls pool. This is where I finished up jumping in fully clothed after thinking I'd just paddle my feet. The memory of the fun and deliciousness of it hasn't dimmed.

After swimming we got our first view of the falls. Pressing on, walking across rock, it was very easy to see in the rock markings, indentations, etc, that it was very like rock-pools at the coast. Hard to believe it was under water millions of years ago. Finally we came to where we were looking directly across to the falls – 35 storeys high was the figure quoted to us. Amazing sight. Again, hard to imagine the falls in the wet. I was pleased to see the rainbow at the bottom of the falls. It's one that is referred to as a Rainbow Serpent in Aboriginal mythology.

There were some spectacular views from the helicopter – I was in the front seat again – as we flew twice around and over the falls. In this situation my shortcomings as a photographer become all too evident. But even bad photos that I have taken make the memories come alive.       

Mitchell Falls
More photos here

                                       

Mitchell Falls in the wet
Photo credit

The perfect end to the day was a swim in the swimming hole by our camp. It was the most enclosed swimming spot we were in with the 'things' in the water a bit harder to ignore ... bugs, little fish, slimy rocks .... but it was nevertheless probably the longest time I was in the water apart from the pool at Cable Beach resort. And we had a bird guarding our towels and sandals.

Swimming hole near Mitchell Plateau camp ground

"Guard Bird" at the swimming hole

Four gorges and a tunnel or two

Besides the lack of plumbing, the other big challenge for me was always going to happen when we started to walk, my being more in favour of 'exercise' that involves turning the pages of a book or twisting wool around knitting needles.

Two activities on the itinerary came with warnings: the entrance to Tunnel Creek (“quite challenging”) and the walk up to Emma Gorge waterfall (“medium level of fitness required”). In fact, my level of fitness, while it could and should be better for all sorts of reasons and occasions, was OK for this trip. People in my age bracket would be more likely to find difficulty with flexibility – or lack thereof! The rough terrain was the biggest problem. There were some pathways in Kakadu but in the Kimberley there were virtually none. The tramping of many feet caused earth to compact into a path if there was sufficient soil, but often there wasn't. Instead, what you had was indicators of best routes over stone, ranging from pebbles to boulders.

The steepest walk was quite short – up to the rim of the Wolfe Creek crater – and it did have a defined path, although rocky underfoot once you got to the climb.

Climb to the rim of Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater
- steeper than this looks

Both Tunnel Creek and Emma Gorge presented you with boulders for which I found “all fours” better than two feet and a walking pole. I didn't get exhausted anywhere but I was amongst the slowest, in fact the very last down from Emma Gorge.

After negotiating the entrance to Tunnel Creek it was down into the water, up to the top of my thighs – the one day I wore shorts! Dark too, literally a tunnel through the Napier Range with light midway where part of the hill had fallen in – a long time ago, we weren't in (much?) danger ... although you never can tell – there were warnings! On the way out my head torch (a great invention!) picked up the eyes of a crocodile resting on a ledge at water's edge. We didn't bother each other!! And I was too busy watching my footing to worry about the bats overhead. Back in daylight at the far end, the air wasn't thick with butterflies but there were still a few late-season ones about. It was a beautiful spot to have a picnic but you'd need to plan it well. Then back out again, stumbling along tentatively in the watery dark, over the entrance rocks again, and out. Magic!

Outside Tunnel Creek
See Tunnel Creek photos here

 


















We camped one night at Windjana Gorge, getting in too late to see the gorge that evening. We nevertheless walked there and through the tunnel but stopped at that point because we couldn't see too much by torchlight. Funny that! So much better seeing it very early next morning instead – beautiful. Flat, easy access too. The short tunnel hid the beauty from you as you approached so that there was a gasp of delight when the gorge appeared. You can walk some distance but we only loitered close to the access point so didn't have to work too much for that treat. The hardest part was walking in the sand of the river bed, trying without much success to imagine floods of water rushing through.

Windjana Gorge
See more photos here

Bell Gorge wasn't even on the itinerary. That was one of the fabulous things about this trip .... doing so much more than expected. Another easy walk to what was obviously and understandably a popular swimming spot.

Bell Gorge
More Bell Gorge photos here

Our group didn't swim at Bell Gorge because we were heading for a swim at Manning Gorge  later in the day, but in between we had a stop at Galvans Gorge (not exactly a difficult walk but you had to concentrate) where some, but not I, swam.

Swimmers at Galvans Gorge
See more of Galvans Gorge here

This is stunningly beautiful country!

Manning Gorge

Manning Gorge riverbed at sunset

 

Truckin' 2

There's swimming, flying, sailing and the towns .... and there's Terra Firma, where most time was spent. So much of that time was spent travelling, mostly on unmade roads. Yes, we bounced around a bit with the occasional jolt here and there. But really it was very comfortable. Never once did I think “Aren't we there yet?” or “Let me off!!” I even dozed a bit, sad to say as I missed the scenery.

People will say, “Oh, but the scenery doesn't change much.” In fact, it does. Slowly and subtly, but change it does. Wide, flat, open; hills, trees, scrub, palms; water crossings, with and without water; termite mounds, big and small; the very rare building of some sort; roadhouses, fences, no fences; passing traffic, every hour or so.

The first major trek was across the Tanami Desert. Next was the drive into Purnululu NP, just on 60km off the Great Northern Highway but it took 2½hrs to do it, such were the twists and turns.

The second major trek was the iconic Gibb River Road. I expected this to be really bad, but it wasn't, well not from the point of view of this passenger! Mind you, I wouldn't have wanted to drive it!! The wear and tear on the truck was enough to make you realise you'd have to be prepared to write off a vehicle if you drove a 4WD across. It wouldn't necessarily happen – although it did to a woman trying to hitch to anywhere from Mt Barnett Roadhouse! It would definitely take years off the life of a 4WD though and only a fool would attempt it in a regular car. That said, the road was in pretty good nick, reasonably graded. But you can see why you don't travel the Gibb in the wet. Seeing the height that water reaches by the debris caught high in tree branches – you'd need your floaties, and then some!!

The third, though shorter, major trek was on the rugged Kalumburu Road, off the Gibb, then off that again up to Mitchell Plateau on the most rugged stretch of all.

Pretty much all the rest was on sealed roads. The romantic factor took a steep dive! Anyone wanting to experience the romance of the Gibb needs to get on with it. It's sealed from the Great Northern Highway to Emma Gorge Resort and major roadworks are under way to seal from there to the El Questro Homestead turn-off. Once that's complete it's not hard to imagine that the rest will follow, not quickly perhaps, but the days of the unsealed road look to be numbered.

I've not read any words nor seen any photos anywhere that do this trip justice or give a real appreciation of the majesty of Kimberley country. But I'll try to give a little of the flavour with these photos.

Start of the Gibb River Road, near Derby,WA
More photos -
Gibb River Road - Part 1
Gibb River Road - Part 2
After the Gibb - Part 1
After the Gibb - Part 2

Accommodation and the unmentionable

The proper accommodation, i.e. in a building with a proper bed and your own shower and toilet, was nicely spaced throughout the trip. Best of all, I loved sleeping under the stars. I coped with the shower blocks, was glad there weren't too many behind-a-bush toilet stops. But along with most others, I was always counting down to the plumbing of real civilisation. It varied from the luxury of Cable Beach Club, to the most expensive but nothing out of the ordinary hotel in Darwin, to a couple of better than average motels, to a permanent “tent” at Emma Gorge.

Wee small hours - full moon
at Drysdale River Station

"Tent" at Emma Gorge resort -
complete with en suite bathroom!

The stars are so shiny and numerous and the full moon was so bright. We miss these things in our cities filled with light pollution. I put up a tent when we were staying somewhere for two nights, as much as anything because it seemed odd to leave my belongings simply stacked in a pile when we went off for the day. It was the thought of it looking odd, security was unchanged. I finished up sleeping in the tent for three nights. One night there was a lot of dew and my sleeping bag got wet. It dried quickly the following day but I didn't want to be rolling up a wet bag after the night after that. Then we hit the big smoke of Kununurra. What a shock to the system! That camp-ground was very much high-density living after the isolation across the Gibb River Road. No room to put a tent up and have outside space for a stretcher.

I did have one bush shower – in a canvas cubicle with a hose poking in at the top. It was only put up once, for the experience I guess.

I spotted a couple with Outback Spirit backpacks arriving at the hotel in Darwin. I asked their owners what trip they were doing .... the reverse of what I'd just done. I said what a brilliant time they were in for then the man said to his wife, “I'll check in and you can talk about women's stuff.” Well, he and she meant toilets, didn't they? Were there many bush stops? A few. Were there really bushes at bush stops? A few, not always too bushy though. I was very pleased that in the gym programme I did before going away that squats featured and had to be practised often – it put me in good stead ;-)

The long drops – varied in design, pretty clean on the whole, didn't smell too bad, sometimes worse at a distance when 'the odour' drifted across to the camp-site on a breeze. Only one that made me gag and there was no reason for that – there was a resident ranger at Mitchell Falls so things should have been in tip-top order. The thunder-box over the hole in the ground when crossing the Tanami worked – although the hole could have been deeper. There was plenty of paper on board where that wasn't provided or had run out, and hand cleanser got used when there were no taps ... and in addition to a water wash when taps were available! For someone who always swore she'd never go anywhere where there wasn't a flush toilet, I did pretty damn well!!! 
If you see what I mean - photos here!