kowtow (verb) :  to be humble in showing obedience and respect (Webster’s)

As I left Katherine on the morning of Sunday, September 15, 2019, I was excited.  Excited to be headed to the Kimberly, where I knew I would see rock art very different from the rock art of Kakadu, Mt. Borradaile, and the Top End.  Excited because of the challenge that the Gibb River Road presents to all who dare tackle it.  Excited at the thought of spending time in the northernmost, and most remote, aboriginal settlement in Western Australia, named Kalumburu.  Excited, and, I must admit, more than a little apprehensive.  I knew my travels in the Kimberly would make my foray into Arnhemland look tame.  I hoped I had not bitten off more than I could chew in planning this part of my trip.  Join me, and let’s see!

Leaving Katherine in the Northern Territory bright and early on the morning of Sunday, September 1, 2019, my destination was Kununurra, Western Australia, some 512 kilometers to the west, according to Goggle maps.  Kununurra is known as the “Gateway to the Kimberly”, and the last town of any size close to the northern end of the Gibb River Road, which provides access to the most remote parts of the Kimberly Region of Western Australia.  So I knew that most of my day would be spent driving, but I planned at least a couple of stops.  First, I planned to stop at the Victoria River Roadhouse, perhaps for lunch.  Then I planned to do a little hike in the Gregory National Park.  As I set out along the Victoria Highway, the first thing I noticed was how little traffic there was.  I would often go for more than an hour without seeing another vehicle or other signs of civilization other than the sealed road I was driving on!

I arrived at the Victoria River Roadhouse well before noon.  There wasn’t much there, but there was a nice view of the river from the bridge.  I continued west on the Victoria Highway, entering the Judbarra/Gregory National Park. Had read about a hike at the Joe Creek picnic area, so decided to stop and check it out.  I am glad I did!  It was a beautiful hike in a captivating landscape, and there was a surprising amount of rock art along the trail.

After spending about two and a half hours hiking the Nawilbinbin Walk at Joe Creek, I continued my drive west.  I stopped at Timber Creek and had a bite of lunch.  I also did a little sightseeing.  Near Timber Creek is Gregory’s Tree, which is also called Ngalibinggag, and is a sacred aboriginal site.  Augustus Charles Gregory was the great Australian explorer who was the first European to comprehensively explore and map the Victoria River Region.  He carved the date of July 2, 1856 into a large Boab tree at the site of his expedition camp on the Victoria River near Timber Ridge.

Shortly after 3:00 p.m. I arrived at Keep River National Park, whose entrance is about 35 kilometers from Kununurra and just to the east of the Western Australia/Northern Territory boundary line.  Since there was quite a bit of daylight left, I decided to do a little exploring at Keep River.  I stopped in at the bare-bones visitor center and found it open, but unattended.  I decided to drive to the Jenemoom Walk trailhead for a little hike.  I spent about two and a half hours at Jenemoom and enjoyed the walk along the Keep River and the rock art I was able to locate along the way.  After my hike, I passed through the quarantine checkpoint at the Western Australian border, then headed on in to Kununurra, where I would spend two nights at the venerable Hotel Kununurra.  I really liked this place —  it kind of reminded me of an old Humphrey Bogart movie!

I was up early on the morning of Monday, September 16, 2019, and headed back out to Keep River National Park.  I headed straight to the Jarnem Loop trailhead, which is located about 35 kilometers from the park entrance.  I enjoyed a nice hike to Nigli Gap and the rock art panel located there and spent a couple of hours exploring in the area.  The rock art was a little disappointing, but I had a great hike in a very scenic part of the park.  On the way back out of the park, I stopped at Jenemoom so that I could photograph the rock art sites there in the morning light.

I returned to Kununurra and arrived shortly before noon.  The night before, when I checked into the Hotel Kununurra, the hotel manager suggested I contact a local archaeologist named Lee Scott-Virtue for some local knowledge regarding rock art in the area.  So I stopped into Kimberly Specialities, a business that Lee and her husband Dean Goodgame run.  Lee and Dean were most gracious, helpful, and kind —  I really enjoyed my visit with them, and Lee made several suggestions regarding sites to visit (Middle Creek, Cascade Cave, The Conglomerate Site), and even drew me a couple of maps.  Lee and Dean have been exploring, documenting, and photographing rock art in the Kimberly for over thirty years!  It was a blessing to meet them, indeed.  They also founded and run a couple of non-profits, one of which is “The Kimberly Toadbusters”.  This non-profit does great work!  (For more information, see http://www.canetoads.com.au/ ).

Lee suggested that I head out to a group of sites known as the Middle Creek Complex for the afternoon, so I did, following the hand-drawn map she provided.  I traveled about 39 kilometers west of Kununurra on the Victoria Highway before turning off the sealed road, going through a gate, then traveling 5 more kilometers on a challenging (sandy) 4WD track.  I parked and spent the afternoon exploring a beautiful, oasis-like area which is located on private cattle station land.  I located and enjoyed a number of wonderful rock art sites that afternoon, and had a great time before returning for one last night at the Hotel Kununurra, just before dark.

On the drive back to Kununurra from Middle Creek, I stopped at the Lake Kununurra Golf Club to take a picture of an old fashioned sand green….

Well, the time was here.  The time to take on the infamous Gibb River Road (GRR).  You have to pay your dues on the GRR to enjoy the fabulous sights of the Mitchell Plateau and the charms of the northernmost aboriginal community in Western Australia, namely, Kalumburu.  So, on the morning of Tuesday, September 17, 2019, I left the comfort and safety of Kununurra, headed for the Drysdale River Station, some 355 kilometers away.  My first stop on the GRR was at the turnoff to El Questro Station, which is where the blacktop ends and the fun begins.  I stopped to lower the tire pressures on my landcruiser.  You see, I was going to carefully follow all the rules, all the suggestions, and not experience any flats or mechanical problems as so many do on the GRR.  So, with my tires deflated, and my spirits soaring, I set out.  My first major obstacle was the Pentecost River crossing, about 40 kilometers from El Questro.  It was bone dry — a piece of cake!  I was taking it easy, enjoying the scenery in spite of the teeth rattling and bone jarring GRR.  About a 150 kilometers from El Questro, I was minding my own business when, literally in a matter of seconds, my right rear tire disintegrated and I found myself riding on a rim.  I was disabled, in the middle of nowhere, on a road that was famous for eating tires, both new and old.  I had not seen another vehicle on the GRR when I had the flat, so I knew I was on my own.  It took me about an hour to change the flat.  During that time, two people stopped to check on me.  I waved them on, no help needed!  I am a Texan, after all!

After fixing my flat, I proceeded cautiously, since I now did not  have a spare tire.  I knew from my maps that the closest station that had tyre (yep, that is the way they spell it in the Australian outback!) service was Ellen Brae, a little over 70 kilometers.  So I limped into Ellen Brae Station, hoping they would have a tyre to replace the one gobbled up by the GRR.  Upon arrival, I found Ellen Brae to be a beautiful little oasis, run by a really nice couple, Logan and Larissa.  While Logan fixed my tyre, Larissa fixed me a wonderful lunch which, I think the best way to describe it would be an outback BLT.  I also pampered myself by having one of Larissa’s famous scones.  It was still warm, and served with fresh cream and jam…outstanding.  When I asked Logan to check all my tyres (I feared perhaps they had dry rot, the way that one disintegrated), he laughed, saying he would check them but that is just what the GRR does to tyres.  I also decided to try to buy an extra spare, which I did.  The outfitter would not reimburse me, but the piece of mind of having that second spare strapped to the roof of my land cruiser as I departed for Drysdale Station was worth it at any price!

So I left Ellen Brae about 2 in the afternoon, feeling much better, especially now that I had two spare tyres.  I knew that I had about 70 kilometers to go on the GRR before turning north on the road to Kalumburu, where I would travel about 60 kilometers to my destination for the night, the Drysdale River Station.  While at Ellen Brae, another guest (the only other guest, as a matter of fact) overheard me tell Logan I was on a rock art excursion, and approached me and offerred information about a site he had seen earlier on that same day.  He gave me some basic directions (a dirt track to the left just before you get to the unmarked Gibb River crossing on the road to Kalumburu) and showed me a pic on his phone.  He also said he had driven up to Kalumburu, so he was able to give me info on road conditions (“Honestly, I don’t think it is as bad as the GRR”).  Turns out I was able to find the site and stopped there for about an hour.  I later found out from Lee Scott-Tibute that this site and several others had been repainted without permission of the proper and lawful indigenous custodian.  In her book entitled Wandjinas of the North Kimberly Coastal Area, Lee mentions this Gibb River site in a discussion about the classification of Wandjina sites (story telling and tribe ceremonies versus the secretive ceremonial sites that were only visited by the aborginal Lore, or Law keepers) and the confusion that resulted in a 1987 government sponsored repainting program that allowed a non custodian of several Gibb River sites to be repainted without permission of the rightful aboriginal custodian.  (See also:  http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p14881/mobile/ch10s08.html for more information about this incident).

I was able to make it to the Drysdale River Station safely before dark and enjoyed a nice dinner there with a group of Australian travelers.  Since most of them had never observed a real live Texan before, many seemed eager to ask me questions and bend my ear.  I retired early, as this old man was quite tired from the excitement of his first day in the Kimberly on the GRR!

As was my custom, I left Drysdale Station at first light on Wednesday, September 18, 2019.  First light in this neck of the woods was just a little past 5:00 a.m.  By 7 a.m. that morning, I had already turned onto the road to Mitchell Falls and was about to cross the King Edward River.  Here is a little video of the crossing…

I was excited, because I knew that, a mere 700 meters past this river crossing, I would find the first of two clusters of rock outcrops known collectively as Munurru by the aboriginal people of the area.  This first rock cluster is known by rock art enthusiasts as the Wandjina Complex.  I also knew that the second rock cluster was 4.5 kilometers along this track and is known as the Brolga Complex.  These two sites are considered some of the finest in the Kimberly, with a variety of styles and time periods appearing on numerous panels.  So,  after an uneventful crossing of the King Edward River, I turned left off the main track and soon found myself at the Wandjina Complex site.  I spent the next several hours exploring and enjoying the magnificent rock art sites scattered throughout the large boulders dotting the landscape.  I thought I was in heaven!

Here are a couple of short videos I made of the two Wandjina Panels at the Wandjina Complex.  The first video is of the Main Wandjina Panel (consisting of two sets of Wandjina figures), and the second video is of the Second Wandjina Panel, located a short distance from the main panel…

After finishing up at the Wandjina Complex,  I travelled the 4.5 kilometers down the road to the Brolga Complex, also known at the Warnmarri Complex.  It is named after one of the panels where two large brolgas are painted horizontally across a rock wall, with their heads meeting in the center.  The brolga is also known as the Australian Crane, and is frequently seen feeding in the Munurru area and along the nearby King Eward River.  At this signature panel, there is also a large horizontal Wandjina, with a distinctive headdress of radiating lines with end blobs.  There is much fine rock art at this site, and I enjoyed seeing and experiencing it.  Of particular note is a very fine panel of Bradshaw art, depicting four Tasselled Figures.  It is an outstanding piece of work, and very well preserved.  Also noteworthy is a burial site with a Wandjina nearby.  The Brolga Complex was such a pleasure, and I spent several hours exploring and enjoying this special place.

Here are a couple of short videos I made of the two signature panels at the Brolga Complex  at Munurru.  The first video is of the Two Brolgas Panel, while the second video is of the Tasselled Rock Panel…

I really hated to leave Munurru, but more adventure awaited up at Mitchell Falls on the Mitchell Plateau, so I said my goodbyes and hit the road.  I took the Port Warrender Road to the turnoff to the Mitchell Falls Campground.  It was not a terrible drive, and I enjoyed the change in the landscape as I gradually climbed the plateau.  I finally made it to the Mitchell Falls Campground, a little before 3:00 p.m.  The first thing I did after selecting a campsite (many were available, there was only one other camper there, and they were packing up to leave) was walk over to the helicopter service near the campground. Lee Scott-Tribute had told me about a rock art site near an area she called Cascade Falls.  She said it would be a difficult hike and suggested that I ask the helicopter folks if they could drop me up at Cascade Falls, then I could walk down.  Well, that didn’t pan out, for a couple of reasons.  First, the young helicopter pilot had never heard of Cascade Falls.  Second, he wanted $320 just to fly me up to Mitchell Falls.  Well, I am not a cheapskate, but I also don’t like just throwing money away, so I told the young man I would just get up early and hike up to Mitchell Falls and then locate Cascade Falls on my own.  The young Aussie boldly told me that was not a good idea, and that he did not think I was up to it physically (I guess my advanced age and bedraggled appearance did not instill confidence in him!).  I smiled and said, “We shall see!” and we did.

After my unsuccessful helicopter negotiation, I headed back and set up my camp, then hit the trail to Little Merten’s Falls.  I still had some daylight to burn, so my goal was to explore the rock art site that allegedly was behind the falls.  It was a beautiful late afternoon as I set out on what turned out to not be a particularly long or difficult hike.  I encountered a pair of very swift Wallabys who looked like they had never seen a Texan before!  I reached Little Merten’s Falls and began looking for a way down to access the area behind the falls.  Unfortunately, I at first picked the wrong side of the falls and wasted about 45 minutes exploring for a way down.  I finally went to the other side and found the trail.  It turned out to be an enchanting place!  There was some nice rock art, and it was a real challenge for this old man to climb up to one of the panels.  I spent as much time as my remaining daylight allowed, and returned to camp right at dark.  What a great day!  Here are some photos of the trip and my little hike that afternoon…

I didn’t know what to expect from the Little Mertens Falls rock art site but I was pleasantly surprised by the quantity, the variety, and the quality of the art I found there.  A nice mix of different styles!

I was up early and on the trail to Mitchell Falls at first light  on Thursday, September 19, 2019.  It was a perfect morning for a hike, and I made good time early on.  My first stop was at a panel just before Merten Falls, which I decided to call “Bradshaw Rock”.  Lee Scott-Virtue referred to it as “The Battle Scene”.  The panel was visible some distance off the trail in a beautiful setting on Mertens Creek.  The panel was primarily Bradshaw art, much of it very well executed.  Here are a few photos…

After spending time at Bradshaw Rock, I continued hiking to Mitchell Falls and the helicopter landing area near the falls.  I passed Big Mertens Gorge and Falls, then crossed the Mitchell River just before reaching the helicopter landing area, where the trail ends.  Once there, I used a rough map provided by Lee Scott-Tribute to begin an off trail effort to locate Cascade Falls.   From the helipad, I was either rockhopping, boulder scambling, or bushwhacking the whole way.

Several times I was tempted to give up, when finally, at last, I located what I am calling the Cascade Cave Complex.  I explored many ledges and areas right on the Mitchell River, finding nothing.  I would also hike up to areas along the river that looked promising.  But I had searched a number of caves, alcoves, and other likely sports before I found Cascade Cave.  I am glad I perservered!  The cave, and the art around it, was magnificent.  There were a number of large, almost perfectly round stones, in and at one entrance to the cave.  Lee Scott-Tribute told me (when I stopped in Kununurra on my way home to thank her) that aborginals have told her this is a serpent dreaming site and they believe these stones are serpent “eggs”.  There was a large amount of art, representing many styles and time periods.  Simply put, a breathtaking site!

Fueled by the adrenaline rush of finding and exploring Cascade Cave, I hiked back to the Mitchell Falls Campground and broke camp.  Originally I had planned to spend two nights here, but I decided to drive back down to Munurra and camp at the King Edward Campground and do some more exploring.  I had read a brief reference in a guide book that if you hike upriver from the King Edward Campground you can find a few small sites.  I left Mitchell Falls around 2:30 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, September 19, 2019.  It took me about 2.5 hours to make it to the King Edward Campground, which is supposedly run by aboriginal people.  Unfortunately, I didn’t see them, although there was an area that was obviously for the custodians of the campground.  I set up camp and spent the the last couple of hours of daylight hiking up river.  I found a few small panels of rock art, enjoyed some beautiful scenery along the river, and had a close encounter with a Brolga.  I slept peacefully that night.  I was up the next morning before daylight and on the trail by the light of my headlamp.  I hiked for a couple of hours, broke camp, and headed north for Kalumburu.

I shot this little video on the drive from the Mitchell Falls Campground down to the King Edward River Campground.  The road was a slow go, relentless, and beautiful!

And a few photos from my hike and camp at the King Edward River.  This was a beautiful campground and the landscape along the river was stunning, and a lot of fun to explore!

And finally, I will end this Blog with a video I shot along the King Edward River on the evening of Thursday, September 19, 2019.  I call it “The Wild Goose Chase”, but the bird is in fact a brolga, with its unusual shade of pale blue body and red markings around the head.  A magnificent bird!

My time at Mitchell Falls and Munurra was very satisfying.  Challenging hikes, wonderful rock art, and jaw dropping landscapes made for a wonderful experience for me. This is the end of the third blog relating to my 2019 Australian Adventure.  The fourth and final blog (which follows), will cover the remainder of my trip —  my time in Kalumburu and the stops I made along the way home, including Emma Gorge, Katherine Gorge, and the Sydney Harbour.  Thank you for taking the time to look at my blogs…it is my hope to educate, inspire, and perhaps provide a laugh or two!