Scotch College

Outback trip to the Kimberley

During the Term 2 holidays, a group of 10 boys and Mr Jeff Watson experienced the real “Australian Outback”, beginning on the first Saturday with a 5am start!

Our first couple of days were mostly spent driving down from Darwin, with some brief, but interesting, stops en route to the Kimberley region. Our first major destination was the Bungle Bungle region in Purnululu National Park. Most of the boys took the opportunity to take a low level and completely breathtaking helicopter ride over the famous Bungle Bungle ‘beehive’ formations. We also explored the formation’s dry river beds including Piccaninny Creek, Cathedral Gorge, and clambered into the 100m deep Echidna Chasm. These spectacular landscapes had been gouged out by raging rivers over many wet seasons. A few days on, we camped at Home Valley where we met a Grammarian who, after many years, was still bitter about our excellent performance in schoolboy rugby!

From Home Valley we traversed the unforgettable Mitchell Plateau, where we camped beside the pristine King Edward River for two nights. From this base, we visited the beautiful Mitchell Falls and the Merten Falls. The rugged terrain was unforgettable and one of the best places for photo opportunities on the entire trip. It was here that I indulged myself in a chopper flight over the falls and down the Mitchell Gorge. We also found some of the unique pre-Aboriginal (‘Bradshaw’) rock art and saw some rock ledge burial sites.

However, it was the unlucky ninth day that we had vehicle troubles. Suddenly, our new trailer’s axle bent so much that we had to get it re-welded at the nearby (read ‘40km’!) Drysdale Cattle Station. You definitely know you are in one of the most remote parts of Australia when even your satellite phone doesn’t get a good signal. Despite this unexpected delay of about a day, our time at the Drysdale Station homestead and nearby Miners Creek was one of the most enjoyable and entertaining parts of the whole trip. However, we were soon on the road again with the trailer fixed and in high spirits.

A great afternoon was spent exploring and swimming the huge and spectacular Bell’s Gorge, where we were mindful of the large water monitors. At Windjana Gorge we were mindful of the many large fresh water crocodiles sunning themselves on the sand banks so did not venture in for a swim! Instead we hiked up the gorge and found some fossils in the amazing limestone cliffs, which were coral reefs along the Australian coastline some 380 million years ago. We stopped for lunch at Derby wharf, where the tide was out and I mean ‘out’ (ie bone dry under the wharf). We also inspected the infamous Boab Prison Tree and the longest (about 500m) cattle watering trough in the Southern Hemisphere.

Our one and half days in Broome went too quickly. We visited the Croc Farm and eye balled some huge ‘rogue’ estuarine water crocodiles – definitely to be avoided! This experience was followed by a great swim at Cable Beach and later that evening, we went to the movies at the historic outdoor seating Sun Picture Theatre. The next day, and all too soon, we found ourselves leaving for a cold, wet and wintry Melbourne.

Thomas Smith, 10 SS
Photos by Ed Monteith 10GY