Bachsten Gorge (1) …

Leaving Windjana Gorge quite early we headed east. The first port of call was the Mount Barnet Roadhouse to fill with diesel. For people living in settled districts fuel is never far away. Out here there can be three hundred kilometres between service stations. Our intended side trip meant we had to have twice that range plus prudent reserves.

At Mount Elizabeth Station we turned left. The road to Bachsten Gorge is a private one crossing a cattle lease or two. The road use fee is $100 per vehicle. Half goes to the station half to the owners of the camp at Bachsten Gorge, Rick and Anne Jane. Maintenance of the road is done by Rick. Driving it is not for the faint-hearted or ill prepared. Considerable sections are extremely rocky, early season river crossings can be quite deep, there are some very steep sections and there are bogs. I would recommend travelling in pairs of vehicles or having a winch. At about half way you descend the Magpie Jump-up, if you’ve skiied double diamond slopes the incline will not seem unfamiliar. The trip in is a bit over 150 km of sustained concentration, allow seven hours. There are some very nice campsites along the way, take a couple of days on the journey. Not everyone comes back …

We camped at Turkey Creek, the camp was investigated by a very hungry dingo as soon as we retired.

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Footnote …

Mr Slipper, believe it or not, is still drawing a salary at the taxpayers’ expense.

Yesterday he made a valedictory address although he wasn’t promising not to stand again for the seat of Fisher. He used parliamentary privilege to accuse the opposition of plotting against him. According to the Australian …

Mr Slipper said former attorney-general Nicola Roxon had mentioned the possibility of an “Ashbygate” royal commission.

“I have spoken to other senior ministers in the government, I do understand that matter is under active consideration …

It’s not hard to imagine Ms Roxon embarking on such a venture, it would be well inside the very elastic envelope of her judgement. Nor is it unusual for someone facing criminal charges to say “Hey, investigate someone else”.

Pathetic man, a footnote to history.

Just remember, wearing someone elses slippers can lead to a nasty case of tinia.

Windjana Gorge …

Limestone walls rise starkly from the flood plain of the Lennard river, this is the remnants of the Napier Range formed over 300 million years ago. Windjana Gorge runs through the centre.

It is spectacular and it’s popular, it’s 360 km from Broome and can be reached in about 5 hours. It was the busiest camp site on our Kimberley trip.

This is crocodile territory although only the fresh water variety. They are happiest when there is a big flying fox camp in the gorge. The bats take to the air at dusk and the first thing they do is take a drink. Flying in circles they dip their mouths to the water. The crocodiles line up across the stream and snap at whatever comes near.

On this visit there were just a couple of small camps but the crocs were still smiling.

Freshies are not man eaters but can be aggressive especially females guarding their nests. Always take care

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Zombie politics …

Welcome back, Kevni the undead.

The ABC is keen to point out that Miss Gillard did at least make history, I think they mean by being the first woman PM not the worst PM in living memory. They also are keen on the notion that her policies were good, she just couldn’t sell them … but no one was forthcoming with a list of her achievements.

So the future is the past, what fun …

That’s just what his colleagues think.

Shooting through …

News today, Oakeshott and Windsor will not contest the next election.

I have mixed feelings, it would have been interesting to see how their electorates responded to the duo that betrayed their relatively conservative constituents and foisted a carbon tax and a mining tax on them; and kept a hapless Labor Government in power as they squandered our taxes on failed schemes. A government that even at this late stage has delivered nothing but promises.

Barnaby Joyce graciously praised Mr Windsor as a tough competitor. That’s nice. Concrete’s tough, too, and has the same IQ.

I can’t think of anything quite as nice to say about Mr Oakeshott …

The Kimberley …

A fabulous and fabulously remote part of Australia.

It is the northernmost portion of WA, it is entirely north of the tropic of Capricorn. It has a wet season, the southern hemisphere summer and a dry, the winter. It is scenically splendid, and among many other wonderful creatures it is the home of the Black Grasswren. The McGee Australian birdlist hadn’t had an addition for a couple of years, an expedition was in order. Enquiry revealed that the only “accessible” places where it might be sought with a reasonable chance of success are Bachsten Gorge and the Mitchell Plateau. Early in the dry was tipped as the best time, swollen rivers close many of the roads in the wet. Access to both sites is from the infamous Gibb River Road.

The western half of the Gibb River Road provided access from Derby to cattle stations as far as, you guessed, the Gibb River. It was completed in 1956. Subsequently it was pushed further east and is now the scenic route from Derby to Kununurra. It is a reasonably well graded dirt road, 4WD is recommended. Almost all the car hire companies prohibit using the Gibb River Road. Broome is a very civilised place to begin and end, a circular tour can be completed via the Great Northern Highway, which is sealed and has the added advantage of taking you past the Purnulu National Park, better known as the Bungle Bungles.

This year has seen very late and heavy rainfall, as the time to go approached none of the roads were open. Two hundred millimetres of rain fell on Broome just before we arrived, but the outlook further west was encouraging. McGee and two intrepid companions left Broome on the 7th of June. The Gibb River Road was open, but for access to the Mitchell Plateau the King Edward River needed to drop a fair bit. It had a few days to do it.

In Derby we visited the wetlands and sewage works, a fair test of the 4WD capability of our Toyota Prado. The covering of red mud that it acquired made us look especially authentic. We headed for Windjana Gorge for our first camp site … <NEXT>.

No brainer …

Miss Gillard will appear in the Women’s Weekly knitting a toy kangaroo for the royal baby …

The remarkable image … was not the magazine’s idea.

Instead, the concept of a cosy PM knitting a toy kangaroo – while in the company of her cavoodle Reuben – came directly from Ms Gillard’s own staff.

The Prime Minister’s chief press officer John McTernan is credited by the Weekly for coming up with the idea.

“It was a no-brainer,” Mr McTernan told the magazine.

No-brainer, what could I possibly add?

Back at the office …

Safe and sound, must find my blue tie and get down to work.

A quick scan of the news finds this very interesting headline …

Journo wanted to help priest abuse victims

… it seems an odd ambition even for a Fairfax journalist but in fact it’s abuse the noun not ab-use the verb.

I will soon get around to detailing my adventures in the Kimberley and the results of my quest for the Black Grasswren …

Out of office …

Ahh, and it feels good.

Melbourne Airport, heading for Broome. Expect nothing for three weeks.

By the time I get back the thought police will have had time to shut down the AFL and King Kong the musical. I won’t be here to defend them.

Instead I shall be off in the wilds of the Kimberley looking for the elusive Black Grasswren, sorry Indigenous Grasswren …

Stay well, photos when I get back.

Rob.

(Iron) Cross Dressing …

As a youngster going to court for the first time … to give evidence … I was given the advice, “Dress up, stand up, speak up.” I guess this guy was, too. I wonder how it will help his cause …

WASHINGTON — A New Jersey resident showed up in full Nazi uniform to a local court on Monday, charging that his political beliefs cannot legally be held against him as he fights to secure visitation rights to his son.

The father, Heath Campbell, named his children Adolf Hitler, Aryan Nation, Honzlynn and Heinrich Hons. Heinrich was taken into custody by social services in 2011, and Campbell is fighting for access.

He arrived at the court house in head-to-toe Nazi regalia, matching the swastika tattoo on his neck.