Went Wandering in Western Australia

[Zichar]

i enjoy this thread alot

Ah thanks for dropping by! I've been behind some of the uploads. I look, think, dream and before I know it, I've run out of time to process and post

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No more walking said she who must be obeyed
So we drove around the rock, stopping at points of interest, carvings and paintings
Mt Augustus lie within the lands of the Wadjari tribe and is known to them as Burringurrah
The story of its origin is admittedly, mysterious and enchanting:

An excerpt from the Dept of Environment and Conservation's brochure

The Burringurrah story

In the Dreaming, a boy called Burringurrah was undergoing his initiation into manhood. The rigours of this process so distressed him that he ran away, thereby breaking Aboriginal law. Tribesmen pursued the boy, finally catching up with him and spearing him in the upper right leg as his punishment.

Burringurrah fell to the ground; the spearhead broke from its shaft and protruded from his leg. The boy tried to crawl away but was hit with a mulgurrah (fighting stick).
Burringurrah collapsed and died, lying on his belly with his left leg bent up beside his body. You can see his final resting pose when you approach Mount Augustus from the south.

The geological fracture lines at the western end of the mount indicate the wounds inflicted by the mulgurrah. Look for the spear stump in his leg that today is called Edney’s Lookout.

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[Zichar]

The adrenaline faded from our veins as we settled into a post-lunch lethargy
We met a few other vehicles at the stops though where they put up for the night was a mystery
River gums were the dominant trees, on whose branches were sheltered white cockatoos
Pure luck that my dad looked up and spotted one, and from that we counted almost 50 perched around us!

In one of final stops before circumnavigating the rock, we ended at the Cattle Pool
Named for the time when cattle drives would bring them here for a drink and rest
The watering hole was also known to the Wadjarri
Though the tourist info plague was perhaps more ominous without aiming to do so
Telling of the spirits that lay in the water, and how throwing a stone in to settle the ripples and appease them before use

Though warned that it may be dry, turned out to be rather full
Murky green water impenetrable to light, avocado shake I likened it to
Movement in the boughs and leaves, the same gentle breeze lapping at the pool's surface
The almost perceptible sibilant sighs were positively creepy
I was the only one who wanted to go near the water's edge
And yes, I threw a rock in first and waited for a reaction

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[Zichar]

At Emu Hill Lookout, vantage point for the whole rock
Definitely skippable in my books
It was rather amusing, when a beat up jalopy came peeling down the gravel road curve
And intuition must have made the driver notice, the droop of our shoulders, the look of boredom and disappointment
The car peeled away without stopping

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[Zichar]

Accidental wildlife spotting was a charm on its own
We almost ran over the first one, a huge monitor that slinked into the sides of the road
And stopped for the next

I got out of the vehicle and tracked it as it slowly made its way to the shrubbery
Emboldened, I followed it into the sides, until it buried itself under a low bush, immobile

Jim told me later on that it was foolhardy to engage a Bungarra that way
They attack when cornered, charging ferociously with sharp claws and blinding quick speed
The Outback way to deal with this was to quickly lie flat, as they will attempt to climb up to reach the assailant's face
Wasn't sure how that'd work, but I doubt I'd want to try!

Sand monitor Varanus gouldi

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[Zichar]

Drove back and messed around near Jim's equipment
Found out he used to work with an earth mover company
Lots of odds and ends in his sheds;
Petrol was stored in barrels and hand-pumped/cranked into our suv
10 cranks = 1 liter or so I was charged for... hmm

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[nemesis32]

Very nice series... gonna steal your itinerary if i going there for holidays

 

[Zichar]

I hauled myself away from the breakfast table to take this just for laughs
Sitting in front of the property, on amusing juxtaposition of impossible elements - a payphone booth in the middle of the Outback!

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[Zichar]

Back at the breakfast table, Jim told us his secret:
There's gold in thar hills!
As it is, he's got a surveyor and a team of earth movers camped out back
Figuring out the best way to get alluvial gold with the least effort

With faint relief, I thought of yesterday
Wandering the ridge for a sunset photography opportunity
Shooing roaming cattle away, placing large uncertain footsteps to avoid meadow muffins and patties
When a loud shout into the air left us frozen in our tracks, alarmed looks at each other
Distinctly human, but it couldn't be
I guess it must be the men...

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[Zichar]

And so we paid up and left, promising to give him a call when we arrived at our next destination
As proof that we made our way out well and alive
The desolate landscape whizzed by and I watched tumbleweeds move in start stop stutter
Many a solitary tree passed us by but I thought my companions would not tolerate a stop into the scorching unknown
But the temptation proved much too strong, and I signalled my intent to the driver at the next best opportunity

Breaking my own series to have this in bnw
At the crossroads in a post-apocalyptic desert

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[MGohzxc]

#170 is a very beautiful black and white shot. Nice tones and I love the composition with the cross road in between the trees. Nice thread too.

 

[fibredrive]

Very nice shots.

Took me awhile to get here, just appreciating your images.

am headed to Perth and Margaret River this June. hope to get some nice shots like yours too. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Zichar]

#170 is a very beautiful black and white shot. Nice tones and I love the composition with the cross road in between the trees. Nice thread too.

Thanks Manita, am happy that turned out well too; emulated my fav tri-X 400. I've been keeping an eye on your threads too, you're good

Very nice shots.

Took me awhile to get here, just appreciating your images.

am headed to Perth and Margaret River this June. hope to get some nice shots like yours too. Thanks for sharing.

Ah just spoke to my friend last night as he's going down June 10 to 22, giving him tips and pointers. The north can get ... rough. Not sure if I'd do it again with my folks again. Managed to persuade him for the south - Margaret River down to Albany

 

[fibredrive]

Ah just spoke to my friend last night as he's going down June 10 to 22, giving him tips and pointers. The north can get ... rough. Not sure if I'd do it again with my folks again. Managed to persuade him for the south - Margaret River down to Albany

cool. i will be there from 16th to 23rd June. maybe i will meet him along margaret river!

 

[Zichar]

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[keehui]

Kalbarri was where we were to put up for the night
We took a wrong turn and came through inland via the North West Coastal Highway
The alt route which hugs the coast is much more scenic

Our unit at the seafront villas were on the
Upper floor of a two storey block
Heaving grunts and groans as we shuffled the luggage upstairs
A pleasant view though, overlooking the river jetty
Was much too tired to go out and had wanted to conserve energy
For a spot of squid jigging at night

Standing on the balcony however
My ears strained to hear
Like the drone of planes, booming waves in a distance
From this vantage point, I could see the tall spray

Stifling a sigh, I reached out for my bag
It wouldn't hurt to see what that's about... famous last words

Grab shot from beside the car, birds coming in for the evening

The ubiquitous Galah
Eolophus roseicapilla

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I like this!!!!

 

[blueskye168]

Many:heart:shots you've:thumbsup:

Of cause not forgetting those vast:bigeyes:and:heart:landscape pics...Awesome...lah:bsmilie:

 

[Zichar]

I like this!!!!

Thanks for dropping by

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The ghost of past mistakes grabbed me roughly and pinned me down
Try as I might to explain about fuel consumption, range and distance remaining till our next town
The fuel gauge needle hovering at a quarter, pointed ominously at my direction
Other companions nodding disapprovingly, clucking tongues
No more exploring until further top up

And so we sped towards Cue, which was nothing to my expectations
When the earth stopped giving, the ore diminishing
The highway and roads bypassed the town,
Taking away business, traffic and opportunity

Humming the soundtrack to the Alamo, we cruised the dry dusty main road devoid of cars and pedestrians
Storefronts with shuttered windows and doors, dirty stained glass with finger graffiti
It was to be a new experience for us - staying at a sheep shearing station
Just 8 minutes from town, the sheep have long gone

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[Zichar]

Thanks blueskye168!

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The zinc thatched building used to serve as shelter for transient sheep shearers
Built like a large dorm with multiple rooms and creaky beds, it was basic accommodations
Large kitchen outdoors in a separate building, toilets and showers as well

Naked bulbs hung from the ceiling, a lights-out after dark sign hung from the switches
Floating motes of dust sparkled in the rays of sunlight that pierced through the shade
Commendable effort to make the place more homely, but
with just us four in a place meant for sixteen without locks on doors:
Decidedly creepy

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[Zichar]

We did meet the young daughter in law of the station owner
She had a distinctive Brissy accent and a charming naive disposition
Punctuating almost all her sentences with a chirpy Yeah
From what I gather, her husband tames brumbies
Her time spent with her fav prize Brahman, an impressive Zebu
Groomed for the Royal Perth Show

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[Zichar]

I don't remember doing much for the rest of the day
Hazy recollections of playing with the farm dog
and heading out to the store for frozen dinners
Even that proved to be less palatable; only two options for a meal
Chose to have greasy fare at the nearby roadhouse diner

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