I am writing this lying in a our hammock in a campsite at the Mornington wilderness camp....at 800,000 + acres, its one of the largest non-government conservation areas in Australia, (and the world). Reached by driving down a pretty rough 90 km dirt road off the Gibb River Road, it is a spectacular area: savannah landscapes, the rugged Leopold ranges, and the Diamond and St John's gorges which feed into the Fitzroy river. During the wet season enough water runs through there to fill the sydney harbour in 21 hours, according to the info pack. It's one of the eco style resorts that seem to becoming more common in Australia, and especially in these remote areas....our capsite costs 30 bucks a night, but if you want you can get one of the luxury safari tents at $450 a night, and enjoy barrumundi and a bottle of wine in the restaurant....other perks for the well heeled are the chance to hire a single canoe to explore one of the gorges....only one is rented per day so you have it all to yourself...150 bucks for 2 including a picnic lunch....we are making do with our blow up lilo:) bliss is lying on this, with my hat and sunglasses on, listening to the myriad bird calls and watching the nature that teems around the water's edge....i dont get as far as you would in a canoe, but i dont spend 150 bucks either....
It seems like ages since we were up at Kooljaman at Cape Leveque and Middle Lagoon but it was only a couple of weeks ago. What beautiful places they are! I hope it doesnt sound cliched, but they really are special places. For anyone after a 2 week beach holiday, fly to Broome, rent a 4 wheel drive, and head up the road....infact, over half the 220kms Cape leveque road is blacktop (asphalt) now, and within a few years, its sure to be all done....currently none of tbe caravan crowd can make it, but that will soon all change...In both Kooljaman and Middle Lagoon, we rented the “beach shelters” ...check out the photo's.....simple palm leaf thatched shelters right on the beach, at Middle Lagoon your right at the waters edge. At night, sitting by the openfire, on sand as soft as talcum powder, under a fullmoon bigger and brighter than any i have ever seen before accompanied by a million stars, it felt like our own private heaven....then wake up in the morning to yet another blue sky, and walk 10 feet before diving into warm, crystal clear water to start another day of leisure. Mmmmmmmmmm:)
I should also mention the aboriginal communities that seem to be thriving in this area. We visited One Arm Point (OAP), and Lombardina, and both seemed to be lovely communities. Growing up in Melbourne, i really never saw or knew any aborigines, certaninly not where i was hanging out and i've speant most of the last 20 years living overseas. Reading about the situatiuon with the Aboriginals in Australia through the internet over the last few years, the situation is painted as being pretty bloody terrible, and i am pretty certain i will come across some examples as we travel around Oz, but not on the Dampier Pennisular. The shop at OAP had photo's of the schools kids with all the info in both the Bardi language and english, from their traditional dance day, and fishing trips and school lessons, and it all seemed so positive. At Middle Lagoon our kids spent the weekend playing with some local kids who attend the school in Beagle Bay....such beautiful, healthy open, smiley kids, Maeve and Ella had a great time running about and showing them their dolls and playthings, and they all played together beautifully. In the afternoon, the eldest aboriginal girl, probably around 11, gave Mave and Ella a little note she had written that read, “Dear Maeve and Ella, Thank you for letting us play with you and sharing your toys with us. Have a lovely trip around Australia”.....I was speechless...it really blew me away, and it reinforced the feeling of hope and healthy life that seemed to be present in the place....I so hope that little girl (and all of those children) continue to grow the way she has been and have every opportunity to be everything she can be. I know its only the tip of the iceberg, but if it can work here, surely we can make it work elsewhere.... And as the inferstructure improves, and the road comes in, and more and more tourists visit, hopefully the local owners will grow richer and stronger and healthier without destroying the beauty of the place....One key point, and a few fellow travellers have kind of warmed me to not be too optimistic , is that the whole area is dry, as in alcohol free....this really seems to be a key point....whether it's physiological, or cultural or whatever, alcohol and the aboriginals does not seem to work together. It does seem to be an all or nothing situation....From what i understand though from speaking with some locals, simply having the goverment ban aclohol does not work....its where the Elders from the Aboriginal society make the decision that it seems to work best, or so it seem in my limited travels so far. Lets hope this model can pe taken up by other communities across the country, as we slowly start to repair the damage thats been done.
Peace, Love Happiness to all,
Nik, Maeve, Ella and Duncan
