Where did the Art Gallery favourites go?

I was wandering around the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra recently as I was there for the “Turner from the Tate” exhibition. (It’s worth seeing, by the way). I usually like to go up to the early colonial painting section to look at the Australian landscapes - I enjoy the grandeur, the scope and the colour of a substantial landscape scene.  It was disappointing as some of my favourites were not there :(

I have found them plus a few others that have been in the NGA collection but not on show in Canberra for some time!!  They are up here in Darwin in an exhibition called “Capital and Country”.

The Museum and Art Gallery of NT is all in one and has free admission.  They have an excellent section on Cyclone Tracy, which devastated the city on Christmas Day, 1974; a natural history section; and an interesting little photographic exhibition called “Smalltown” by author, Tim Winton and photographer, Martin Mischkulnig. Fascinating place, really and I got to catch up with exhibitions I'd missed in Canberra!

Look at:

http://artsandmuseums.nt.gov.au/museums/exhibitions

http://nga.gov.au/Exhibition/CAPITAL/

http://www.naa.gov.au/visit-us/exhibitions/smalltown/index.aspx

We then met up with a homeschooling family at Dripstone Park and walked on the beach and rambled around the nearby cliff, had afternoon tea and then came back here for dinner.

The easier pace is suiting us right now :)

Never smile at a crocodile??

Well, Mark was getting close to kissing one, only to be told that if the croc kisses back, he might not like it.

He was in no danger, really.  It was a baby croc that they all got to hold -

they also helped to feed the big salt water crocs

and to enjoy crocodiles everywhere!

The Crocodylus Park here in Darwin is a great place to visit and has a small zoo as well.  We got to hear a lion warming up his voice - not a full roar but he certainly made sure we heard the rumble! 

After a few hours going through the displays and comprehensive museum, we then enjoyed a BBQ dinner with our neighbours.  They are up here doing work for the Presbyterian outreach into Palmerston.

P.S. Internet was slow tonight - took AGES to load the photos.  I just saw some comments awaiting my moderation too so thanks to those who wrote them :)

RDS and DPC

In case you are wondering, RDS stands for the Royal Darwin Show and that's where we were yesterday.  Funny, here we are in a capital city but it felt like a country show.  It was a bit hot for us southerners but there was some shade around as we watched some horse jumping, a Ford v Holden grass race duel, some African rappers, Zumba, circus tricks and a Canadian Lumberjack performance.  Must say, the Scouts have got good ideas and had a "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" treasure hunt where you go to 15 different stalls, get a pass stamped off and they fill up your bag with goodies.  Far better value than the host of show bags going around.  Mark got to hold a baby crocodile and a baby bunny (not at the same time...)  Some of the animals were interesting and bizarre! We didn't stay on for dinner and fireworks, it would have been too long (and expensive) a day.

DPC is for the Darwin Presbyterian Church, where we went this morning. It was great to be there and meet some friendly people.  One couple are involved in an offshoot congregation in Palmerston, so we will go there this afternoon for their evening service.  Apart from Stevie having an eye infection, most are on the mend.  There's lots to see and do in the Darwin area so we will take our time over the coming days to explore the coastline, waterparks, a croc farm, the military museum and anything else we can think of.  Suggestions most welcome :)

Some fun snaps from the show:

Mainly photos from WA to Litchfield Nat Park

Hoping to mainly have an entry of photos.  We were out of range for a couple of days in Litchfield National Park and it was great to do some walks and have waterfalls and water at the other end! I'll back track a little to the trip over from WA to upper NT.

The "infinity pool" at Lake Argyle, WA

Sunset with the HEMA Map and other people

Using the fire drum at Litchfield Safari Camp

Wangi Falls

The Lost City

Lake Argyle and Cruising...

Sunday was back in Kununurra and the Baptist church had a service outside under the trees. A group of guys went out on a 4WD excursion in the afternoon and Andrew was only too happy to join in!  Zac joined him and the rest of us took it easy back at the campsite.

On Monday, I went off on a cruise down the Ord River to Lake Argyle.  Andrew graciously arranged this for me and it was incredible!  The magic of the light off the water, the speedboat, the wildlife around (saw several fresh water crocs), and a fantastic guide who grew up on the water, was a brilliant combination.  I knew very little about the damming of  the Ord to make Australia’s biggest man-made lake. What they have done here is phenomenal and the irrigation at the upper end is helping the area progress agriculturally.  There was even a stop along the way and we got off and were served lunch. I am so thankful for this wonderful treat :)

Andrew met me at the other end as we moved to Lake Argyle to stay for a night.  We went up to a 4WD lookout for sunset and had a magnificent view of the Lake. Only 5 or so 4W Drives can go yo here and one of them happened to be a HEMA Map Patrol.  If I wasn’t sitting in MacDonald’s using their wiFi, I’d load up a photo to show you!

We are now stocking up in Katherine and passing straight through to Litchfield National Park, staying for a couple of days and then heading to Darwin.  Down to the last remnants of coughs and colds so hopefully, within a week, we’ll all be healthy for the first time!

Bungle Bungles

Friday had us heading out on another adventure - this time to the famous site of the Bungle Bungle Range in the Kimberleys.  It took almost 3 hours to get there, set up camp and then head into the National Park.  It's a one hour trek by 4WD into the Visitor's Centre from there and the road was quite rough.  By now, it was getting on the afternoon and sunset is not long after 5pm here!  We just had time for the Domes and Cathedral Gorge walks and then we'd be travelling back to camp in the dark.

What a view!  It is truly stunning here - one of the few places where a helicopter ride would give you so much more... Andrew was often walking ahead with Stephen and it's been great to see them having time just to chat as they walk.

 

and then on the next morning, we were up at 5.45am, had moved camp and then drove the hour back in to go on two walks - to Mini Palms Gorge and the Echidna Chasm. We did end up walking on part of the Escarpment too and that was my fault for not keeping up with the right directions.  I plead sickness at this point. Zac and I have had a bad head cold and cough and now Adam seems to have it.  We are marching on as best we can and, in the meantime, doing what we can manage.  At church today, they mentioned a 4WD excursion and Zac chose to accompany Andrew on that - he's a bit better today.

Down Days, Grey Nomads, backpackers

 We’ve had a couple of “down days” this week.  The rhythm has been one busy, one rest day.  With some still sick (and now I am getting a cough), we’ve had to slow the pace.  By doing that, we’ve actually gotten to know a couple of people here in the caravan park.

There’s the German backpacker who has been working up the road at a melon farm for the past three months to get his second year visa.  He’s 19 and lots of fun. The boys enjoy catching up with him each evening and he usually brings offerings - watermelon, honeydew and today, pumpkin!  There’s a retired couple that have been on the road for 18 months and now have been joined by their friends, just recently retired. We’ve had some nice chats with them and they seek out company by coming to the camp kitchen each evening. One of the men played for Collingwood for 4 years so Stephen has been enjoying the feast of sporting conversation.  We’ve had AFL, cricket, State of Origin, and more cricket on the TV at the kitchen and will have the Man U game plus maybe some more AFL when we return here...but I am getting ahead of myself...

Just before we arrived here, a whole stack of  French backpackers (30 odd) were evicted from the park for causing disturbances.  They also left the other camp kitchen in a pigsty. We are certainly glad we got here after that!

Today’s “down day” was a one hour trip to Wyndham-  I’ll write about that later as I want to get this up.  I also have pics I want to put up for that entry. Tomorrow, we are off to the Bungle Bungles so I might be off line for a bit.

The quest

Looking for a wilderness adventure? Seeing gorgeous gorges, waterfalls, natural springs?  Have some serious four wheel driving to do?

That sums up our day yesterday as we headed out to El Questro Wilderness Resort, just an hour from Kununurra.  We tried to get an early start, which baffled the caravan park owners - it would be too cold!  We reminded them that the night time temperatures here are the same as the day temps in Canberra. 

Emma Gorge was first on the list. The boys thought that this was the better one of the day.  Mark had a sore tummy so I ended up going back to the resort with him and waiting for the others to finish their trek.  We are hoping everyone is through this tummy wog now... He did pick up after an hour rest but was not his  usual 'spritely self' during the remainder of the day.

Next was Zebedee Springs.  The water in these pools was crystal clear and the temp stays at 32 degrees year round.  Everyone was crowded in here by mid morning as they shut down access at midday.  Apparently, this is for ecological reasons but I wonder if the same people were spread out throughout the day instead of being all bunched together at the start of the day whether it would make much difference, ecologically, that is?  It would certainly make a differnce to the enjoyment factor...

We decided to go to El Questro Gorge, have lunch and then go on a walk through it.  This time, the swimmers would be on and not back at the car and everyone was ready to go.  That was before Andrew saw the hazard signs on the 4WD trail that warned for high clearance being needed and a depth of half a metre for the upcoming water crossing. It was his first 4WD test and he was unsure.  Thankfully, a woman was coming through in the opposite direction at that moment and showed him it wasn’t so difficult.  She even let him know which sections were deeper and  gave the following encouragement - it’s fun!

He now “gets it”, why is 4WDing so appealing?  It’s that next level of toy, albeit an expensive power toy, and looking at his face, it comes with an adrenalin rush that’s priceless!

I loved El Questro Gorge.  It was lush and cool in there, water trickling through and then, starting to gather to and babble over stones and rocks. The last section, past the pool, involved clambering over rocks to a swimming hole behind.  Though we went, we had discarded our shoes at the earlier pool so this was hard going for the feet. It was lovely up there and such a wonderful way to end the day.

We came back and had our first takeaway meal for the trip.  I’ll try to remember to write about camp kitchens, grey nomads and backpackers another time.

Just a few pics

On the rope swing at Katherine Hot Springs

The Boab at Big Horse

Chasing sunsets

 One of the most majestic of moments in all of creation is a sunset.  I love them more than sunrise, not just because I have seen more of them, but because they are often more vivid.  There is a greater contrast in the colour and the clouds can make the pinks, oranges and reds dance across the sky.

Yesterday, as we were driving west, we had the longest sunset that I can remember.  It wasn’t one that painted the sky red, nevertheless, there was something beautiful about that soft, dusky light that just kept going and going.

Finally, we got beyond that and stopped for the night at Saddle Creek and then drove the last hour to Kununurra this morning.

When flying from Australia to overseas destinations, we have arrived at a time (locally) that was before we departed but this is the first time I’ve had that happen in the country!

It meant that we could make it to church this morning - at the Baptist Church.  Over half were visitors but we enjoyed the message (Daniel 8) and the fellowship there.

We are now working out what parts of the Kimberleys we want to spend some time in and how long we’ll be over in the West.  Will hopefully load some more photos...

Can't go without mentioning that I've had my moments on the trip too - I am not sleeping well and can get short tempered during the day as a result.  Please pray that I will get used to the caravan door banging when the kids go out to the amenities during the night and not wake up each and every time.  Please pray that we will make the most of our time.  We are generally holding up well but there's those times in confined spaces when we don't show our best side...

Katherine Gorge canoeing

We’re at the Nitmuluk National Park and I had to pinch myself when I got here - is this a campground or a resort?  The pool area would certainly have one questioning this!

We came here to do some walks and look at the picturesque and stunning Gorge.  This morning, Mark and I had an early morning walk up a steep, rocky path to get to the first lookout.  It was slightly reminiscent of Mt Taylor but the incline was much greater and the path was treacherous at times. All of that just means - we loved it!

Where were the others? Andrew took the car back into Katherine for a car service as we had already racked up 5000kms, some on dirt, and the boys were either sleeping or at the resort style pool.

I let them take it easy this morning because from 12.30pm onwards, we were hitting the water. There are four ways to see the Gorge - by helicopter, cruise boat, canoe or walking.  Of those, the ones on the water let you explore the scope and size of this natural wonder the best.  We were only able to get half day hire but that allowed us four hours on the water, with ample time to take a break at the end of the first gorge, look at some Aboriginal rock painting, have a bit of a swim in the river, and then come back.  I am so glad that we had done some canoeing in Forster this year.  Adam and I were able to pick up from that experience and work well together on our craft.  He got tired on the way back, but on the whole, I enjoyed having him as my partner and he did a fine job.  Andrew and Mark managed okay, even though he slacked off a bit at times...and the older two had a bun fight (literally).  We brought lunch with us in the canoes and they had an altercation.  It’s a shame this marred the day but these physical challenges do stretch all of us past our comfort zone and we have a lot to learn from them.

Tomorrow, we pull up stumps here, restock in town and then will head west. More daylight, warmer temperatures and wondrous creation to explore!

Mataranka moments

We had a big day of travel on Monday and got into Mataranka fairly late in the day. We were reminded it was worth a stop here and it gave us a little more time to be on our own before heading into Katherine.

Unfortunately, some of our boys had taken sick with a 24 hour gastro bug toward the end of the mission time. So, we ended up staying two nights in the Elsey National Park to relax...

Relax?  Well, we still went on a 4km walk to the Falls on Tuesday and for those recovering from illness, it did take a bit to do.  I had no such excuse at the Falls.  I couldn’t plead sickness, I couldn’t plead temporary insanity (maybe, actually) for what happened next.  I was at the top of the Falls (which really were so small) and I wanted to walk out onto a rock and get a photo from the top.  I hadn’t pulled the camera out yet but had in my mind’s eye what I was going to frame...when...I just disappeared under the water.  Laugh, I know, it is funny except that I fell straight onto sharp, jagged pumice type stone and cut up my leg and have big bruises down my back.  My sisters will remember another time when I mistook slimy stuff for solid rock - I don’t look sometimes!

Well, that could not be my only experience of the Falls or any of the water at Mataranka, for that matter, so I went in and had a quick swim. We moved on to the Thermal Pool, a place called "Stevie's Hole" and Bitter Springs later in the day.  Didn’t get out of our swimsuits until past dinner time.  It was so lovely in the water!

That left us with a short one hour drive to Katherine today and after two days of being in the bush, we’re happy to have power and to be in a caravan park today. Everyone seems well bur not everyone in the family has had this thing so we are keeping to ourselves for now.

The last day together...

Yesterday, Sunday, we had bacon and eggs for breakfast. Those of you who know Andrew well will realise how significant this is for him! It was a fitting last breaky together and there was time before the church service to have a fuller meal.

The service at Borroloola AIM church was similar to other indigenous churches in that there’s a time of singing and then a time of sharing. Perhaps it is a cultural thing because the Aboriginal people are a “story based” culture. It is certainly different from what we are used to.

After lunch, we escaped the heat by going down to the river.  It looks SOOO inviting and unfortunately is the last place you can cool off - unless you want it to be the last place that you experience... the waters are infested with crocodiles!  We found some shade, talked with one another, read books, the kids played games and some spent time singing and practising songs on guitars and a violin.  It was a relaxed, informal time and I loved it.

We had an early dinner that night because the evening church meeting was to start at 6pm.  Some of the church leaders came and had dinner with us. We didn’t get to the church until 7pm but as I mentioned, time is fluid here. This time the singing and sharing happened by a campfire.

Afterwards, we came back and the rest of the team were getting organised for an early get away this morning.  Goodbyes were a bit rushed but somehow easier that way. We will miss being with this team as they go on to other indigenous communities in outback Queensland for one more week but are so thankful for the time we have had together and the bonds that have been formed.

Some pics

Kids hit it off straight away and have played handball everywhere they can.  

Alleys are pros at these tours with a custom made trailer, well organized for meal prep.

Zac learned how to make swords and the local kids loved getting dogs, giraffes, kangaroos and sword balloons.

A government run program was operating while we were in Canteen Creek and the kids were painting a mural.

Church compound in Canteen Creek.  Boys played footy there plus up at the dirt AFL oval.  Church services, bible study and other activities were run from here.

Friendly hey? Adam enjoys the Arts Centre in Borroloola

Borroloola and Bing Bong Brilliance

The trip has taken on a different feel here in Borroloola.  With school holidays and NAIDOC week, the community has not been the same.  We ended up staying at the caravan park down the road, rather than at the church, as the mission house has fallen into disrepair.  Being separate from “the action” and having more time to ourselves has meant we have been able to catch our breath, get laundry done and do some sightseeing.

On Saturday, we went to an Arts Centre in the morning and saw examples of local paintings, carvings, beadwork and other rock paintings and sculptures.  We also went down to the footy.  Lots of teams play in a shortened AFL game format throughout the day. Families sit under the trees, in the back of utes, and on the ground, barracking loudly and whole family seems to be present.

In the afternoon, we went for a drive.

 I said to Adam, “Come on, we’re going to the Gulf.”

 He replied, “Do I get to play?”

“Not golf... the GULF of Carpentaria.”

The section we went to was called Bing Bong and there’s a mine loading facility there.  A ship was being loaded up (Whether with Zinc, iron ore or some other metal, we weren't sure) and other ships were probably waiting beyond the horizon for their turn.

We also learned a bit about bush tucker. Having an Aborginal family on the trip has enriched our experiences. Mick showed us that a worm, called Cobra had worked its way through a tree/shrub and decimated it.  He opened up some of the rotting wood and found some still burrowed into it.  I ate one - it was salty and slimy; like an oyster in texture.

We still had devotion and sharing time around the fire at night, which was great.

Tomorrow is church and some of the local leaders may come out and share a meal with us.  I’ll write about that another day.

By the still waters of Elliot

On Thursday, we rose before the sun, left Canteen Creek and  travelled to a small township, Elliot, which is half way between Tennant Creek and Katherine.  Here, we were meeting with one family and what better place to do this than by a beautiful waterhole.  It took most of the day to get there, and the last 10-12 kms were on a dirt track but it was a stunning place.

The family we met with are the only Christians in this community - I can't imagine that situation and the burdens it creates.  They seem to be fairly active in the community and always have children they are caring for.  That is an interesting facet of Aboriginal communities we have visited out here.  A father and mother may not necessarily be married and they can easily be raising several children that are not their own.  The sense of community is broader than the nuclear family but situations arise where care by others becomes necessary, for the welfare of those children.

Watching the sun go down over the water at the end of the day was majestic.  After several nights in tents at Canteen Creek, it was great to have our caravan back (we picked it up in Tennant on the way back through) to be sleeping there! Maybe I am just soft...

Canteen Creek Communiqué

After almost a full day of travel, mainly on dirt roads, we reached Canteen Creek - a small Aboriginal community outside of Tennant Creek.  We stayed at the mission house located just outside of town and then walked wherever we needed to go.

How do I paint this scene? The houses are well constructed, or were originally, often from rudimentary materials, but now are in a run down condition.  Old, neglected cars litter the streets and dogs just roam the neighbourhood and some can be “cheeky”. This is a local description for a dangerous dog. The red dirt is everywhere and at this time of year, it is whipped up into dust as the wind relentlessly rushes through. Some locals are just hanging about outside their houses or in small groups and the children run around freely, barefooted.

Most of this was not a shock to us - partly because we had seen similar scenes of indigenous communities from Andrew’s parents’ time in Uganda and yet, it takes on another dimension when it is a personal experience.

On Tuesday, we went down to the church compound in the morning to play games with the kids and just to let them know we would be around for a day or two. The joy on the faces of those children will stay with me. Kicking a ball around, skipping rope, singing some songs and talking with the children - such natural things to share in together and yet, something they don’t always experience. We came back after lunch and spent another session with them.  This time, the kids from our group presented a bible story and later in the afternoon, some of the indigenous ladies came for a Bible Study.

Wednesday saw more children come, even though we were told more would be away at the show in Alice Springs.  Word spreads and some children invited others to come.  We had some older kids on the second day and the boys loved going back to their dirt AFL ground to kick the footy around with the burgeoning numbers. Some of the ladies went down to the Arts Centre where we looked at many of the paintings that had been completed on canvas. The variety and skill of these ladies was impressive - I wished I had a bigger budget and could buy more.  It was so uplifting to see that some of the women meet together and use their talents in this way.  Wednesday night was also mid week church night.  We started after 5, had extended singing and then one of the guys got up to give a short message just as two couples arrived to join us, so we had another lot of singing afterwards as well.

The church there did go through a revival last year but more recently, the many of the people have gone back to Tennant Creek which holds the attractions of football, gambling and being able to drink. Though this is discouraging and disheartening for the community, it won’t be until the month long school holidays end and more families return that they will have a true picture of where people now stand. Mission work here has its joys but it seems to be all consuming and relentless. I admire the passion and dedication of those who are working alongside the indigenous communities full time. It is easy for us, “popping in and out”, whereas they deal with the daily struggles of partnering with the people.

When we left before dawn on Thursday, I was sad to go. I really wanted to spend longer there. I'll write about the rest of the week soon.  We are in Borroloola for a few days now.