THE PENTACOST RIVER
July 21st
Whilst I was deciding where to next I wanted to photograph the Pentacost River crossing on the Gibb River Rd which is about 30km further on from El Questro. I decided to head out from Kununurra for the night. I arrived at the crossing at about 4pm. Wow this is a beautiful spot with the Cockburn Ranges directly behind once you have crossed the river. I pulled up at the crossing and the first word that came to mind was SHIT!!!!This is a big crossing and I had no idea how deep it was but was told I should be OK. Yeah great they’re not the ones that would get stuck if it was too deep for little Suzie. Anyhow I waited for someone to cross first and decided I would have a go. A guy fishing on the bank also confirmed that it wouldn’t be a problem. Here goes nothing and I went across in low range 4 wheel drive so I wouldn’t be tempted to speed up at all. We pottered along nice and slowly and my heart was pounding but it was fine. There is one rather deep spot initially but then its not to bad for the rest of the crossing. We were through and the view from this side was just spectacular. I had a look around and got myself set up for the shots I wanted to take and while I was doing this a vehicle came part way through the crossing and stopped. 2 people got out and went for a swim in the deep part of the crossing. Now this is pretty stupid as there are crocs in this river and bloody big ones. I have attached a photo of them in the river swimming.
After I had finished photographing this side I went back over the other side and got some nice shots and when it was getting very dark and I was just about to pack up my camera gear a large truck came up to the water and drove in and parked. I was a bit miffed as to what they were doing and just watched thinking it may be a photo opportunity and it was. I found out later that these aboriginals about 6 of them were mustering cattle in the area. They were filling the truck with water so they could take it back to their camp site which was just up the road a little. A young girl about 20 came and spoke to me while I was photographing the truck and told me her partner was one of the musterers and she was the cook for them all. I asked her about the crocs as these guys were in the water sorting the truck and she said it was ok here but down a little further in a deep spot is where they all hung and not that long ago a camper in a tent set up too close to the bank was attacked in the middle of the night but luckily they were not hurt. The guys were gone all day and she was left on her own at the camp. She was telling me that she was born in Kununurra and her father was white and mother aboriginal. I asked her if it was hard for her growing up and she said her fathers family disowned him and didn’t want to know about her when she was born and still don’t. She was very sad about this as she wanted to meet them all. Her mothers family took them all in and taught her the ways of the land and traditions. She seemed like a nice girl and very friendly. She mentioned about the alcohol problem in town and how bad it was with the aboriginals and I agreed and said that in some towns it was scary. After they had left for their camp I headed back across the other side to set up camp for the night.
July 21st
Whilst I was deciding where to next I wanted to photograph the Pentacost River crossing on the Gibb River Rd which is about 30km further on from El Questro. I decided to head out from Kununurra for the night. I arrived at the crossing at about 4pm. Wow this is a beautiful spot with the Cockburn Ranges directly behind once you have crossed the river. I pulled up at the crossing and the first word that came to mind was SHIT!!!!This is a big crossing and I had no idea how deep it was but was told I should be OK. Yeah great they’re not the ones that would get stuck if it was too deep for little Suzie. Anyhow I waited for someone to cross first and decided I would have a go. A guy fishing on the bank also confirmed that it wouldn’t be a problem. Here goes nothing and I went across in low range 4 wheel drive so I wouldn’t be tempted to speed up at all. We pottered along nice and slowly and my heart was pounding but it was fine. There is one rather deep spot initially but then its not to bad for the rest of the crossing. We were through and the view from this side was just spectacular. I had a look around and got myself set up for the shots I wanted to take and while I was doing this a vehicle came part way through the crossing and stopped. 2 people got out and went for a swim in the deep part of the crossing. Now this is pretty stupid as there are crocs in this river and bloody big ones. I have attached a photo of them in the river swimming.
After I had finished photographing this side I went back over the other side and got some nice shots and when it was getting very dark and I was just about to pack up my camera gear a large truck came up to the water and drove in and parked. I was a bit miffed as to what they were doing and just watched thinking it may be a photo opportunity and it was. I found out later that these aboriginals about 6 of them were mustering cattle in the area. They were filling the truck with water so they could take it back to their camp site which was just up the road a little. A young girl about 20 came and spoke to me while I was photographing the truck and told me her partner was one of the musterers and she was the cook for them all. I asked her about the crocs as these guys were in the water sorting the truck and she said it was ok here but down a little further in a deep spot is where they all hung and not that long ago a camper in a tent set up too close to the bank was attacked in the middle of the night but luckily they were not hurt. The guys were gone all day and she was left on her own at the camp. She was telling me that she was born in Kununurra and her father was white and mother aboriginal. I asked her if it was hard for her growing up and she said her fathers family disowned him and didn’t want to know about her when she was born and still don’t. She was very sad about this as she wanted to meet them all. Her mothers family took them all in and taught her the ways of the land and traditions. She seemed like a nice girl and very friendly. She mentioned about the alcohol problem in town and how bad it was with the aboriginals and I agreed and said that in some towns it was scary. After they had left for their camp I headed back across the other side to set up camp for the night.
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