Tour: Windjana Gorge, Lillimooloora Police Station and Tunnel Creek |
Notes: Windjana Gorge -
Lillimooloora Police Station Our trip to the Kimberley was to include the Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek National Parks but when we got to the turn off we found one of our caravan shock absorbers was dragging on the ground. After some other travellers, temporarily fixed the problem for us we decided to drive on to Derby and get the problem fixed properly. The road was not in good condition so we decided to take a tour bus instead of driving back ourselves to see the Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek National Parks. The bus was a brute of a truck with massive tyres, just what was needed for this trip. It was still a very bumpy ride there and back. Our driver, a local had just taken over the operation of the tour and kept us entertained and informed during the journey. We meet our 'on ground' guide for the day at Winjana Gorge, he is an aboriginal elder who told us about his upbringing and the history of the area, focusing on the aboriginal fighter, Jandamarra. It was a relaxed day, with many highlights including seeing lots of freshwater crocodiles up-close, wading through the tunnel, getting only our feet wet, stunning scenery and great commentary. A great day out! |
Map: Tour |
Part 1: Windjana Gorge | ||
Map: Windjana Gorge | ||
Windjana Gorge was gazetted as a National
Park in November 1971 because of the need to protect and preserve its
natural attractions and to offer facilities to its many visitors.
The park covers over 2000 hectares including
Lillimooloora Police Station ruins
and is situated 145 kilometres east of Derby and 150 kilometres north
west of Fitzroy Crossing. (Information source - Department of Conservation and Land Management) |
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On the Gibb River Road east of Derby | A Boab tree stands out in the bush | Lots of Boabs |
Bush, quite sparse. | A very large Boab | Our Bus: We stopped here for a photo break |
A very large Boab | Open bush | Termite mounds, on higher ground |
Termite mounds | This road was very rutted; graders came though a few days later. | Termite mounds |
Flood plains, too wet for trees when it rains | Interesting bush | Our turn-off |
The gorge ahead | Morning Tea | Our On-ground guide, a local Aboriginal Elder |
Welcome ceremony | We all pass through the smoke | Explaining the tour |
Walk Notes | Windjana Gorge view | Windjana Gorge view |
Bower Bird nest | Entering the Windjana Gorge | Entering the Windjana Gorge |
Entering the Windjana Gorge | Safety sign.. Someone got bitten by a crocodile a few days later due to stupidity...take notice | Rock walls overhang the walk |
First view of the river, is that a crocodile down there? | Overhanging rock walls | Towering cliff face |
Overhanging rock walls | Overhanging rock walls | Information sign... fossils abound in the limestone cliffs |
Yes, we found a fossil. | Yes, a crocodile! | Oh, lots of crocodiles |
crocodiles galore! | A big crocodile | There must be 20 plus over there! |
Freshwater crocodile | Many freshwater crocodiles | Many freshwater crocodiles |
Close-up freshwater crocodile | Close-up freshwater crocodile | Dragonfly |
Close-up freshwater crocodile | Freshwater crocodile | Close-up freshwater crocodile |
What large teeth you have! | Close-up freshwater crocodile | Close-up freshwater crocodile |
Freshwater crocodile | View up the Gorge | View down the Gorge |
View down the Gorge | View down the Gorge | View up the Gorge |
View down the Gorge | View down the river | View down the river |
Crocodile | Crocodile | More crocodiles |
Crocodile | Crocodile | The last crocodile |
View down the Gorge | View down the Gorge | View down the Gorge |
View down the Gorge | A sitting rock giant | Your Bus needs tyres this big in this country |
LPS | ||
Back Top | ||
Part 2:
Lillimooloora Police Station
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In the 1890s an Aboriginal man
named Jandamarra, often referred to as 'Pigeon', gained a notoriety that
rivaled that of the Kelly Gang in Victoria. Using the caves and surroundings of
Windjana Gorge and
Tunnel Creek as hideouts, he led
an organised armed rebellion by Kimberley Aboriginal people against
European settlers. These activities prevented pastoralists from opening
up a large part of the Kimberley for some time. Aboriginal people in the Kimberley were
dispossessed of their land by pastoralists, deprived of their
traditional hunting areas and forced to work on the stations. If they
were charged with spearing sheep or cattle, they were chained around the
neck and walked to Derby, where they worked off their sentences in
chains. Jandamarra was a Bunuba Aborigine who lived in
the Napier and Oscar Ranges for most of his life. During his early
contact with Europeans, while working on stations and while in gaol for
spearing sheep, he became a highly skilled horseman and marksman.
However, the stint in jail interrupted his tribal education, and he was
not properly trained in the Law. On his return home, he was effectively
banished from Bunuba society because of having broken strict kinship
rules that prohibited sexual relations with particular women. After befriending another loner, the Police
Constable Richardson, Jandamarra became an unofficial tracker for the
police. During a patrol of the Napier Ranges with Richardson, Jandamarra
helped to capture a large group of his kinsmen and women. But over the
next few days, while they were held at Lillimooloora Police Post, his
tribal loyalties gained the upper hand. He shot Richardson, stole some
guns and set the captives free. On November 10, 1894 Jandamarra and his
followers attacked a party of five Europeans who were driving cattle to
set up a large station in the heart of Bunuba land. Two of them, Burke
and Gibbs, were killed at
Windjana Gorge. This was the first
time that guns were used against European settlers in an organised
fashion. In late 1894 a group of 30 or so heavily armed
police and settlers attacked Jandamarra and his followers, who had
staked out Windjana Gorge in readiness. Jandamarra was seriously wounded
and was believed to have died. However, the police then embarked on a
military-style operation against Aboriginal camps around Fitzroy
Crossing. Many Aboriginal people were killed, despite none being
identified as rebels. For three years, Jandamarra tried to
defend his lands and his people against police and white settlers. His
vanishing tricks became legendary. At one point a police patrol managed
to follow him to his hideout at the entrance to the Cave of Bats (Tunnel
Creek) when word was received that
he had raided Lillimooloora Police Post during their absence. Jandamarra
was held in awe by other Aboriginal people as a magical person who could
"fly like a bird and disappear like a ghost". They believed he was
immortal, his body simply a physical manifestation of a spirit that
resided in a water soak near
Tunnel Creek. Only an Aboriginal
person with similar mystical powers could kill him. The tide finally turned in favour of the
police, when they recruited a remarkable black tracker from the Pilbara,
known as Micki. Micki was said to possess magical powers and did not
fear Jandamarra. Jandamarra was finally tracked down and killed by Micki
at
Tunnel Creek on April 1, 1897,
finally ending the battle for Bunuba lands.
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A quick bus trip to the
old ruins of the Lillimooloora Police Station |
Then a short walk | The usual safety sign |
Our guide talks about the Jandamarra story | From the Aboriginal viewpoint | Ruins of
the Lillimooloora Police Station |
Ruins of the Lillimooloora
Police Station |
Ruins of the Lillimooloora
Police Station |
Ruins of the Lillimooloora
Police Station |
Ruins of the Lillimooloora
Police Station |
Looking back to the ruins | Onto Tunnel Creek National Park |
Back Top | ||
TC | ||
Part 3: Tunnel Creek | ||
Map: Possible Tunnel Creek Walk Path | ||
Tunnel Creek flows through a water worn tunnel beneath the limestone of
the Napier Range, part of the 375 to 350 million-year-old Devonian Reef
system. You can walk 750 metres through the tunnel to the other side of
Napier Range, wading through several permanent pools and watching for
bats and the stalactites that descend from the roof in many places.
The Yellow-lipped Bat, found only in the Kimberley, has been little
studied but apears to be a strict cave dweller. The Orange leaf-nose bat
named for its golden fur prefers limestone caves which provide warmth
and humidity to help maintain its body temperature when resting. Unlike
other bats, Orange leaf-nosed bats do not huddle together to keep warm.
Many of these bats are particularly sensitive to disturbance. Ghost bats
and the orange leaf-nosed bat may abandon their refuges if too much
artificial light penetrates the cave.
The tunnel is up to 12 metres high and 15 metres wide in parts. Near the
centre of the cave the roof has collapsed and is an excellent place to
observe the colony of fruit bats. Take a torch, wear sneakers and be
prepared to get wet and possibly cold.
Tunnel Creek follows a prominent joint through the limestone. A old
river valley on top of the range formed at a time when the climate was
wetter, and the water table (the level to which rock beneath the surface
is saturated with ground water) was higher. Erosion has since exhumed
the reef, preserving the old river course.
The presence of underground pools along the floors of the cave is due to
the water table being just below the present erosion surface. Water only
flows through the cave after prolonged heavy rain during the wet season.
During the dry season, water dripping from the roof of the caves and
onto the floor precipitates calcite to form stalactites and stalagmites,
or flows down the walls to form curtains of flowstones.
(Information source - Department of Conservation and Land
Management) |
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Tunnel Creek NP coming into view | Tunnel Creek NP car park | Information area |
Walking into Tunnel Creek Caves area | The usual risk sign | Tunnel Creek scenery |
Signs telling the Jandamarra story | Signs telling the Jandamarra story | Our guide talking about the local area |
Grinding stone | Walking down into the cave | Amazing rock, looks like Jasper |
The start of the cave walk, time to get our feet wet | The start of the cave walk | The start of the cave walk - looking back |
The start of the cave walk - looking back | Limestone- stalactites | Half way through the cave at the roof collapse |
Half way through the cave at the roof collapse | Roof collapse, looking out | Flying Foxes in the trees |
Heading on | More stalactites | More stalactites - close-up |
The end comes into view | The end comes into view | The end comes into view |
The end comes into view | The end comes into view | Creek flowing into the cave system |
Creek view | Creek view | Looking back into the cave entrance |
Heading back in to retrace our steps | More stalactites | Retracing our steps |
The roof collapse area | The roof collapse area | Almost back at the start |
Almost back at the start | In the bus and just exiting the Tunnel NP | The graders are coming |
We pass them by ... the same old horrible road | Heading to Derby | Heading to Derby |
Heading to Derby | Heading to Derby | Heading to Derby |