DIARY OF AN AUSSIE WOMBAT: GOOD BYE BIRDWOOD HELLO WINDJANA GORGE

WINDJANA GORGE

WINDJANA NATIONAL PARK

AND TUNNEL CREEK HOME OF JANDAMARRA THE WARRIOR

Dave and dad drove a really long way with Dianne and mum talking on the UHF radio about oncoming vehicles, caravans and big graders that were trying to take all the corrugations out of the road, getting it ready for the masses of travellers heading West and not East like we were. Dave told me most of the people in caravans leave Kakadu (where we are not going this time) and head West to the more touristy spots in West Australia. We arrived at Windjana Gorge and it was truly beautiful. It cost $12 per vehicle entry into the park but that covered you for other park entries if you wanted to drive around and visit other parks, but dad said we still had to pay the entry fee only once but another $12 per person per night, we decided to stay three nights with Dianne and Dave deciding to stay four and agreed to catch up with them at the next National Park.

We found a really nice shady spot with some morning sun for the solar panels so they could charge up the batteries. We checked out the showers and toilets because dad said that was the reason they charged, to pay the cleaners and to take care of the place. Understandable... We met Rod the park ranger who told us that the camping site to the left was 'generator friendly' and the campsite to the right was called the 'quiet campground' where no generators were allowed. Dave, Dianne, dad, mum and I don't need a generator so we were in the quiet campground.

Later in the afternoon we took a short walk down to the information bay, and there we found out we could find a fossil or two in the ancient granite rocks. As we had made the rule if we arrive at our camp after 1pm, we just set up take a short walk, then relax for the remainder of the day taking the opportunity to plan other activities for the rest of our stay. We took some photos from the info bay and I told dad to stand to the right of a particular sign... when we went through the photos that night dad just looked at me and said "oh, ha ha... who's a smarty pants wombat?" (I told dad to stand near the "Relics of the past" sign.. ha ha).

The stars that night were bright as and started at the East horizon just peeping over the gorge, and was like a fancy mosaic filling the night sky with brilliant shining diamonds far away. We looked to the West where the land was not as hilly and saw more stars just on that horizon too. Australia is an awesome place with constellations and galaxies one could only dream about if you haven't been here and seen them. Mums' sister said "we are really in big sky territory now"... she wasn't kidding!

The next day turned out to be a monumental day for all of us, but especially for mum. We took the long walk down through a small tunnel and found a fossil of a sea creature when this was the bottom of the ocean millions of years ago. We saw a group of people and two First Nation persons and two of their kids who were very shy indeed. The team from Sydney's "Sunrise" morning show were there, taking photos, videoing and using one of those hover buzzy sky videos to film from up high. It was loud and annoying with dad saying 'there goes the serenity'... mum told him to hush as they would be finishing soon. We got closer to the shore and dad was looking down into the river the elder of the two First Nation Aborigines came up to dad and said. "What you looking at?" Dad remembered what mum had told him about 'respect' and did not look him in the eye but pointed down and said in a loud voice "Archer fish".. The Elder I don't know what his Aboriginal name but he said 'ah, yeah.. the fish'. Ian said 'G'day'.. and came back up to where mum and I were watching the sunlight reflect off the water and the colours of the granite changing colour as the sun hit the cliffs.

By this time the younger of the First Nation people came up to Dillon and sat beside him. Turns out that J.T is Dillon's son and the two kids are J.T's kids. The team from Sunrise turned to J.T and said something about knowing indigenous people in another place.. J.T laughed "there's no black fellas there!" One of the lady journalists asked what about (name withheld) J.T laughed again and Dillon just shook his head looking at the sand and moving the pebbles with his hand. J.T said "Everyone who is born in Australia is indigenous... but not all of them are First Nation". Mum who was not looking in that direction turned and looked at J.T with her eyes slightly down smiled and nodded in agreement. J.T smiled and nodded back.

The Sunrise camera man came over and talked with J.T for a little while and they walked away. Mum was just starting to walk back with me to where dad was sitting taking some photos of the cliffs. As we walked passed Dillon mum bowed her head, nodded her respect and was walking past when Dillon said "What mob you from"? Mum stopped with an amazed look on her face, she has been approached and asked this question many times before, but as she is adopted she doesn't really know. Mum looked down and said "I don't know, but I guess it would be from Sydney way". Dillon nodded, patted the ground next to him and said "sit". Mum didn't need to be told twice and Dillon told her that he and his family and tribe are the traditional owners of the Windjana (winjanna) Gorge and the surrounding lands. The Bunuba tribe. He went on to tell mum about how his dad had taken him to Tunnel Creek and all about the Aboriginal Warrior Jandamarra who was initially a tracker for the police until over 800 women and children were killed by the white man as they refused to leave their land, some of the Aborigines pleaded with Jandamarra to join them, he finally did realising that while his best friend was a white police officer, his people were being persecuted unjustly and unfairly. He saw them chained together with big iron neck collars strung together like cattle. Jandamarra's white nick name was "Pigeon" as he was a crack shot and could spear a pigeon to eat while it was flying. Dillon pointed out 'over there' where Jandamarra was finally fatally shot by another Aboriginal tracker. Before that, Dillon said the Aboriginal people of the Bunuba tribe believed Jandamarra had magical powers, as he had been shot by the police but had escaped to Tunnel creek and had hidden there for weeks, and even though police and trackers looked, they couldn't find him. Jandamarra was magical.

Dillon then went on to tell mum how the gorge was made, "A big snake came and wound its way down and through back and forward through the rock carving the deep river bed"... Dillon's' grandson looked up at mum and said "The Rainbow Serpent".. Mum smiled at him and said "Yes, I know of the Rainbow Serpent". As we were at the end of the Gorge, Dillon continued "The Rainbow Serpent was happy with how long the river bed was and laid down to rest, but never woke up... That is his head there". He pointed to a huge rock at the end of the Gorge and said "That's his spirit rock". I whispered to mum "Dad said he felt something very strong when we were standing near the rock!". Mum just nodded and kept on listening to Dillon. She knew she was getting a private audience with one of the head Elders of the Bunuba tribe and it was an honour.

Mum asked if the fresh water crocodiles held any spiritual significance? Dillon shook his head "No.. the crocodiles, the 'quinkanas', we just tell them we are coming and for them to stay there, or when it's ok for them to come across to us. We talk to them they talk to us, we understand each other". Mum took photos of them, they don't look that big in the water... but when they sun themselves, it's like they are looking right at you and they are smiling... Go away crocogator! I am NOT TASTY! Mum told me not to worry as the fresh water crocs are not aggressive but more shy, the salt water crocs are the ones that would 'go me'... yikes! no wonder there are no wombats in Western Australia.... I wonder if they have all been gobbled? Mum said no, the land and the flora just isn't suitable... there were heaps of us on the Nullarbor (except we couldn't find any of them), and there weren't any crocs there, as there was no water. I relaxed.... a bit.

J.T returned to see his children drawing in the sand, he told them "You rub that out before we go home... you leave everything as you found it, don't move the rocks or sand, it's there because it is meant to be there". Important message for everyone, "leave nothing but your footprints, take nothing but your memories and photographs".

Then the team from Sunrise came up and said "The Battery in the drone is flat"... Mum laughed, Dillon lowered his head and smiled and J.T laughed too. It was pretty obvious they didn't like it either. "We have another battery back in the truck".. Mum mumbled "Oh, well isn't that terrific".. Dillon chuckled and J.T groaned. If mum didn't think this day would get any better, she suddenly teared up and apologized to Dillon and J.T "I'm sorry for what your people had to endure and still remain strong and proud, this place has really made its connection with me'. At this point a beautiful Whistling Kite flew low over mum and called out. Dillon said 'that your totem'... mum said 'yes'. Dillon nodded 'you fly high take time and take all around you into your heart because you look after all you see and take care of people'. Mum inhaled sharply. Wow... strong good words for mum to receive. Then by the look on mums face was startling when Dillon