October 11, 2007. This page contains all
major
reports and comment pieces in the current edition.
Tourism bodies slammed for
‘agitating, boycotting’. By ERWIN CHLANDA. Tourism industry lobbies, especially the Central
Australian Tourism Association (CATIA), are “too busy agitating,
boycotting or lobbying against Government to be an effective tourism
organization.
“They are too distracted with personal agendas rather than focusing on
the core tasks.”
This is what people in the industry are thinking of the regional
tourism associations (RTAs), according to Marree Tetlow, the head of
the Territory Government’s Tourism NT.
She made the comments in a note to the RTAs in the wake of a report by
interstate consultants, AEC Group, and foreshadows an amalgamation of
the four RTAs in the Territory.
Ms Tetlow says: “However, the role of a single funded entity needs to
be absolutely clear to ensure optimal outcomes and alignment to
Government strategy.”
The document was leaked to the Alice Springs News and Ms Tetlow did not
respond to a request for comment.
Peter Grigg, CATIA’s new general manager, says the report is a draft
only and CATIA has now asked its members to put forward their concerns
and comments.
He says the AEC Group’s report is a great opportunity to work closely
with the government “to ensure that the concerns and comments of our
local industry be included in the final recommendations”.
Mr Grigg says issues for consideration include funding, about half of
which comes from the NT Government, and the ongoing role of the RTAs:
“We will not bite the hand that partly feeds us.”
Ms Tetlow says the survey especially singles out CATIA and the
Katherine Regional Tourism Association.
They are “focusing on non-tourism issues to the detriment of the RTA
membership; raising issues through the media rather than first-hand
with Government [and are] steeped in tradition and not changing with
the times”.
Ms Tetlow says the RTAs are accused by industry people surveyed of a
“haphazard approach to intra-Territory marketing; poor servicing of
sub-regional members [and] a lack of strict governance”.
She says in her memo: “Strategic partnerships with local membership
bodies are extremely important for success.
“The AEC Report proposes some options in this regard and the Minister
is very keen to understand industry’s views on those options. “Change
is vital in order to position the industry to meet the challenges of
tomorrow and ensure alignment with the NT Government’s strategic
direction for tourism.”
Ms Tetlow says other shortcomings identified are that the focus of RTAs
is “too political; too focused on lobbying government and not on
marketing; not delivering benefits; and not delivering value for
money”.
Ms Tetlow says the AEC Group survey of operators revealed that 69.5% of
RTA members stated that their RTA membership had little or no impact on
the success of their tourism business.
“Conversely just 30.5% of operators felt their RTA membership impacted
positively on their business.
“This is a disappointing outcome given the level of investment behind
the current RTA model.
“There is also a significant proportion of the industry who aren’t
members of an RTA.
“Conversely, the overwhelming reason why operators joined an RTA was
for the advertising opportunities they provided.
“Over 60% of operators identified these marketing and promotional
opportunities as a key reason they joined an RTA.”
Ms Tetlow says other reasons for belonging to an RTA identified by
operators include:
• Networking opportunities with other members of the tourism industry
(30%).
• Information regarding the NT tourism industry (29%).
• Support for their business (23%).
• Lobbying of government on their behalf (12%).
• Opportunities that arise for RTA members (11%).
• Bookings and referrals from RTAs (8%).
• Needed in order to do business (7%).
Ms Tetlow says: “The industry survey revealed that 60% of tourism
industry operators would like to see a change in the number of RTAs in
the NT.
“A new system would lessen competition between RTA’s; there is
significant duplication that could be reduced; and [fewer] RTA’s would
mean more funding allocated for marketing and promotion.”
She says income for the RTAs comes from a number of sources other than
Tourism NT (the government’s agency), including membership dues;
brochure production and other marketing activities such as cooperative
advertising; local government grants; other grants; and sales at
Visitor Information Centers.
Ms Tetlow says CATIA’s total annual Revenue is $1,286,935 (including an
NT Government grant of $640,000 or 50% of total revenue).
CATIA has about 343 members, employee costs are $487,031, $392,888 is
spent on promotion and publications and overheads including
depreciation amount to $217,701.
Says Ms Tetlow: “The RTAs rely significantly on NT Government funding
to exist.
“Spend of total revenue on marketing activities is moderate, and the
majority of RTAs spend almost as much on wages as the amount received
from Government.
“Given the significant employee and overhead costs, economies of
scale would be achieved by channeling these funds through less
entities.
“This would provide critical mass to streamline staff resources and
reduce administration costs, as well as ensuring a synergetic and
cohesive approach to marketing and services across the Territory.
“Funds freed up through this process could then be diverted to improved
marketing activities.”
‘Recycling’ fiasco goes on. By
ERWIN CHLANDA.
The Power and Water Corporation (PWC) will continue to discharge
partially treated sewage into Ilparpa swamp and St Mary’s Creek –
locals call it Perfume Creek – after the long delayed “Water Re-use
Project” is completed, possibly later this year.
NT Government authorities will not say under what conditions these “wet
weather discharges” will occur.
It’s expected the otherwise illegal activity will be granted a special
permit by the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) which is dealing
with the issues “in consultation with the Department of Health”.
The dumping of sewage from the PWC-run evaporation ponds onto public
land, in the vicinity of St Mary’s children’s home, a birthing centre,
CSIRO and the racecourse has gone on for decades.
Soon after coming to power in 2001 the Labor government announced a
partial recycling scheme, coupled with a horticultural enterprise, some
six kilometers south of the ponds.
In 2003 the EPA issued a discharge license allowing PWC to continue the
overflows for two years, under threat of penalties for non-compliance.
The scheme involves a pipeline ending in ponds from which the effluent
will seep into the aquifer, being purified on the way down, and then be
pumped back up to irrigate the proposed plantations.
When the relatively simple project was nowhere near completion by the
end of 2005, the EPA issued a further license for two years.
Lyn Allen, Executive Director Environment and Heritage, who issued the
license, would not be interviewed, and a spokesperson declined to say
why the PWC was allowed to pollute public spaces for a further two
years.
The Alice News was also denied details about the further discharges of
sewage that will be allowed – on an ongoing basis – after the expiry of
the second license in December this year.
The spokesperson says “a wet weather discharge plan was provided” by
PWC to the EPA, showing “modeling [of a] wet weather discharge regime”
but “public access to this document will need support from the licensee
PWC”.
PWC was due to provide an environmental management plan by March 30
this year but still hasn’t done so.
All these cozy arrangements are conveniently being made between
instrumentalities which are all owned or controlled by the NT
Government.
Public participation is sparse.
The spokesperson says the “Rural Association” – presumably the Alice
Springs Rural Areas Association – has been “appraised of issues and
on-going progress”.
Meanwhile PWC has released more details about the scheme.
The pipeline will be six kilometers long and the total cost of the
project will be $10.4m.
Although the EPA will permit 600 million liters of effluent to be sent
down that pipe, only one-hundredth of this (six million liters) will be
recovered as treated water.
This is planned to be used on a horticultural plot of 100 hectares to
be developed over five years.
However, some five years into the project, there is still no “end user”
of that treated water: A grower in NSW and Queensland, Matilda Maid,
with whom the government had been negotiating for several years, has
pulled out.
PWC says it is not interested in running the horticultural venture
itself.
“The core business of Power and Water is the provision of water,
sewerage and electrical services to the people of the Northern
Territory,” says the government-owned company.
“It is not set up to operate as a horticultural or farming entity.
“To do so would place it in competition with private business and small
growers which would not be in the interest of the community.”
Power and Water says “approximately” 1000 million liters a year is
evaporated from the sewage ponds just south of The Gap, almost twice as
much as will be recycled.
In fact a lot more water may be going up in steam, in the driest part
of the world’s driest continent.
The Alice News reported in an article with the title “Our sewage mess”
on October 4, 1995: “While the NT Government [CLP at the time] is
browbeating the public to save water, its own Power and Water Authority
is wasting an estimated two billion litres a year in Alice Springs
alone.”
That statement has remained unchallenged.
Land council lawyer acts
against the instructions from Aboriginal leaders.
David Avery, the senior lawyer of the Central Land Council (CLC), last
week interrupted a meeting of the Inkamala Corporation to evict a
journalist.
Erwin Chlanda, the managing editor of the Alice Springs News, had been
invited by the corporation to attend the meeting at which it had been
planned to obtain information about Centrecorp, and its investments
understood to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
The CLC has a three-fifth share in Centrecorp.
Earlier staff of the Aboriginal Associations Management Centre (AAMC),
in Kennett Court, which deals with the distribution of mining
royalties, locked about two dozen members of the corporation out of a
meeting room where business dealing with royalties was due to be
transacted.
About 25 members of the association were present and several of them,
including senior members Carl and Clara Inkamala, objected strongly to
Mr Chlanda’s eviction.
However, Mr Avery insisted that Mr Chlanda had to leave.
Mr Avery said the CLC owns the building in which the meeting was taking
place, and that gave him the right to evict Mr Chlanda.
The meeting finished soon after and the corporation decided to
re-convene in commercial premises in two weeks time, so Mr Chlanda
could attend.
CLP Senator for the Northern Territory Nigel Scullion said he remained
concerned about Centrecorp’s apparent lack of transparency.
“No one would deny that a corporation set up to help Indigenous people
is worthy and Centrecorp has apparently helped many groups over the
years,” Senator Scullion said.
“However, it is vital that any such organisation conducts its
business in a transparent manner and is accountable, especially
for its supposed benefactors.
“The Inkamala Corporation’s questions appear entirely appropriate
to me and it beggars belief that the organisation does not even
know if it has any investment with Centrecorp.
“If Inkamala or any other group believe they are not being treated
appropriately by any representative organisation, I suggest they
should lodge their concerns with Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal
Brough’s office,” says Senator Scullion.
The Inkamala Corporation has about 130 members, all Western Aranda
people who say they have an entitlement to royalties from the Mereenie
oil and the Palm Valley gas fields, possibly far greater than they are
getting at the moment.
The annual meeting usually focusses on distributing the year’s
royalties ($19,959 last year), and includes deciding which bank to use
and who should be the auditor.
But senior members of the Inkamala Corporation decided that this year
there would be probing questions about Centrecorp, a secretive
investment company whose seed money is understood to have been mining
royalty payments.
The other two shareholders of Centrecorp – one fifth each – are
Tangentyere Council and Congress.
These are the questions to which the Inkamala Corporation will be
demanding answers, withheld previously, when the meeting re-convenes:-
GAS
• We would like to know when the first money from the gas began.
• Date of 1st payment
• Date of last payment
• How much money has been received overall?
• How much money has the Inkamala Corporation received?
• How much money has the CLC received overall?
“We would like bank statements from the start of payment to the last
payment,” the corporation says.
• Is there any outstanding money owing?
• Is there any money invested on behalf of
Inkamala Corporation in Centrecorp?
• Are there any assets?
• Are there any moneys invested?
• We would like to set up a meeting with our committee members
every month to know what is going on with the Inkamala Corporation’s
assets.
A cross to bear.
A visitor with a difference has come to the Alice and central Australia
to help make a difference.
The World Youth Day Cross arrived on the Ghan on Sunday accompanied by
50 young people from around Australia.
Instituted by Pope John-Paul II 23 years ago, the cross is taken to
visit troubled sites around the world to focus on love, healing and
reconciliation, according to Alice Priest.
She is the “pastoral planner” for the cross’ current Australian
journey.
It was the only religious symbol allowed at Ground Zero in New York
following the 9/11 disaster in 2001.
Its arrival in the Alice was marked by ceremony and celebration,
starting with a welcome to country by Arrernte traditional owners and
followed with a mass marking the appointment of new NT Catholic bishop,
Eugene Hurley.
On Monday the cross visited the former Catholic mission of Santa
Teresa, then returned to town for a procession through Todd Mall to the
Youth Centre.
The Alice is the latest stop of a year-long national itinerary – “a bit
like the Olympic Torch going around Australia” – until the cross goes
to Sydney in July 2008, to mark World Youth Day to be celebrated by
Pope Benedict at Randwick Racecourse.
Prison walls no obstacle to
art.
After his very successful debut solo show at Araluen in 2005/06, Tony
Wade - an inmate of the Alice Springs jail - will be holding his second
solo exhibition.
Painting from Memory – The Inner Eye will be on show from October 19 to
November 11 at Watch This SPACE.
You won’t find anything sad, morbid or foreboding in these paintings
done behind prison walls; rather, they are a celebration of life with
paintings that have an emotionally happy overtone.
Although in a place full of boundaries, Wade’s work transcends the
restrictions in life.
The work is abstract, surreal and expressionistic, a surprising break
from the more traditional.
While the show is in part about Wade’s memories of the outside world,
it also deals with the distortion of these memories over time, and the
importance for the artist to be able to draw on past experiences.
In the forefront are his culture and emotional connections to the land
while he serves out his sentence.
Since being sentenced Wade has completed computing, literacy, music and
art courses as part of the prison education system, as well as
programmes to help beat a drug addiction.
Art has become Wade’s saviour within the harsh circumstances of prison
life by allowing him to escape the mental boundaries of his current
situation.
Wade is soon due for release and intends to continue practicing as an
artist. 20% of all profits from the sale of his works go to
victims of crime.
Painting from Memory – The Inner Eye opens at Watch This SPACE, 4/9
George Crescent, at 6pm on the 19th of October.
(CONTRIBUTED BY WATCH THIS SPACE.)
Holiday Runamucks. By DARCY
DAVIS.
Last Sunday I got together with a focus group of kids from various high
schools around Alice to talk about what kids get up to in Alice Springs
during their mid semester school holidays.
All kids quoted wished to remain anonymous, the reason for which soon
became obvious.
It quickly became apparent that the days of trips to the town pool,
going bowling and sleepovers with pizza and movies were no longer high
on the agenda.
For kids stuck between adolescence and 18 in Alice, it seems it’s sex,
drugs and parties are the go these holidays.
“We can’t go to Bo’s or Melanka’s, legally, so we’ve gotta have fun
elsewhere,” explained Suzy.
Like what, I asked.
“Sometimes we get smashed at house parties, or if nothing is on we’ll
go camping and get smashed out bush,” proffered Suzy.
“I got smashed just walking down the Todd Mall the other night,” said
Dave.
Didn’t you get caught by the cops on horses, I asked.
“No, I actually got smashed by some kids in the mall, for no reason,”
he explained.
“I’ve got a really sore jaw now, it keeps popping out when I talk, it’s
not very fun.”
Anna, a girl who was on longer holidays than the rest of the schools
due to attending a local private school looked bleary eyed and hadn’t
said a word the whole time. I asked her what she had gotten up to
the night before.
She looked down and then turned to the giggling girl next to her.
“I can’t remember really,” she said bashfully.
I woke up being fed bread by some random [boy] – I think I must have
hooked up with him.”
So how do kids organize the events and substances of the night, I
wondered.
“I usually ask an Aboriginal outside Northside [Foodland] to get me
some [alcohol],“ said one student who wished to be referred to as Bob.
“Mum usually buys me a six pack and tells me to share them with a
friend,” said another student who didn’t even wish to have a pseudonym
“but I never do.”
“This town is so dry!” said one teenage boy who wished to be referred
to as Casey for the purpose of this article.
Do you mean in terms of drinking in public, I asked.
“No - It’s so hard to find bags [of marijuana] these days,” Casey
explained.
“I think it’s got something to do with the government
intervention.”
“The police should be cracking down on heavier drugs like ice and
ecstasy,” interrupted another girl. “Nobody has ever overdosed on
ganja.”
Regardless of what their mothers and fathers say, it is the kids who
will need to find their own ways of dealing with these adult situations
as they make the transition from teenager to young adult. It is an
experimental time in teenage years and hopefully the locals I
interviewed, and their peers, will manage to achieve social ease and a
good time without it being subjected to risk and the dangers of abuse.
ADAM CONNELLY: Alice Springs –
It’s not too bad!
The Great Ocean Road along Victoria’s South Coast is a stretch of God’s
own country.
It’s a beautiful drive from Torquay to Warnambool winding through both
verdant pasture and sand swept surf scenes.
The area is surely one of Victoria’s shining lights and one of the top
three in Tourism Victoria’s crowd pulling arsenal.
I sadly did not have a time doing justice to the place.
A group of uni friends from Sydney decided that during the summer break
a road trip to Victoria was a necessity.
A convoy of cheap university student appropriate vehicles was
assembled.
I was one of two guys without girlfriends this particular summer and so
we were relegated to the same car.
Damien wasn’t the most riveting company to be honest. He enjoyed
talking about and listening to one particular CD …which he played in
the car exclusively … all the way … the entire trip.
Such irresistible company meant that I spent a lot of the trip sleeping
in the passenger seat.
My mode of slumber had me with my arm resting on the car door with the
window wound down.
Remember I’m in a cheap university student appropriate car, no air
conditioning.
Several hours of unconscious travel later we make it to Torquay.
I’d sustained second degree sunburn to my left arm and spend the next
couple of hours in the base hospital having silver cream and an
antibacterial bandage applied to a now quite painful burn.
The point being that Tourism Victoria assured me in their campaign that
I would “love every piece of Victoria”.
I did not.
It’s not Victoria’s fault. It’s not even Tourism Victoria’s fault.
But in truth I didn’t love that particular bit.
I’m sure there are other places in Victoria that I would have a tough
time loving.
St.Kilda’s drug dens probably lack a certain bijou charm.
I’m sure that while the MCG is in my opinion one of the five best
stadiums on the planet, there would be more than a few of us who
wouldn’t be particularly enamored with the thought of being surrounded
by a sea of dentally challenged Collingwood fans.
“You’ll love every piece of Victoria.” I don’t think that’s a statement
you can say about any place.
What about Alice Springs? We’ve played with the idea of a town song.
We’ve spent millions on getting more and more people to come to what is
a wonderful and unique part of the planet but I’m a fan of truth in
advertising.
Alice Springs – the Heart of Australia, has been used and I have no
problem with it on the truth scale.
We are closer to the middle of the country as anyone else. But it’s not
that sexy really, is it?
Slogans nowadays need panache, a little cheeky charm.
We’ve had suggestions. Alice Springs – God’s country! Nice, sure.
But theologically I believe Heaven is where God prefers to reside.
Plus I’m not exactly sure that God is a big fan of stark, sun bleached
landscapes and 45 degree heat.
I thought that might be more the other bloke’s bag.
Alice Springs - The Gateway to Central Australia.
If you’re in Alice Springs I’m fairly sure you passes the gate to
Central Australia at about Broken Hill, or Cooper Pedy or Tennant
Creek.
Can you be the heart and the gate at the same time?
Alice Springs – Why would you want to be anywhere else? Do you really
want our tourists to answer that question? Perhaps there’s a bucket of
cash, the partner of their dreams and a private tropical island waiting
for them. Maybe?
So what should be our cool new slogan?
Well let’s examine the facts. It’s hot and some people like to
experience the very un-European climate. So what about Alice Springs –
Some like it hot.
Most tourists have a good time in Alice Springs. Some don’t but on the
whole it’s a pleasant time.
So maybe, Alice Springs – There’s a good chance you will love it!
Perfect.
LETTERS: Good-by dongas –
great idea!
Sir,- I am pleased the NT Government has refused to nominate another
site for the dongas for short-term accommodation.
Residents will be delighted that commonsense has prevailed.
The Government’s short-term option at Stuart Lodge seems to be working
for those who wish to stay in accommodation but there are many
itinerant people who prefer to humbug their relatives in town camps or
public housing.
If Minister Brough is worried about over-crowding then he should place
the dongas in the town camps or communities where they are needed.
It’s time the Federal Government started listening and made sure their
actions solve problems rather than create new problems for other people.
Loraine Braham
Independent Member for Braitling
Sir,- The last time I saw need to write you was brought about by your
absurd use of the English vocabulary (i.e. huge fillip for black
housing).
This time I see need to write you because of your absurd use of
contemporary media.
Just what did you hope to achieve I wonder by posting footage of a
trivial football brawl on YouTube.
Yes, its true men take their football seriously, and emotions run high
whenever “the business end of the season” comes around.
Surely you have noticed this in your country of origin as well, the
affliction is not limited to Central Australia.
So it does beg the question, why did a mature man go out of his way to
post the sort of footage generally attributed to a hormone riddled
teenage boy on the world wide web?
Did you simply want to advise the local community of your new found
plaything (YouTube), or were you trying to raise the profile of our
town in the most negative of ways (if so, you should leave that to
Advance Alice, they’re already doing a fine job of destroying the
town’s reputation).
I’m sure you expected a reaction, and you got one; appropriate to the
footage you posted.
As a local small business tourism operator who is greatly affected by
such negative publicity, I implore you to think before you act.
The irony in this instance, as in the actions of the Advance Alice
group is that it’s white people destroying the reputation of our town,
not our indigenous population.
“I’m never coming back to this shithole” – you might as well have said
it, because you posted it.
Think about it!Yours in bewilderment,
Ian Whittred
Alice Springs
Sir,- I’m trying to trace my sister formerly known as Ida Higgins, now
Ida Mitchell, married to David.
I believe she emigrated to Alice Springs from England in the fifties
and I have not managed to contact her since.
We were all brought up in an orphanage and lost touch. Thank you!
Ronnie Higgins
Lancashire, UK
Zlm1zo@aol.com
Sir,- The Climate Action Group (CAG) of the Arid Lands Environment
Centre is a community group concerned about climate change and high
greenhouse gas emissions in Alice Springs.
There is no doubt that if left unchecked climate change will affect our
local industries and community.
To that end, Alice Springs Town Council (ASTC) joined the Cities for
Climate Protection (CCP) program in 1998, pledging their
commitment to addressing global warming. The first three of five
milestones hasve been achieved including:
• An emissions reduction goal of 20% below 1996 levels by 2010.
• The development of a Local Action Plan.• An inventory and forecast of
corporate and community emissions.
The LAP was to be implemented by July 2006.
However no action has occurred and the town’s emissions have
continued to increase.
The LAP is available on the ASTC website.
CAG is organising a public meeting to address this issue through
corporate, community and government action in the Andy McNeil
Room on Tuesday, October 23, 7:30pm.
The aim is to prioritise key activities to be initiated without
delay. We will be addressing the council’s Local Action Plan and
the NT government’s response to climate change including energy
efficiency measures.
You might wish to consider the following points prior to the meeting:
• What actions do you determine to be achievable, or a priority?
• What actions are you undertaking or planning towards reducing
emissions?
• Are you aware of other strategies that could be readily adopted in
Alice?
Angela Day
CAGcoordinator@gmail.com
Bush beckons. An adventure
series by Gwen Hewett
“The stars at night are big and bright,
Deep in the sky of the outback;
They sparkle and shine, like glasses of wine,
Deep in the sky of the outback.”
This little ditty came to me as I sat around a campfire somewhere off
the Tanami Track enroute to the coast at Broome.
My travels were miniscule compared to the legendary Ulysses.
However, three weeks can encompass a lot of adventure and distance.
In the company of 15 fellow bushwalkers from South Australia, all
members of the Australian Retired Persons Association, and one guide
dog, we set out from Alice Springs in a four wheel drive bus to see and
experience the great outback of Australia.
The so called “Tanami Track” is partly sealed, so road conditions were
better than expected. We drove through sparse vegetation classified as
desert, yet with sufficient herbage to sustain cattle.
The first “pit stop” was at Rabbit Flat, where the genial, head-banded
and bearded Bruce stocks fuel and limited supplies for travellers.
He has lived there for 46 years and created an inviting oasis.
No rabbits now, we were told.
Further along we passed two working gold mines before arriving at Wolfe
Creek Meteorite Crater, one of a few such sites.
CRATER
Originally 65 metres deep, now 35, the impact created a large basin.
The climb to the rim of the crater is quite rugged and, to walk around
it, takes two hours. Allowing for a vivid imagination, the interior
resembles a slice of Kiwi fruit!
There is a circle of trees at the centre, surrounded by pitted
vegetation across the floor.
After the first night at Tilmouth Well camp ground, our next night was
a bush camp on the bank of the dry Sturt River and, with two rookies in
tow, we set up with surprising ease. Choosing a tent site had first
priority, then wood gathering until finally, with tent city behind us,
a camp fire in front of us, we settled down for a well earned “Happy
Hour”.
The driver-chef soon had the camp ovens on the coals and, with a near
full moon and a tipple of red wine, all was well in our little world.
With a temperature drop overnight, less than happy faces fronted up for
porridge the next morning.
The routine began with waking at 5.30am.
Roll up the sleeping bag and the foam mattress, pack the thermal PJs
(if you were sensible enough to bring them), take out the centre pole
of your tent, flatten the tent as best you could, pull out the tent
pegs (if you were able to hammer them into the hard ground), heave the
tent and pegs into a bag and onto the trailer.
PROCEDURE
This was standard procedure for the trip.
A thousand kilometers later we are off the Tanami Track and on a sealed
road heading for Fitzroy Crossing.
We crossed the mighty Fitzroy three times - at the low level, at the
old bridge and at the new bridge.
A cruise through the Geikie Gorge, to view the impressive rock
formations and to look for fresh water crocodiles, was a highlight of
the day.
On schedule we arrived at Broome to view the Stairway to the Moon.
This phenomenon occurs when there is a full moon and a low tide, and
many thousands of visitors come to observe it.
The name says it all, a visual staircase appears to lead up to the moon
across the water.
No chateau cardboard for us.
The brilliant sunset was celebrated with champagne on Cable Beach.
The seemingly endless stretch of sand at Cable Beach is comparable with
the same expanse of sand, a malachalogical mecca for shell collectors,
at 80 Mile Beach south of Broome. The full moon and two barking owls
disturbed our slumbers in Broome.
Leaving the shore behind, we travelled inland to the famed Marble Bar.
Reputed to be the hottest place in Australia, this is definitely not
true in July. NEXT: No Marble in Marble Bar.