Friday 11 March 1994

Day 1

Regenerated by recent rains, bright green native grass new growth contrasted sharply with the rich red-brown soils.

A level stretch of river flat, fifty metres east of the water, was selected as a suitable short stay site where the boats could be unloaded and prepared.

The hum of locusts in the trees and the buzz of the annoying bush flies were a constant accompaniment to the early morning heat and humidity. An indication of things to come.
 

Mike Lenz and Cameron Wilkie made an exploratory trip down river to ascertain water depth and to ensure the suitability of this crossing as a starting place for the Murchison River Expedition.

Click on the photographs to enlarge

Phil Hargrave and Kim Epton drove to Milly Milly homestead to meet the owners and let them  know what was happening on their station.  Partners and brothers Simon and Eric Broad assured Kim that no-one had ever previously attempted to navigate the Murchison River.

Others busied themselves preparing boats, cleaning out the bus, re-packing equipment, testing comms, cooking breakfast, making lunches and doing a host of other things necessary to get the expedition going.

Despite the lack of familiarity with the gear, the procedures and the overall method of operation, the expedition got underway within the two hour time period Kim had asked for.

Mike Lenz, John Haynes, Damien Bock, Scott Overstone, Cameron Wilkie and Peter Carboni were the first crews in the boats.

The mixture of apprehension and  excitement normally associated with the start of any venture into unknown country was obviously present.

Six keen expeditioners took off in three dinghies, heading to Manfred Station, on the first-ever boat trip down the Murchison River.

Kim and Phil in the refuelling vehicle were shadowing the boats along little-used station tracks.

The Bus attempted to follow but after a few washouts and rough creek crossings the crew decided that it would be wiser to head for the planned overnight stop, at Murchison Crossing along the Meeberrie-Wooleen Road, just ten kilometres off the Mullewa-Gascoyne Junction Road.

After initially having to pick channels through dense thickets of trees and dead goats the boat crews got into more open water and were able to appreciate the magnificent scenery.  Wildlife abounded -- kangaroos, emus, goats, foxes, bungarras and a huge variety of birds.

The start of the expedition an exhilarating experience - the natural beauty of the river, the adrenalin pump of high speed boating in unknown waters, the knowledge of being isolated from civilisation and the certainty of being the first on the river.

The boat crews and the refuelling team rendezvoused mid morning, midway to Manfred.  The consensus was that the water was low but “boatable”.  The boat crews were confident of getting through and continued on their way.  On land it was hot and the track was rough.  Phil was enjoying the driving experience.

On one stretch of open water a friendly race developed between the three dinghies.  The river abruptly forked.  Two of the dinghies went right.  Mike and Damien in the yellow ducky went left, careered over a log and became airborne.  Landing safely, they continued around an island (or, more correctly, an ait) and came across another obstacle -- three bulls crossing the river, directly in their path.  Mike made a hard left turn, shooting the duck up the bank and narrowly avoided a collision with the startled cattle.

Suddenly the fun was over.  The water level dropped and the journey turned into a slow, energy-sapping combination of boating and walking in 40^oC heat to the first fuel stop.

The river split into two.  Mike and Damien checked out the left branch but it petered out into a shallow lake.  Cameron and Peter went down the right branch and found better water.  The expedition was back on course.

Kim and Phil had lunch and swam in the river while waiting for the boats to arrive at Manfred.  When they finally did appear they were 90 minutes behind the predicted time of arrival. 

New to expeditions, the boat crews wasted 15-20 minutes at Manfred talking, stuffing around and not moving forward. They were not to know it then but that lost 15 minutes proved very decisive later in the day.

After refuelling at Manfred Station, the boats were sent on their way with the promise of more water farther downstream.  The promise didn’t eventuate and the crew were again out walking, dragging and picking channels deep enough to start the motor.

The boat crews reached an old, disused barrage built in the 1920s.  Since fallen into disrepair, it was designed to alleviate damaging floods.  The river dropped about 1.5 metres at this point.  The boats were manhandled through a shoot on the right bank.

Downriver from the barrage the water level dropped again.  More walking.  The river had a bed of coffee rock flanked by occasional rock wall banks up to three metres high.

At the Manfred refuelling point Phil negotiated the 4WD through the river at the crossing point.  The heat was overwhelming on the land and by mid afternoon had climbed to 45^oC.  Kim and Phil had a long, hot, out-of-the-way journey in the 4WD to get from Manfred to Murchison Crossing to meet the boats.

The slow progress of the boats meant that The Bus crew of Darren Austin, Adrian Bock and Kim Thorson spent a waterlogged eight hours in the Murchison River, keeping cool while waiting.

John Haynes hadn’t been drinking sufficient water during the day, causing concern to his boat partner Scott.  John suffered no ill effects and was persuaded to drink more water on subsequent days.

Once again the boats didn’t arrive by the planned time.  The five members of the land crew cooled off in the river -- unaware of the progress of the boats, and unable to find out.

About 5 p.m. they set about erecting the camp. Considering that it was the first time the procedure had been attempted it was an efficient job.

Kim made it clear that a search party would not be mounted and that, in his opinion, the boat crews would not be in any danger.  If they spent a night on the river bank, then so be it.  That is something that just had to be accepted on expeditions.  Compassionate bastard!

Darkness fell and the boat crews still hadn’t arrived -- but many of the locals had.  The cool waters of the Murchison and the knowledge that “some crazy boaties” were “in town” attracted about twenty of the locals to the Crossing for an impromptu party.

Plans were made with the owner of Wooleen Station to use his light plane to look for the boat crews at first light the next day.

Meanwhile, on the water, increasing darkness and thick clouds of midgies impeded the progress of the boat crews to such an extent that they decided that they could not reach the planned overnight stop even though they had been making good progress as dark was falling  A suitable piece of real estate was selected as their temporary summer residence and they settled down for a long night.  The camp was on a one metre high, wide, sandy bank with plenty of firewood around.  Thank heavens Scott had some insect repellent.

The crews used their lifejackets as pillows and by 8 p.m. had settled down for the night near a roaring fire.