Sunday 13 March 1994

Day 3

The two boats were afloat where they had been left high and dry (and tied) the night before.  Even with the rise in water level it was considered not possible to reach the mouth of the river in the remaining time.  The target was the Galena Bridge on the North West Coastal Highway and the first stop was Coolcalalaya Station. 

Since the demise of the green duck and its removal from the water around midday on Saturday the Murchison River Expedition had been reduced to two craft.  Mike, Damien, Scott and Kim Thorson made up the boat crew.

Kim Epton and Stretch set off in the 4WD to meet the boats along the bank of the river where its course looped north between Yallalong and Coolcalalaya Stations.

In their attempts to get to the river they punctured the sidewall of the left rear tyre.  The loss of time in changing the tyre and the difficulty in finding a track to the river (many tracks had been re-aligned, new fences, gates and dams erected) decided Kim to “cut and run” to ensure they stayed ahead of the boats.

This necessity to stay ahead of the boats is always a problem for the refuelling crew, made particularly difficult when the boats are unable to maintain a constant speed by which their progress can be judged.

There were numerous water crossings along the track to Coolcalalaya.  Kim and Cameron caught up with Darren, Adrian, John, Peter and Phil in The Bus just short of Coolcalalaya.  There seemed to be as many gates as there were water crossings.

Just for devilment the crew in the refuelling vehicle sent a radio message to The Bus crew.

“Tell Phil not to worry, it can fixed.”

“What was that? What can be fixed? What’s happened?”

... Static.

Guess who was first out of The Bus when the two vehicles rendezvoused at Coolcalalaya Station Homestead?

After a wait of some hours at Coolcalalaya it became obvious that the boat crews were again experiencing difficulties -- low water, mechanical breakdown, boat damage, injury to personnel -- it was impossible for the land crew to tell.

Just downriver from the camp at Yallalong the river formed deep channels -- but they still had to be picked out.

Some were only as wide as the boats and were generally found on the right side of the river’s course.  They  invariably ended with a stark white river gum against the cliff wall partially blocking the way.  The channel would then open out into the river proper.  After approximately 300-500 metres the river would narrow into another similar channel with the ubiquitous white gum at the end.  The river proper was flanked by six to ten metre high cliffs.  This type of country continued for about fifteen kilometres.

The river widened dramatically. The drop in water depth showed up many gravel banks -- propeller-wearing gravel banks.

The boat crews hugged the banks in an attempt to pick the deepest channel.  On many occasions one side of the boat was scraping the bank.  The channel changed sides on bends and when the crews attempted to cross the river to find the deeper water, the boats usually came off the plane.

This challenging, shallow water continued for about forty or fifty kilometres.  Beautiful scenery and plentiful birdlife were once again a feature of the journey.  And goats, lots of goats.  White flecked coffee rock cliffs formed the banks.

Just as on previous days it was dragging, walking, boating, dragging, boating.  Similarly, like previous days, it was very hot.  Every so often the crews would fall into the water to cool off.

Closer to Coolcalalaya the river cut through the country in large sweeping curves.  Twenty metre high cliffs with magnificent river gums clinging to them part way up ran for kilometre after kilometre.  The occasional fence across the river was a reminder that the expedition was travelling through station country but caused no problem for the boat crews.

As Scott and Kim were crossing a shallow bank in the aluminium boat it grabbed on a hard rock.  Mike and Damien turned around just in time to see Kim shot out the front of the boat and land in ankle deep water.  Amazing how someone else’s discomfort is so amusing.  So funny.  So bloody hilarious.

The shallow, prop-destroying water continued for about fifty kilometres.  Props were ground down to virtually nothing in this section.  Mike and Damien used three props, Scott and Kim used two.  Ten kilometres above the planned stop the water level rose and the boat crews were able to make better time.

Just before the boat crews reached the good water they chanced upon a goat that had been badly injured from a fall down a cliff.  The two young kids with it were reluctant to leave until Damien drowned the animal to put it out of its misery.

The temperature was a little cooler than the previous two days -- it was only 43^oC -- and the land crew again found relief in the river.

Sitting in a folding camp chair placed on the soft sandy bottom of the river with only head and hat protruding had become something of a ritual during the expedition.  Stretch took up a challenge from Kim that he could not catch one of the many sheep wandering along the banks of the river.  Darren, John and Kim were in paroxysms of laughter as he stalked and caught a woolly jumper.  Kim declared the carton he had riding on the challenge was the best carton he had ever lost.

The boat crews arrived at Coolcalalaya at 2:15 p.m.  This did not leave much time for the final run to the Galena Bridge on the North West Coastal Highway.  After refuelling and a complete crew change everyone was glad to get underway to escape the annoying sandflies.  Adrian, Cameron, John, and Peter took over in the boats. 

Shortly after setting off the motor on the ducky had gearbox problems.  It was quickly swapped with the spare carried onboard.  Even so, the time lost was valuable time, given the short amount of it left to reach the Highway.

Jim Stevens (owner of Coolcalalaya Station) predicted the boats would have trouble getting across the Vermin Proof Fence - so Kim and Scott in the 4WD checked it out.  No trouble to intrepid power dinghy expeditioners.

It was more trouble for Kim and Scott to get to the Fence through what seemed like a never-ending series of gates and fence lines.

The oppressive heat was affecting the performance of both vehicles and the personnel.  One serious consequence was the failure of the fridge in the 4WD.  Scott “Mr Fixit” Overstone diagnosed a blown fuse and the problem was simply rectified.

On the water, the ducky was still experiencing mechanical troubles -- this time it was the motor.  Thickets of trees, sand banks and dead end offshoots punctuated the course for the next several hours.  Birdlife was amazing.  Huge clouds of ducks and swans rose from the water to avoid the fast approaching boats.  The practice of birds fleeing downriver from the noise of the boats was a good indicator to the land crew of the impending approach of the boats.  Birds would be seen well before the boats could be heard.

The land crew drove to the public campsite at the Galena Bridge and set about establishing a comfortable camp.  As time dragged on doubts about the arrival of the boat crews increased. 

Flies were driving the land crew to distraction.  For Kim they were among the most persistent and annoying he had encountered in all his travels throughout Australia  Finally, Peter’s mosquito net was found and the crew all sat at the picnic table under the net to await the boats.

The Murchison River Expedition was not yet over.

On the water, rapids and rocky outcrops were negotiated in fading light.  The relentless progress of the boats took them under power lines crossing the river -- a sure sign of approaching civilisation.

Huge flocks of screeching cockatoos swarmed into the night air.

With every turn of the river the crews thought they would see the bridge across the highway but it was not until 6:45 p.m. that the dim glow of a torch was seen.