The Murchison River
flooded in April 1997.
It created the opportunity
for a group of adventurers
to make a
four day mini-expedition
along the river.
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The Murchison River flooded in April 1997.
It created the opportunity for a group of adventurers to make a four day mini-expedition along the river.
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AFTER
very, very heavy rainfall
in early February in the upper Murchison Region and heavy follow
up rains in March, the Murchison River was flowing strongly. This was just
what the "team" was waiting for. Shortly before Easter Kim Epton declared
that "the Expedition was on". The Third Murchison River Expedition would be the follow up expedition to the two previous trips to the Murchison. The first was from Milly Milly Station to the Galena Bridge, a journey of 400 kilometres, in March 1994. Another expedition followed in March 1995 after Cyclone Bobby flooded the river and provided the opportunity to tackle the Murchison Gorges. |
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It also gave all involved a new insight into the power of flooded rivers. This 1997 Expedition was to start at Milly Milly Station (start point for the 1994 Expedition) and travel to Galena Bridge in two days (the 1994 Expedition, with slower boats, took three days). From the Bridge a decision would be made whether to move to Kalbarri and travel upriver or continue downriver through Hardabut Rapids and beyond. The 4 day trip was planned for the period 10 - 13 April (two weeks after Easter). Initial indications from Kimís telephone calls to pastoral stations along the length of the Murchison were that the water was draining away and conditions would be best one week prior to the planned dates. However, heavy rain during that week washed away all fears of lack of water. Rainfall in the Murchison area for the month of April was the heaviest on record. Rainfall for the three month period of February, March and April was close to a record. The heavy rains and a rising river caused the closure of roads throughout the area. Dick Child from the Murchison Shire advised that they would not be re-opened till Friday - the day of the Expeditionís arrival in the area. It was likely that the road into Milly Milly was impassable. Certainly the minor access roads to the river between Milly Milly and Meeberie would be inundated. Kim decided that there was no option but to start at Murchison Crossing - if possible.
The weather in the Murchison
cleared in the days preceding departure and all looked good for another
exciting power dinghy expedition on a remote Western Australian river. |
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The THE Murchison River has its source at Central Bore near St Crispin Mine on Doolgunna Station at the eastern end of the Robinson Range, 100 kilometres NNE of Meekatharra. The annual rainfall in the Murchison region is only 250mm (Perth 900mm). The catchment is about 80,000 square kilometres - about the same size as Austria. With a mean annual average flow of about 200 million cubic metres per year the Murchison has a great variation in flow (1975 flow was 820 million cubic metres). This annual flow compares with a figure of 320 million cubic metres for the Avon River (measured at Walyunga National Park), 660 million cubic metres for the Blackwood (the biggest river in W.A.ís south west), and 12,500 million cubic metres for the Ord River (greatest flow of any river in Australia - the peak flow of the Ord is enough to fill Mundaring Weir from empty to full in 38 minutes). At 780 kilometres in length, the Murchison is Western Australiaës second longest river (after the Gascoyne at 804 kilometres). Lieutenant George Grey discovered the mouth of the Murchison River on 1
April 1839 during his return from an exploration of the Shark Bay area.
His boat
was wrecked the previous day when an attempt was made to beach it at
Gantheaume Bay. Grey and his party walked to Perth. |
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.The Roderick River (discovered and named by surveyor Robert Austin in 1854) and the Impey River (discovered by Austin and named by F.T. Gregory in 1858) are tributaries of the Murchison making Sir Roderick the only person who has three rivers in Western Australia named after him.
The
Murchison region is one of Western Australiaís most important pastoral
areas. Increasingly important, other income-generating activities are
mining and tourism. |
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The
Third The State of the River At Beringarra Station, just upriver from Milly Milly Station, the river was seven kilometres wide and the homestead was cut off. Telephone calls to upriver pastoral stations revealed that at the Moorarie Station, where the homestead is right on the river, the water level had dropped from an earlier rush. It was only 400mm over their crossing. However, the Yalgar River, in flood, joined the Murchison three kilometres downriver from the Moorarie homestead. A number of other smaller but still significant tributaries joined the Murchison downriver from its confluence with the Yalgar, each of them contributing to the onward rush of brown flood water.
At Milly
Milly Crossing, about 500km from the mouth of the river, the water was at
least 600mm deep. |
 Line astern in the flooded lower Murchison |
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Reports from travellers who regularly crossed the Galena Bridge, about
125 kilometres from the mouth, were that the water had reached that
point and therefore would be well into the Gorges. The runoff from
the huge February rains had filled all the holes along the entire course
which meant that the water that was now entering the river would cause
it to really flow. Later inspection at Galena Bridge revealed that
it was only about a metre lower than the record level after Cyclone
Bobby in 1995. |
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The Plan The river was rising - later information would reveal that the rainfall in the Murchison area recorded for the month of April was the highest amount ever!
The Plan called for the downriver journey to be halted after two days at
Galena Bridge to assess Hardabut Rapids. Depending on what was seen, the
expedition would either continue downriver or move to Kalbarri and head
upriver. |
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Closed
roads and flooded country threw The Plan into disarray. Flexibility is a
vital part of power dinghy expeditions. The Plan was revised to start at
Murchison Crossing (on the Meeberrie-Wooleen Road), proceed to Galena Bridge
and re-assess there. |
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John ìOld Man Riverî Haynes couldnít make it after spending so much time flitting around the countryside competing in races in the eastern states. Cliff Hills was doubtful as a result of work pressure. So was Mike Lenz. Brent Barden wanted to be involved but he too was busy at work. Scott Overstone was keen from the start and then one week from departure needed surgery after spearing a sewing needle deep into his foot. Kim Thorson was only able to participate after the expedition was put back a week, same for Brian Appleby. So, initially, there was only half an expedition. The only people confirmed were Greg Barndon, Adrian Bock, Kim Epton, Tony Overstone, and Mark Scott. If the Expedition was to become a reality it was necessary to proceed regardless and hope that eventually the required numbers would become involved. Getting eleven people, with all their various commitments, to agree on a common date - @#&!*. |
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The Rigs
Too Easy Departure was marked by a lack of last minute rush around. There was no panic buying. No stress. No pressure. And an "on time" departure. Was this going to be a boring expedition? Or was it just testimony to the maxim that ìprior preparation and planning prevents poor performanceî. And, perhaps, "practice makes perfect"? |
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Approach The drive through Cataby, Eneabba and Mullewa was uneventful. The gravel started north of Mullewa and suddenly there was more interest in the road ahead. A great amount of rain had fallen recently. Inattention behind the wheel and soft edges on the road could have been a dangerous combination. Slow across the Ballinyoo Bridge to assess the height of the water (by spotlight). For those who had been there before it was a revelation. It was considered that the water level must be as high as that after Cyclone Bobby (being aware that the no-one had seen the water level at Ballinyoo Bridge after Cyclone Bobby).
The
convoy finally reached the turn off to Murchison Crossing (Meeberie-Wooleen
Road). Water spread across the road and into the distance. This
did not look good. The 4WD was sent through first. No problems.
The Bus followed. Easy. More water. Same procedure.
Some of the pools were quite deep and extended for about 200 metres.
After a few anxious moments (more anxious on the return journey) a much
bigger puddle loomed into lights of the 4WD. It was the river. |
| The Bus was turned around (7 point turn), the generator was fired up, the boats were unloaded and breakfast was cooked. Mosquitoes were plentiful and persistent. As dawn broke the extent of the river could be more clearly seen. Brent "could not believe the size of this and where we were starting from". The river was about 100 metres wide and two metres deep - and this was 400 kilometres from the ocean! | |
