14 – 16 May 2022, 9056kms.
Ngarluma & Yindjabarndi Country.
This part of the Pilbara is personally very special, Ngarluma & Yindjabarndi Country, a place where friends are custodians, a place with close professional ties, a place where I travelled a number of times between 2010 and 2013 during the earlier days of the Namatjira project, facilitating cultural and creative exchanges between here and Western Aranda Country in Central Australia. It’s a place of deep cultural significance. Murujuga, more than a million petroglyphs, rock art etched into red rock. Art created more than 40,000 years ago depicting mega fauna, stories of creation and lore, stories of the Thylacine’s presence in these parts. Gobsmacking. We went with Ngurrangga Tours to gain a deeper understanding, such generosity with cultural knowledge and story. We saw middens where feasting took place, and grinding stones for food prep beforehand.
Murujuga was made a national park just 6 years ago. It is still awaiting world heritage status. The world’s largest outdoor gallery has as its very close neighbour a huge mine and processing plant, which sits alongside another mine and processing plant, alongside another, and another. The Dampier archipelago, islands and a coral reef, lie just off shore. We wanted to get out there for a snorkel but it seemed near impossible to get to as a tourist. The country here is so carved up. Its hard not to be cynical about why they might evade world heritage listings and attracting tourists.
The campground was tightly packed, nestled amongst raging Saturday night parties and the 24/7 hum of iron ore trains. But we made some friends, grown up friends and kid friends, so that was fun! We watched a full Swans game at the local pub, played lots of backgammon, spotted a Kangaroo at the fence of a mine site, swam at a beach in Murujuga National Park, snorkelled in rocky shallows and Talia spotted a mini stingray. Over to Karratha to get our vote in a week early, and then to Point Samson for time in the sand, watching the China bound ore ships and of course, one of our regular ‘big trip performances’ – this one for Roxy’s birthday. On to Roebourne to lunch with friends and colleagues at the Big hART Digital Lab. What a treat to visit the art centre and see Nanna Allery, a special leading lady for her community, memories of her on stage with Dad for the epic Hipbone Sticking Out (Murujuga translated).
The rain is coming, the clouds darkening, and we’re escaping it, north we go.
Murujuga
Note – images of rock art depicting animals is permitted by Traditional Custodians, images of human forms is not, for reasons of cultural safety.
Dampier
Ieramugedu (Roebourne) & Point Samson
