The Gibb River Road and Beyond
Submitted: Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 08:16
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Willem
I was flicking channels late last night and came across a
Malcolm Douglas special on our local Ch 7. Not sure how much of the intro I missed but he took the viewer to
Kalumburu,
Mitchell Falls,
Walcott Inlet, Truscott Airfield and did some fishing along the way. He manged to get his Troopy into a real bog and struggled to get out even with difflocks engaged and the winch working hard. A helicopter ride through some of the magnificent
Kimberley gorges was stunning and some of
the rock art was magnificent, especially a huge Wandjina painting under a
rock overhang.
Not sure when the film was made but it could be up to 15 years ago. There were definitely less people around at that time as it was at the beginning of the Wet and with temps in the sun around 45C!
Watching these types of doccos makes me want to sell the house, pack up and leave for the distant horizons. Maybe spend the winters in the
Kimberley and the summers in Tasmania. But I doubt if I will get past SWMBO on this one :-)
Cheers
Reply By: Nick R (VIC) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 08:49
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 08:49
saw it in the TV guide, forgot to tape it, was good then?
I thought you had been everywhere
nick
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Follow Up By: Gone Bush (WA) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:30
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:30
Whether it's a scroll in my toga or a tilt in my kilt, yes I am happy to see you Nick.
cheers
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Nick R (VIC) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 20:41
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 20:41
First was mrs al now you have worked it out, I might have to change it soon!!!
catch ya mate
nick
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Reply By: Robnicko - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 09:22
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 09:22
Willem,
I too saw it late last night but was dog tired and put the tape on to record it. Looking forward to watching it tonight.
Shows like that make me want to sell up too!
Rob
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 09:52
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 09:52
G'day Willem,
Sorry I missed it but then again I trusted the bride with the TV controls and the decision on the evening's entertainement! I also have fond memories of the area and look forward to returning again one day. It surely has to be one of the best
places to go.
I can remember watching a lot of the
Malcolm specials many years ago and this must have been pushing my buttons to go in the first place. In fact way before the Leyland bros I can remembers seeing him play second fidle in Nature Walk About with the Serventy's (?) and even then I was moved with the visions of the outback. I guess we call that living the dream!
Kalumburu was most enjoyable for us and so was the Lower Ord but off course there are too many
places to mention.
Kind regards
Theo
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Reply By: DIO - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 09:53
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 09:53
If you're real keen on getting a copy, you can buy direct from
Malcolm Link for only $39.95
For $1,100.00 you can purchase copies of all his productions (43 DVDs)
Ultimate Set I. H. N C. W. T. P.
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Reply By: Andrew from Vivid Adventures - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 11:26
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 11:26
LOL - I taped it.
Featured the lovely though younger Anne from
Drysdale River who is probably at this moment got her feet up on their boat off the
Kimberley Coast, darn her.
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Reply By: Member - Oldbaz. NSW. - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 13:33
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 13:33
Willem, I missed the doco but your post reminded me of our experience at
Drysdale River Homestead in 1990. Decided to top up with diesel & a lovely lady( Maybe the famous Ann? My apology if not) came to assist. Asked where was jerry can & I said put it
straight in tank. Bowser was a one litre rotary pump from 200L
drum. Everyone fills can first, then tips it in says lady. Bugger that
says I. You count turns & I will pump, says I. Terrific, says lady. I
had to do that as lady looked 11 months pregnant & I count
better than I midwife. That child would be coming up 18 years old
I reckon. Camped at Miners Pool on way to
Kalumburu.
Fabulous people, fantastic country....oldbaz.
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Reply By: Footloose - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 13:43
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 13:43
"These classics are a historical record of a way of life that is gone forever."
Sadly :((((((((
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Reply By: Cobes - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:12
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:12
Hi all,
I also watched most of the show last night and thought it was fantastic. Just wondering if anyone wouold be intereseted in purchasing the entire collection for $1100 and splitting the cost or sharing the dvd's?
Cheers
Chris.
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Reply By: Gramps (NSW) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:21
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:21
Taped them both to watch later. Thursday night midnight "The
Kimberley Coast" on 7 as
well.
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Reply By: furph - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:48
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 17:48
Malcom D. always puts on a good show but I think the classic film was "across the top" followed by the book "across the top and other places"
It is the book written by Malcome Douglas and David Oldmeadow in 1978 as a result of their travelling north from
Melbourne in a very heavily loaded short W/B series 1 Land Rover.
They worked with various Methodist Missions and Aboriginal groups in the far north for 4 yrs. before returning to
Melbourne.
I think the book will be coming back out for a dose of Landy nostalgia before long!
furph
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Follow Up By: Willem - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 19:43
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 19:43
I was killing time on the
Gold Coast recently and walked in to a 2nd Hand Bookshop and found a copy of
Malcolm Douglas' book Across the Top. It is a good read and takes in a period of time in the Top End when I was doing some exploring of my own.
They even attempted(and succeeded) to get to the Cape at the start of the wet season!
Cheers
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Reply By: Crackles - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 18:47
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 18:47
I was up at
Mitchell falls around 1990 when Malcom Douglas flew in by Helicopter. We were told by the ground crew quite sharply to move our cars out of the
carpark so the chopper could land then he hopped out, got into the Landy and was filmed driving in. He then got back in the chopper, filmed the falls & was gone. Any credibilty he had as an adventurer took a dive that day & I laughed when the film was shown later of him appearing to drive all over the Kimberly when in fact the whole thing was one big setup unlike his boating adventure in the 70's when he showed the Horizontal falls etc for the 1st time :-)
Cheers Craig............
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Reply By: Member - George (WA) - Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 19:20
Tuesday, Mar 11, 2008 at 19:20
Bugger, the secret is out. All the tourists will want to come to the
Kimberley's now. Next thing they will seal the GRR
Cheers
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Reply By: ozwasp - Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008 at 02:26
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2008 at 02:26
Hi
I saw the doco.... It was great!!
It's not as old as you think.... It was made between 1998 and 2000... They give it away when talking to the sister in
Kalumburu.
Will
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