Walk/Search Report - "Blackfellers' art Gallery" at Kennedy
Date 16 & 17 Feb. 1962
Location of search entrance to Murray Creek gorge
Party Paul Stephenson, Clarry Brewer, Ray Lane.
Grading medium bushwalk
Transport Land Rover and foot. 110 miles each way by vehicle.
We did not find the caves, in which the art gallery was reported to be, but spent Saturday and part of Sunday in vain search near the Munga Creek gorge.
It was not wasted time however, by any means. On Friday night at our camp on top of Cardwell range, Clarry caught the smallest specimen of Amethystine Python he has ever seen, being only about 10 or 11 feet. Some photographs were taken of it in the morning.
Also in the Munga Creek area he pointed out to us many species of plants, shrubs and trees, the names of which have sort of been a muddled jumble by Paul and I, but several Hydroscaphia seem to stick in my mind. (Strange, that such a small, inoffensive and pretty flower as the Mt. Spec Violet should bear such a great literary burden)
I found a very pretty and unusual Tri-Lilly, with small, broad points leaves, and a most colourful trunk, being laid horizontally with the top side bright red and the underside light blue. Paul got sick on Sunday morning.
Coming through Cardwell we were lucky to be introduced to an old man, (Eric's uncle, Willie) who had actually been to the caves a long time ago. He bestowed an intriguing tale of a row of aboriginal paintings from among aborigines (apparently), and a drawing of a strange animal, which he thinks could be of the Giant Marsupial Cat of North Queensland. His own map, below, and his explicit direction would enable us to find the art gallery next time.
Shane is also a good specimen of the palm tree with round leaves 4 feet in diameter, as seen on Hinchinbrook Island, in Meunga Creek near the gorge.
Logbook:
See also:
Townsville Bushwalking Club
Townsville Bushwalking Club
