July 6th

What a beautiful BRAN NEW DAY after a very restful weekend at Lorna Glen. The property has no farm animals now and is operated as a Scientific research property. Matawa community care for the land and property in conjunction with the Department of Parks and Wildlife. Regular burning of areas for regeneration and as a method of averting wildfire still takes place. Sadly Dept of P & W still feel the need to lock sheds of equipment for safe keeping.

The morning drive out to the Highway did not seem as rough as when we came in. As always we found the morning scenery new and fresh. The Gunbarrel Highway begins from Wiluna and travels east. Rocky breakaways and red red sand dunes are a feature of this section of the Highway. Thryptomene bushes with mauve flowers stood out against the red sand.

As we neared Wiluna we took a track in to see a vineyard but found the vines to be old and uncared for - fresh fruit vines.

We stopped briefly at Wiluna and then headed for Meekatharra. I was keen to take a photo of the statue of 'Warri and Yatungka' before we left. In 1977 the last of the Nomads were brought in from the Western Desert. The story is told that as young people Yarri and Yatungka fell in love but Tribal Law forbade them from marrying as they were the wrong match according to 'skin group' law. The consequences for disobeying the law were severe. The lovers ran away and lived in isolation. They had 3 children together and it was not until the 1970s that a search went out for them because of drought conditions at the time. They were too shy to come in because they imagined the elders of their tribes would punish them for 'running away' together as they did. They found that the Elders and families had long ago forgiven them. Both Yarri and Yatungka died in 1979 just a few weeks apart.    I think this is quite a significant Australian story.

The road to Meekatharra was mostly lined with low bush country apart from the waterways where magnificent River red gums grow. The only excitement was one lone emu rushing across the road very unexpectedly. We nearly had another EMU EVENT.

Statue at Wiluna of the 'last nomads'

Peace Gorge where we are camped tonight