Swimming in an
isolated
billabong
shared with
these exquisite
amphibians was
absolute
magic.
This was the second wind I needed! There, right in
front of me, was this incredibly sleek, beautiful
Kimberley Rock Monitor. Having kept a pair of these
animals in captivity, it had been my ambition to see the
species in its natural habitat for quite some time. The
trip was made! As I write this article it takes me back
to that isolated terrain, with eucalypts and spinifex
grasses and surrounded by rocky cliffs. A couple of
quick photos, and then the lizard disappeared into the
cracks in the cliff with the greatest of ease, leaving us
filled with awe.
Morning tea was taken in the shade of the cliffs and
near a very slow, trickling waterfall with a small pool
at its base. We shared this spot with one of Australia’s
most striking frogs, the Magnificent Tree Frog (Litoria
splendida). A group of these exquisite amphibians was
discovered in some dark cracks and crevices, and
swimming in an isolated billabong shared with these
large, spotted frogs was absolute magic.
That night was spent in Kununurra. With a population
of just over 5,000, this coffee capital of the north is far
from just a sleepy little outback town – there are six
cafes in the main street! It’s enough to rival the coffee
connoisseurs of Lygon Street in Melbourne. We
booked a cabin at a caravan park, and the shower,
chicken schnitzel and mozzie-free sleep was a
welcome contrast to the night before.
The next day we headed further west, deeper into the
ranges. Early on, about 7am, the first snake of the trip
3.