Full Record

David Ride : [field notebook] : Zuytdorp Cliffs July 1968
Record no:
Call no:
FN207
Author:
Year:
14 - 17 July 1968.
Description:
10 p. ; 20 cm.
Subject:
Notes:
In back list of 8 WNX contacts and names.
Type:
Archives
Abstract:
> 14th July 1968. Sunday
Left home at 12.45 (vehicle miles:13709). Filled up at New Norcia, changed drivers main tank empty (947). Drove on to Three Springs where we changed drivers. Each of us has now got 2/3 of the way to Geraldton. 8pm arrived Geraldton. Fixed up our rooms at the Marquis Hotel and then went down to Dimitri's cafe for a meal. Phoned Max Cromer[?] and asked him to drop in and see us before we go north. Max came down to


Dimitri's which was closed and we went to another cafe. Cromer[?] says that Robinson is now trying to make friends with him but he is very angry about the article in the Skin Divers magazine written by Robinson. He confirmed the story about the detonators and advised us that the road north through Murchison shire[?] would be out of action. He says that it is probable that the truth about the bullion[?] is mid way between Robinson and friends. He admitted that he had been playing down the Robinson story. He is particularly anxious that the -----[?] should not be stampeded. To bed.

> 15 July Monday Geraldton
Marquis Hotel. Filled up with petrol, all tanks. Drove over to fill up. Met Max Cromer[?] who told us that he had seen the postum from Kalbarri who said that the road to Murchison Housewas u.s. - river too high. Also the country around Gie Gie flooded. Said that Murchison House was on the phone. Frank lors[?] rang Murchison House (McClintock) who confirmed and said that Eurardy would also be impossible & suggested that we go up through Tamala. Drove out to the airport & picked up Colin Jack-Huiston, Harry Buglin[?] and Bob Beveridge  (hired for the job). Took them down to the docks and saw them set up for the Blue Dolphin and set off ourselves.

Called at the Police Station for Colin Dower (CIB Det. Sergeant who acendines us) to report in. Met Sgt Alan Trigwell & Det. Const. Frank Kirby who have been investigating the Geraldton end of the thing. Trigwell is a keen coin collector and has a lovely piece from the Batavia which he showed me. Left Geraldton about 10.30. Called at Billabong Roadhouse for lunch, 91/2 gals. Shark bay turn off. 1400hrs.

Fork left for Tamala (signpost 30 miles)
Fork left (right fork signposted to The Loop)
Fence and gate.
Met Bill Hughes and Mrs Gervais. Extremely helpful. He is manager and she is ?; they came here from Ashburton Downs when that place was sold up. Before that they were in? Yeeda. He was most helpful and drove with us through the Tamala country to get us through the gates. They work through Carnarvon Flying Doc. call sign 8 FOXTROT ROMEO.
Homestead gate. Through this and then to South.
Gate
Cocky gate
Cocky gate Fork right
Cocky gate about 90* through : left fork.
Through cocky gate into sheep pen in corner of paddock then out of sheep pen and along fence line [sketch]
Fork left

Natta outcamp, a tin shed with mill some distance from it, al troughs. Bill Hughes left us to go in from here. This is a fantastic paddock with high grass and clover right through. They are supposed to have 6-7* and they already had 16 ins this year. Drive on down, reached windmill at, obviously took wrong turn. Came to a fork among some white gums obviously went wrong here through following the rain mill track. Turned left this time instead of right [1 mile should be deleted for all moments of distance from Tamala to the wreck site]
Fork left
Gate in fence
Tank with shelter catchment
Tank with shelter catchment
Multiple tanks with shade
Single tank
Single tank with good water and clean catchment

Post in sight of track in open heath ; turned off main track to Murchison House towards the sea - very rocky track.
On top of cliffs

There is a howling westerly blowing - obviously a bad place to camp. Drove back up the track to a spot out of the wind in the trees (ti-tree) and bedded down. Had good meal of T-bone steak & potatoes. Caught a kangaroo-tick crawling up into ace milk mixer which was put down on the ground - very tricky country this coastal sandplain and sun.

Turned in at about 10.00 pm.

> 16 July (Tuesday) Zuytdorp Site
Up at 5.30 am, cold but sheltered spot, breakfast. 
Tried to reach Blue Dolphin on the walkie-talkies no luck. Drove down to cliff top just at first light and saw Blue Dolphin sailing about 1 mile off shore and about 2 miles to the south of Zuytdorp Cliffs.

This is an incredible place. Both to north amd south stretches the long broken line of cliffs with a short platform and chin bone[?] and a continuous line of breakers along its length as the big ocean surf comes in and plunges into it. At this place dune is a sloping valley running down through a dip in the cliffs so that the scramble down is over a tumbled and relatively easy rock scree for about 80 or 90 ft. The cliffs on either side are much higher about 100ft. The Zuytdorp lies just off a reetment[?] into the shore platform ; and coins and other bits of debris have been washed up into the platform and cemented into the crevices there. These have been collected by people over the years. Blue Dolphin stood in and made several runs as close to the line of breakers as she dared. The bottom shelves much more gently than we expected. Out beyond the breakers it is still only about 4 fathoms on the echo sounder. Colin and Clem Moss(the skipper) made several runs backwards and forewards. The wind was a light Easterly but the heavy swell makes the otherwise calm sea very dangerous ashore.

Wind suddenly swung round to the south west and the sea became broken. Colin decided too dangerous to get into the water because of difficulty of picking up divers. I gave them permission to go back to Geraldton.

Bradley Pearce and Frank Moss did a lot of filming and recorded 2 way conversations between Colin and self. I took a lot of photographs of the site and collected samples of the rocks. Seems to be very much the same as Green Bluff, i.e. Bothiembryon limestone, calcarenite and aeilminate[?], may be a little new siliciens[?] open and Rudl[?] but this is only a guess.[Bothiembryon limestone with fossil negel. no 68.563] Collected a cowrie in a rockpool encrusted with coral. Colin Power collected a small coin (silver and copper) from a crevice[C. caputi serpenitis]. Drove back to camp and packed up. Left cape for Tamala.

Stopped on the track at the turnoff, this seems to be in the Murchison House Boundary. Took photos - sandplain, prolific flora all in bloom, a wonderful site. Will propose that this place be set aside as a reserve possibly National Park, , certainly the cliffs warrant it and, combined with sandplain and the historic interest, it should be preserved.

Drove back to Tamala on way back stopped at second tank and had lunch. Attacked by ticks - everywhere. I hope we got them all off before being bitten. Tamala - a beauty must tell Glen. Turned left across a salt pan (coming from Tamala this would be a right fork leading to the west of the rubbish tip) to go out to the aboriginal burial ground. Through a couple of gates and into a large blowout area, finally, towards the further end of the blowout we stopped and Frank Moss showed me where they collected the shells for the museum. The area is rapidly deflating and skeletons are breaking up rapidly. Seems to have been some sort of interference already.Femurs and pelvises show odd numbers of individuals in each heap of bones[?] sometimes 2 or 2 1/2 individuals. 1 child's skeleton exposed and almost weathered away. Collected a skull (len facial again)[?] from an exposed skeleton at the far end of the blowout for the station homestead. Built cairn and photographed in situ. Strange that these skeletons seem to have been buried with bailers, patella and other shells. Found one sheep's head with skeleton (photographed) but later find sheep's skeleton nearby without head - suspect plant - photographed.

Back to Tamala. Dropped in and had a drink with Bill Hughes and wife (? Mrs Gervais). She seems to be a part blood, but very (?bottle) blonde hair. Still she seems to suit him, very hospitable. They are shearing about 10,000 and have these in about half the station i e c. 200,000 acres[?]. Total is about 400,000. He has some interesting wooden artifacts at the station brought down with him from Yeeda. Left at about 7.00pm.

Drove on to the Billabong cafe for a good meal of schnapper and eggs. Camped at Murchison R. usual place.

> 17 July (Wednesday)
Up at first light. Before getting off recorded an interview fr TUW on the wreck business[?]. Sent telegram through VJQ

MEAGHER PHONE 611122 PERTH. JOB DONE BACK TONIGHT REGARDS DAVID.
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