Journeys Oct 1957 - May 1959
Pilbara Dist. - Dec. 57 Gullewa - Feb. 58 Wongan Hills - June 58 Transline Train - July 58 Hamersley - Oct. 58 Margaret R. - Nov. 58 Gullewa and Yalgoo - Nov 58 Jurien Bay - Jan. 59 Margaret R. - May 1959 Murchison R.
W.A. Notebook No. 1: Oct 1957.
Pilbara district and journey south along coastal highway.
> 12 Oct. 1957. Flew to Marble Bar from Perth by air. Francis Ratcliffe in aircraft. Marble Bar 106* at 1400 hrs.
Trip from Marble Bar to Bamboo Creek with A. Douglas, Landrover. M. robustus shot 2 miles W. of homestead on Talga station. Spinifex flat. Sitting, did not attempt to move. male, H.F. 24.7 cms., total length (. 311 cms.[R.I.] 21 lbs.
Phascogales seen at Bamboo Creek on arrival [late dusk in headlights]
[Brushy tail - appeared to be size of P. pencillata]
10pm. - 2400. Visited cave mine with Athol D. entered middle drive. 3 specimens of Taphosous seen in upper drive. These were not copulating. No specimen of Vespadelus seen. No Macroderma seen. Two piles of Macroderma droppings seen. Average depth of droppings 3 inches to 6 inches. Approx 3 ft wide. Surface droppings contained no feathers seen on surface. 1 dried out skeleton of young Macroderma [No.D.1.] on surface. Surface samples previously collected by A.D..
A.D. mentioned that prey was brought into roost when young are present which they are not at this time of year. A subsurface sample was taken [D.2] to check this.
The cave was infested with large black wingless cockroaches which appeared to be associated with the Macroderma droppings. These were collected [D3. specimen] There were no specimens seen of the Terrebrionical beetle Pterobeloeus which A. D. had seen in Nov. and Jan. but not in this particular cave.
Large spiders seen, red eyes in torchlight, leg span up to 5" approx. Peculiar droppings collected D4.
"Exploratory adit" at Bamboo Creek. Droppings of Macroderma and small droppings possibly V. pumilis. 3 specimens of V. pumilis seen in cave. No Macroderma seen in cave. Peculiar droppings seen and not collected, same as D.4. Macropus shell collected D.11.
> 13th Oct. 1957 - 300hrs. 100*F.
"Exploratory Adit" Bamboo Creek. netted and collected.
No Macroderma, 5 Taphosus, 3 collected all m.[D5,6,7]
Cave also contained Vespadelus 3 collected 1 f., 2 m. [D8,9,10]
Rock wallaby skull collected from skeleton[D12] at MacCallum's house (a driller) Bamboo Creek.
"Prophecy West" Bamboo Creek. Adit inhabited by Taphozous and numerous Vespadelus. 1 Taphozous taken [D13] and small lizard[D14]. Few Macroderma droppings and cockroaches (latter put in with D.13).
"Cave Mine" lowest level.
No Macroderma. 2 Vespadelus & 3 Taphozus but more collected.
3 mummified Macroderma collected from under surface of pile of Macroderma droppings and 1 small bat lying on surface of pile slightly covered by Macroderma droppings [D15]. The specimen appeared to be fresh. 1 rodent tail [D16] in pile of droppings, 2 cockroaches associated with Macroderma droppings.
Left Bamboo Creek 15.30 hrs.
2 m. west of Bamboo Creek male euro shot Ride HF25.2, overall 149.5, Spinifex Hills, did not attempt to move off, sitting [R2].
[Douglas had collected previously Hyla sp. at Green Pool, Little de Grey R. 10 m. N.E. of Bamboo Creek, nr Marble Bar - natural included in this collection]
> 14th Oct. 1957
Mines Office Marble Bar Mus H & B 7.6 mm. [R3] T8.3, HF 1.79 poisoned in Mines office.
1330 hrs 110*F ;1530 hrs. arrived at Klondyke Queen Mine, Warrawoona 17 m. E of Marble Bar. Temp. 102*F. Decided not to disturb the bats until following morning.
> 15 Oct 1957 -05.30 hrs. 60*F, 06.00 hrs. 65*F.
Entered KQ 6.30.
Macroderma disturbed by erection of nets and 3 captured alive 4 dead [Douglas using squash raquet effectively in adit] also 1 Tychozus and 1 Vespadelus. These two were the only specimens seen of non-Macroderma bats. Douglas estimates numbers of Macroderma in mine at vicinity of 100. I saw about 12 at one time, i.e. lowest possible number 12. Probably about 70 specimens seen in all. dead Macroderma injected and placed in spirit. Living specimens will be brought back to Perth. Vespadelus & Typhozous injected and placed in bag and dated. Specimens of droppings taken and Pterohelaeus and larvae. 1 extra beetle found at net which might be escape, so placed in spirit with Bamboo Creek cockroaches.
Also in bag are the pellets which were found in cave ; two of them in a vertical Echidna - like shape. 1 quill found in a pile of Macroderma droppings. Left K.Q. at 09.15 hrs 91*F
Road to Copper Hill., 12.00hrs 99*F. Arrived Woodstock Station 1900 hrs.
> 16 Oct 1957 - Woodstock Stn.
10.00 hrs. Taken by Tim Ealey & Francis Ratcliffe to see Thalaconey's lagotis diggings (photographed). Next moved to small stone piles made by a small rodent. These are about 4-6 ft across and consist of small stones collected from the area (photographed).
To Eagle 11 granite. Found Macroderma droppings (collected), Taphozous seen. Diggings of some small mammal. Many Euros. Highly polished Petrogale rocks and Petrogale-type droppings. A number of small lizards collected, shot with .22 among spinifex on flat [D16, 17, 18, 19].
Recommendation: F. S. Bodenheimer, Hebrew University Jerusalem, The Ecology of Mammals in Arid Zones, in "Human and Animal Ecology".
14.15 hrs left Woodstock on road to Abydos Stn. 14.45 104*F.
1/2 mile beyond Abydos Station small Varanus collected on spinifex flat. Shot Douglas [D20].
Turner River about 12 mles beyond Abydos. Brown-winged wren shot in dry river bed [D21]
15.15hrs. River 30 miles beyond Abydos Stint [D22] solitary wading in permanent pool, shot. Also small fish [D23] shot by concussion with .22 hollow-nosed Water fish. Fish moving around in schools in about 6 inches of water. Rushes surrounding pool growing in water.
62 miles beyond Abydos 3 small parrots about 6 inches long. Steel blue above and a flash of red underneath when taking off. Seen on spinifex plain.1920 hrs. One of our Macrodermas found dead. Skinned. other two not at all happy. Pectoral muscles of stint placed in cage with them. Their feet are in a bad state from hanging onto the jolting cage in the moving Landrover. Skull of skinned macroderma labelled [D24].
Went into Port Hedland and then, after refuelling, out again towards Roebourne on coastal highway. Camped at E. Turner River.
> 17th Oct 1957 - East Turner River 0730 hrs 85*f.
At 06.30 shot small brown bird on bank of dry river. It moved from patch of dry brushwood to patch of dry brushwood along the top of the main bank [D25]. Caught cockroach (Polyzosterias sp.), placed in alcohol. Brown with fawn edges. M. rufus, Plains kangaroos seen in fairly large numbers.
W. Turner River 8911.5 on speedometer, 15 m. w. of Port Hedland.
8945 Woodswallow shot. 76 miles from Roebourne. Flock of them in a small seeding acacia [D26].
8949 Outcrop. Euros (72 m. n.e. of Roebourne) Douglas shot a female [D27]. Examined caves in outcrop for bats but no Macroderma vespadelus present. 11.20 hrs. 1008F, 13.20 hrs. 105*F, 15.00 102* F.
9050 m. M. rufus shot [D28] sheltering under a small tree on dry grass plain. Skinned, very large, many M. rufus seen.
9054 Karratha Stn., 9107 Artifact picked up & skull of M. rufus [D29].
> 18th Oct. 1957
Camped previous night at 9168 which is approx 40 miles east of Onslow.
0745 hrs 728F
Shot male honeyeater solitary in mulga. Area surrounded by mulga scrub [D30]
Large number of termite mounds seen about 20 m. E of Onslow (9194.5)
Photographed. 3 miles N of Onslow, pair of white-backed swallows [D31m] [D32f] shot by A. Douglas. Undulating grass plains.
Onslow 11.45 86*F, 88* F
Minderoo Stn. Ashburton River. Low sandhills timbered with ghost gums, acacia, saltbush and gums.
Shot small finch [D33m]. Gregarious in dead brushwood.
Sandplain with sparse broadleafed mulga. Varanus shot by A. D. [D34] Skull picked up. Macrop ashybrown with black feet, located as above.
Koordanie Stn. 9264 1530 hrs 92*F
[D35] Lizard shot by A.M.D. Mixed broadleafed mulga and acacia with spinifex, red loam.
[D36] shot small male Acanthiza or robin by A.M.D., scrubby plain, acacia (Karara) dominant. Solitary in dry bush.
Yanrey Stn.
Spinifex and broad-leafed mulga, sandplain lizard shot [D37]took refuge in hole.
Wolf spider found on side of road 19.50hrs, mixed mulga.
> 19th Oct 1957
67 miles N of Carnarvon. Rhytidoponera and trapdoor spider [D30] collected by Douglas. Red soil on Mulga.
Yalobia Stn. 56 m. to Carnarvon, 0700 hrs. 78*F
[D40] f. M. rufus shot young m. in pouch [D40] Also one at heel but not collected, Length 76" 173 cm.
[D41] Acanthiza shot by Douglas in m. Mulga scrub, red soil, Acanthiza in pairs. Rain 0825 hrs.
52 m. N of Carnarvon. [D42] f. M. rufus and young F. at heel [D43] shot in mulga. f.42 was lactating. Stopped.
Mixed acacia and sparse scrub. Small dove [D44] and honeyeater [D45] shot by A.M.D. 24 m. N. of Carnarvon. Carnarvon. Discovered that belt with knife & compass lost, probably left at 461. Turned back, Carnarvon turnoff, found knife, 29 m. to Carnarvon, 15.40 hrs. 84*F, 15.20hrs,
600 milepost to Perth.
Douglas shot Demansia saltbush plain. Tank no. 2.
Wooramel River Bridge, 17.30 hrs, 73*F
Breakaways. Collected rock sample, apparently limestone.
Woodleigh Stn. turnoff.
Just before No. 4 tank m. M. rufus, shot [D47] overall 72" 178cm. Mulga.
Stopped at Overlander Cafe for meal. Friendly people. Owner claims to be Ex Long Range Desert Group. Offered to take collecting tank.
Address : Mr. S. St. John, The Overlander, Hamelin Pool, Roadside Mail, via Geraldton.
m. rufus shot [D48] overall 7ft 7".
Mulga. Eucalypts begin. Decided to drive all night.
> 20th Oct 1957 - 0325 hrs 66*F, Murchison River.
Euro seen north of the Murchison, F. grey, seen south of Geraldton.
Darling Ranges 1330 68*F.
> 15th December 1957
Trip to Fossil site on Ederga River nr Gullewa.
A. R. Main had previously found a fossil vertebra in the bed of the dry river.
Party:
A. R. Main
V. N. Serventy
W. D. L. Ride
Speedo at 6 Florence Rd. Nedlands. 44441 whole miles.
Causeway 0540 hrs 70*F.
Rabbit dead on road
" " " 0805 hrs.. Had breakfast at Main's opal hill.
Fox dead on road 0840 hrs, kestrel feeding on carcass.
Miling air temp. 92*F
Dalwallinu 0925
Wubin
102*F )953 Buntine.
Varanus gouldi dead on road,
Sandplain vegetation. Hakea Casuarina Grevillea.
Latham 1020, Caron 1042.
Rabbit (juv.) dead on road. Signs of a large rabbit population, burrows, runs, droppings & fresh ? fox droppings, 11.10 hrs, 107*F. Dust devils.
Koolanooka 11.35, Morawa 11.44. Rabbit dead on road.
Turn off to Gullewa, dirt road off bitumen 12.05 hrs 110*F.
(See Mapsheet H50/2 Zone1 2nd ed1942)
Gullewa Turi Ari Hill (mine). Cross roads take right turn, turn off track obliquely to right along fence just before stock gate 436455.
Well, and then on to well east of this 455454 and then due east of this to cut Salt River at 446454. The sides and approaches are all loose sand and vehicle became bogged down, dug out and walked down to river.
W. bank sloped but E bank cut into deposits. Section at 446454 :
"Sketch of bank of river, weathered and unweathered greenstone."
No sign of invertebrate remains but in the upper sands (loess) there are hollow tubes and cylindrical fillings which appears to be moulds of tree roots and casts of tree roots (specimens collected), gastropods? coxiella.
Walked further north along west bank and here the sands are eroded off right down to the greenstones leaving sea hued rounded pebbles from the gravels all over the erosion surface. Just before this erosion stage is reached the sands are exposed on the upper surface back from the edge with erosion products freely visible. Aboriginal flake found here not worn.
Back at Gullewa mine 1730 hrs, 106*F. Fox 2 cubs seen in spotlight.
Ebano Creek, spent night .
> 16th Dec. 1957
Road between Morawa and Mingenew. Bert says that Permian shales along the green river contain shallow water deposits.
Way into Green River series south of road. 200 yards east of Bushfire sign.
Rabbits in paddocks.
Mingenew Hill. Triassic redbeds, isolated, dated on plant fossils.
Bridge S. of Mingenew.
Sandstone with copper at well on road to Eneabba Creek and Donkeys Creek. First turn-off to right south of Arriano approx. 3 miles S. of Arriano.
Three Springs, Prowaka, Carnamah, Coorow, Watheroo, Gingin.
> 26th February 1958
Perth-Wongan Hills - Perth.
Journey made with R. P. McMillan & Kaye Vollprecht to collect Buprestidae from flowering mallee in the Wongan Hills area.
(Full data in McMillan's notes)
Museum
Midland P. O. 0640hrs. F64*
White necked heron at 0710 hrs standing in pool.
Emu 0720 hrs.
Helen in flight 0755
Piawanning turnoff
0930 Wongan Hills turnoff. 79*F
Walked around at Wongan Hills saw signs of fresh digging of several different types. Collected droppings at one of these scrapes.
Saw hole that is possibly T. lagotis. This area should be surveyed as soon as possible.
No Buprestidae.
Elphin 11.30 hrs.
Wongan Hills turnoff
12.25 Cockroach with light stripes. Found in blackboy.
Highway
Collecting
Main road.
Grey kangaroo dead on roadside, skull destroyed (65 m. to Perth on northern highway). Grey kangaroo dead on roadside skull destroyed.
Juv. magpie dead on road, collected.
Guilford. Town Hall.
> June 5th 1958.
Crossing Nullarbor by Train.
I had heard that there had been rain on the Nullarbor and wanted to see it. I was going to a Unesco conference & travelled by train instead of air.
Left Perth by train for Kalgoorlie.
Very cold night. No heating at all. v. poor train.
> 6th June 1958
0820 hrs arrive Kalgoorlie
0845 hrs leave Kalgoorlie Commonwealth train. Excellent. Warm !!
Both before and after Kalgoorlie
(?) Mulga with mallee-form (?) Salmon gums
10.10 Very little mulga. Saltbush and scattered but larger salmon gums. Sheep grazing.
1100hrs First spinifex seen among mallee & mulga.
1200 hrs Zanthus, spinifex, salmon gums and mallee.
12.30 a gum, both mallee form and larger with a very copper-coloured stem. Others here have salmon upperworks with peeled stems except on lower parts of main stems which are unpeeled, scruffy and rough grey-red.
1240 Buildings (?) Kitchen
1300 Stopped. (no apparent reason - 2 huts on roadside) Spinifex disappeared.
1310 Eucalypts finish
1315 Collection of buildings
1345 6 houses and no name, double line, Naretha.
1405 left Naretha scattered mulga, small grassy vegetation. No saltbush, no spinifex.? Heavily grazed.
1420 Very scattered scrubby bushes, gibbers.
1425 886 mile post
1427 884 mile post
1445 Left Rawlinna - quite a large town by Trans standards
1455 Kestrel hovering
1540 "Grassy plain" stopped at next town (Haig)
1545 Colour exposures. - 1 at 1/100 1 at 1/60
1615 A large number of patches of vivid billiard-table-green. purple flowers, white flowers, bushes with yellow berries.
1620 Puddles of water lying about.
1620 Sun going down.
Advance watch 1 1/2 hrs.
> 7th June 1958
0650 hrs Kingoonya
0809 Wirraminna
All the country here is mulga and saltbush. Before Wirraminna there is very little mulga and appears to be the result of sheep grazing. Occasional bushes and stumps among the saltbush.
0845 Macropus rufus, a grey heron
0915 Pimba
0930 Macropus rufus in groups of 4-6. more than 12. Saltbush with no top cover. Undulating country.
0945 (?) Wirrapen - rounded hills with tendency to breakaway.
1130 Felis on roadside looking at train. Saltbush with considerable mulga. Flat with one high hill with breakaway to the south.
Adelaide - after change of train !
> 16th July 1958
The Hamersley Expedition.
The expedition is planned to collect extensively in the area of the Hamersley Range and Roebourne Tableland in the hope of gaining a better understanding of
the so-called Tovesian Outliers which occur in the area south of the Canning basin.
The party comprises :
Ride leader and
K. M. Buller Preparation
G. F. Mees Birds & Fish
K. Vollprecht Fish
W. H. Butler Reptiles
Athol Douglas - Mammals
John Mitchell (S. A. Mus.) - Reptiles
R. P. McMillan - Insects
Tony Watson - Insects
& Joan Jacoby - Women's Weekly reporter
10.15 pm. Ken Buller picked up John Mitchell and self in taxi and then on to M.M.A. in Perth
11.45 Met Kaye Vollprecht, Butler, Joan Jacoby (Womens Weekly) and Tony Watson at Airport. Peter Lefroy also on plane. Plane held up by weather & finally took off at approx 01.45 on the 17th.
> 17th July 1958
Geraldton
Carnarvon - dawn. Wittenoom Gorge. Met Athol Douglas (who with McMillan & Mees had gone up by road in Landrover) who reported that Rover u.s. with worn main brake-cylinder. Off-loaded Butler to travel with Athol to Coolawanyah and took the rest of the party in by air. Arrived Coolawanyah at approx 0945 hrs. Had excellent morning with owner of Coolawanyah - Roy Parsons who showed party over his shearing sheds. Shearing in progress, very good season. Met Ted Parsons and his younger brother Leslie (sns of Roy). Ted runs Hooley Stn. while Les manages Coolawanyah when Roy is in Perth.
Athol turned up at 1300 hrs and we left to go to Millstream Stn.
Many kangaroos and a small wallaby a bit like Petrogale but deep red allover. Surprised - in open country and headed for breakaway. Many rufus & robustus allover the place. Took a Tachyglossus crossing the road. About 12 species of reptiles taken.
Arrioved at Millstream. Met Pixie Gordon (Mrs. Stuart Gordon) Stuart away in Roebourne. Much toil and tribulation in getting things straight. Through by about 20.45hrs Gerlof Mees skinning birds through it all!
[From here on, notes spasmodic because of the considerable pressure involved in running the show and filming. Birds and small mammals have full data with their labels and the notes which follow relate almost entirely to large mammals shot or measured by myself (others recorded by A.M.D.) ; and results of important conversations.]
Mees & Mitchell kept full notes. All mammals numbered in a series "H..." with birds. (List of bird H nos. at end of book).
> 19th July 1958
Evening [H50] f. shot with spotlight. spinifex plains wt 27lbs, small hairless pouch young L53 1/2 in., T 25 1/4, HF 91/2, E 4in.
> 20th July 1958
(All specs. shot night of 19/7)
[H62]f. wt 38 lbs. L 571/2 in., T 273/4, HF 91/2, E 4 1/4
[H63] m. wt 49 lbs, L631/2 in., T 29 3/4 in., HF11 3/4, E 51/2in.
[H64] f., more than 75 lbs, L671/2in, T32in, HF53/4 in., E 111/2in.
[H65] m. L 67 1/2 in., T 32 in., HF11 1/2in., E 4 1/4
[H66] f. with young L69 1/2 in., T 29 1/2, HF 12in., E 5 3/4 in.
[H67] m. Millstream on road M. rufus. L79 in., T39 in., HF15 1/2 in.E53/4in.
]H68] m. L 77in., T 39 1/4in., HF 14 in., E 6 1/2 in.
[H69] m. L 72 in., T 38 in., HF 13 1/2in., E 6
[H70] m. L72 1/4 in., T 36 1/2, HF 11 1/4 in., E 4 3/4 in/
With the exception of H67 all reds were shot in the vicinity of Kanjeange [Karijini?] outstation (grass country) all Euros were shot near Millstream (Rock, spinifex).
> 21st July 1958
5 m. North of Kanjearge turnoff Caves. Shot at Macroderma gigas. Solitary specimen in cave, escaped but Douglas collected droppings. Collected Taphozous georgeanus in net. Douglas shot Python in cave. Shot hooded robin in snakewood "mulga" grove on spinifex plain.
Set traps around river and breakaway to North west of crossing pool.
9 Longwaths, 8 Havaharts, 2 Cat-traps.
> 24th July 1958
[H143] m. Euro shot between Kanjeange and Coolawanyah : L 120.5cm, T 56.5cm, E 9.5, HF 24, Wt 21 lbs.
Turkey shot A.M.D.. Stomach contents were beetles and grasshoppers, m, testes enlarged 29 x 19 mm
F. M. rufus shot 10 m. south of Karijgine Homestead : L. 117.5 cm., Wt.15 1/2 lbs., . 59.1/2 cm., HF 23.5 cm., E 11.
> 25 July 58
Set traps in gorge in Hamersley Range on Millstream : 1 cat-trap, 4 Havaharts, 12 Longwaths.
In gorge :
1. spotted bower-bird in low bush 0730 hrs
2. 0800 Singing honeyeater (with Butler) in sturtpeas.
3. 0930 Hen robin in dead tree.
4. Grey thrush in deep rocky gorge in low bush.
5. Painted finch m. at small pools of water in deep rocky gorge.
> 26th July
Butler took (a) hen painted finch on rock in deep rocky gorge 9b0 Singing honeyeater in acacia (c) brown honeyeater in acaia.
Set traps at Millstream: 2 cat traps, 5 Havaharts + 2, 2 Langworths.
Telegrams sent from Coolwanyah
GEORGE MUSEUM PERTH . PLEASE SEND SIZE TEN TUF BOOTS TO COOLAWANYAH RIDE.
DALGETTYS ROEBOURNE NO PETROL AT COOLAWANYA FOR MUSEUM. PLEASE DISPATCH
IMMEDIATELY MCMILLAN
> 30th July 1958
Pouched mouse trapped by Butler. F length 178mm, T 81, HF 15.5, E 19, least width of tail at incrassation = 3.9. width of tail 6.1, Wt 2 kg [This appears to be the 'red-eared' species of Woodstock.]
Bat Typhozous HF 14.6 E 22.8 WT 25 g.
> 1st August 1958
Budgerigah ? Iris white, legs blue grey, nose skin of male Blue.
Crimson chat . Iris yellowish-white, legs almost black, bill black.
Mudlark. Iris greenish yellow, beak, upper, white blackish nostrils and tip, lower white, feet dark.
Ringnecked. Skin of nose hazel in one specimen, blackish in the other, feet dark, eyes brown.
Conversation with Malcolm, an Injubundi man. Working on Coolawanyah. This used to be the country of his people. Now they are camped at Roebourne.
Junguna Owlet nightjar
Jungun Emu
Mundayung Euro
Wandera Magpie
Mounda Hill
Ngundama People of Black Hill
Ngungumurra People of Hedland
Paiwanada Red kangaroo
Puggara Plain
Waiwarra (?) Lagorchestes
Kundi Stone knife
Burring Kangaroo tick
Mooloo Knife for skinning kangaroo
> 2nd August 1958
Pindima mile peg 103.
Black duck. Iris light brown, Bill greenish grey, feet greyish brown.
Malcolm vocab:
Iddiawarra Satarellus
Dirridi Macroderma
Injubundi Malcolm's people
Jurrawarru small bat.
Sketch map of area.
> 4th August 1958
To Millstream.
[H 332] robustus m. spotlit. Tambrey. Wt over 60 lbs., L.69 1/2", T. 33", HF11", E 4 1/4".
[H333] rufus m. spotlit. Tambrey, wt 44lbs., L 63 1/2, T 30 3/4, E 6.
> 5th Aug 1958
Coolawanyah, lizards and spinifex.
Kimberley Kite. Yellow cere & skin of angle of mouth. Tip of bill black, feet yellow with black claws, iris brown.
People about Malcolm's:
Paigu people other side of Mulga Downs.
Murrudinia. South of Mt. Enid to Yarralula Stn.
Ngulluma people at Black Hill from Roebourne to Yule R. as far east as Hooley Stn. Page map of Malcolm's country.
Next pages map: The Range from Coolawanya, to Hamersley Stn, Willumurra. The English names were given by Roy Parsons, The Injubidi by Malcolm.
Malcolm says that only four of the Injubundi know the old things. These are
Old Toby - Old man , born when Mulga downs was no station and people speared each other at night.
Old Charlie. Taught by Old Toby but not so old himself.
Old Timblar, Old Wally - Song men
Purdud - Corroboree before making men.
"Coming down Mt. Abbot with 2 camels in the shafts and all 4 wheels locked with the chain".
Brokwinyi - Rock python
Ping(g)arung
Moogoo/unna - The evening star.
Pindiri - Stars
Wil/lulla - Moon
Yura Sun.
> 6th August 1958
Robins in gorge (Asbestos Creek). Iris sepia, rest black.
[H348] Planigale collected at Tambrey by W. H. Butler.
H & B 70 mm., T. 55 mm., E. 10, HF. 10, Wt approx 15 gm.
Mammals recorded by Douglas in his notes of the Hamersley Expedition
[H1-7] Skulls of unsexed Euros dead at waterhole, Marilana Stn 14 m. west
[H 8] M. rufus, f., 19 m. E of Marilana Stn.
[H9] M. rufus f. 27m. E of Marilana Stn.
[H10] m. rufus juvenile
[H37] Millstream. Shot W.D.L. Ride, wt 34 lbs., HF 27, L 1460, T 66, E 109, 3/4 grown young at heel, open spinifex, wt of young 100 gm.
[H38] m. Palm pool Millstream, 20/7/58. L1830, T830, HF290, E 122.
[H39] f. Spinifex near road at Millstream.
[H142] f. Young wt 11.5 lbs., Tail 18.8, H & B 40. 23 July 1730 hrs
[H300] m. Testes removed, length 1930, T 990, HF 34.6, Ear 14.5.
[H14] Skin found in WAM 8.6.61 unregistered in 2 pieces, destroyed K.7.
> 16th Oct 1958
Perth- Margaret River
Ride & Bowen
Called fisheries office Bunbury Inspector Barry Baines. Arranged with him for alcohol tank to be delivered to him by a fisheries dept. vehicle.
Met Maskell who presented an eel caught 15th Oct. Species identified by Mees as Gymnothorax woodwardi type in WAM.
Baines presented very small long necked tortoise caught 6 miles up the Collie R. from its mouth.
> Arrived Margaret R. contacted tourist bureau got hold of the Caves guide - a local farmer Dudley McLeod. He is a most cooperative & useful man. Worked until 10.30 still plenty of Glauert's deposit left. It appears that it was part of an earlier cave which has collapsed into the present one. Well worth stratifying.
> 17th Oct 1958
Margaret R - Alexander's Bridge - Nannup - Donnybrook - Collie - West Arthur - Williams - Quindanning - Marranong - Perth.
> Collected bobtails (redheads) 18 m. north east of Collie in mixed Wandoo, useful numbat country. Also shot f. shrikehrush, sitting in jarrah. Brought back specimen.
> 22nd Nov. 1958.
Perth - Yalgoo
Ride, Buller, Eric Car (Asst. Prepenata)
Home
Museum
Northam
Goomalling,
Buller shot 28 parrot (1), Ride shot 28 parrot (2)
Insects (3 or 4 ) collected from flowers on roadside.
Wongan Hills
Pilbara
Wubin
Buller shot 28 parrots (5) & (6).
Denansia michaelis found dead.
Perenjori
Morawa
Rear tank dry
Tonight onto dirt road to Gutha.
23rd Nov.
Gutha 7.15 am 6 x 28 parrots shot
Crossroad turn left to Melenby
Old road from left
Stock gate
Stock gate on bend of road.
Melenby turn off.
Stock gate
Collected small fish in salt river at Gullewa, small scraps of vertebrate bone but no real success at Ederga R. deposits shown by main.
Turn off to Yalgoo passed stone tank.
Collected Varanus on bank of Ederga.
Pipit shot Ride.
Eudergasp
Australian skylark
Yalgoo & Carnaby's house. desolate town, nearly a ghost town.
Drove south with Ivan Carnaby to look for a new species of quail thrush that he says occurs south of Yalgoo. Filled tanks with 13 gals.
Road to Fields Find.
Camped for night. Shot 2 goats, 1 mulga snake, collected Gecko. Goats appear plentiful.
> 24th Nov. 1958
Left Ivan and moved south. breakfast at 0645 hrs on road.
Shot Quail Thrush & Bell Bird the quail thrush is the southern species thrush playing around under mulga in mulga thicket with grassy floor. Bill black, deep grey horn, eye red orange. Amphibolus also taken.
Fields Find.
Turnoff right to Wubin
A salt lake (? an outlier of Lake Monger)
Collected casuarina for McMillan.
A very large salt lake with banks on its southern side.? Lake Monger. Banks red and eroded but apparently no fossils in them. Single artifact of crystalline quartz collected in a "blowout".
Changed over into front tank, 8 gals exactly since Yalgoo 629 ie 23 miles per gal. with trailer up !
Bobtail, 28 parrot, Miling, New Norcia, 29 miles post, Back to Perth.
> 28th Nov. 1958
Perth - Jurien Bay - Perth
With Balme, Glenister, Glover all Geology Dept U. of W.A. to examine caves and reports of destruction of fossil deposits for "guano".
Home
Geol. Dept University
Shot 28 parrot
100 milepost from Perth
Moora
Collected varanus killed by car on side of road. Saw it killed. 28 parrot shot.
Collected Bobtail at Jurien Bay. Spent night in Beach Hut with owner, local farmer Bob Ward.
Drove to Smith's Cave
Smith's cave shot pipit, Smoker parrot shot.
Turn off to Cave back to Jurien Bay for lunch, shot small green parrot.
Pipit
Turn off to cave again.
Hill River
Kingfisher shot in scrubby plain beyond river.
Black cockatoo shot, white tailed, feeding in open plain with low heath among blackboys
Back in Perth.
> 10th January 1959
Perth - Margaret R. - Perth
Ride, Vollprecht, A. M. Douglas
Took Douglas down to Margaret R. to set up a showcase in the cave.
Idea, to stimulate tourist interest in both the Caves and the W.A.M.
Arrived caves after dark.
During stay collected rats. R. rattus caught in traps outside the cave along side of the stream. Breakbacks baited with bacon.
Also shot Chalinolobus morio returning to crevices in the ceiling of main chamber after their evening flight.
> 12th May 1959
Perth - Murchison R. - Perth
Ride and John Kelsall (Canadian Wild Life)
Museum
Northam, grey overcast 65*F
Goomalling 14.15 hrs spots of rain.
Wongan Hills 1500 hrs
Pilbara 16.00 hrs
Changed to front tank
Dalwallinu 16.15hrs
Whites at Merkanooka 19.13 hrs.
(The Whites are relatives of Stan White's (S.R.) and the reason for the trip is that, through Stan, the Whites - Father, sons (Hansel and John) presented a fine mandible of Nototherium to the Museum. They found it in the bed of the Murchison at the crossing at Billabalong Stn
> 13th May 1959
White's House
Turn off to John White's
John White's
Highway Mullewa - Morawa
Mullewa 08.45 petrol
Murchison at Billablong arrived at bridge 12.00 , 76*F.
River has been in flood. Whites unable to find remains they saw at the time they collected the Jaw. Water in bed of river and sand and salt deposited over formerly bare surface. Had meal. Whites (Stan and Jeff O'Brien) fished and got 2spp water in pools not too salt to drink. Fair amount of aquatic vegetation and many very small crustacea (?Daphnia).
John White walked out the bank about 1/2 mile west of bridge, bone in bank.
2 species of fish:
1 plimmer species (? atherine) olive green above, white below, lateral line marked by extremely vivid white longitudinal band.
Other species Perch like (?spangled perch) greenish above, spotted with brown blotches.
Small bird collected in bush at dusk. Bell birds plentiful and small green parrot here in mulga. Cormorants in river. Bird shot : bill horn, legs blackish, soles of feet pale, wt 9gm
[Coll No. 6] f. m. rufus, shot joey in pouch 2.5 g. Total length 162, Tail 85, Wt 43lbs. HF 27, Ear 14.5.
> 14th May 1959
Rose with first light, cold.
Startedto look for birds but nothing doing until sun came up about 7.30.
Bush canaries, weebills, babblers, willies, mudlarks, galahs, grey falcon, 28s, topknot pigeons (large flocks of topknots c.100 birds at least), grey herons, heard bellbirds and butcher birds. Crows in fair numbers. Shot 2 28s.
Walked out bank on way back to breakfast, further bone in undisturbed beds where river is cutting away bank. wts of 28s between 100 & 200 gm.
Temp at midday 88* F becoming overcast, clouds high, breeze.
The two bones found west of the river are 1 (by white) a small fragment of ? pelvis, and the other is more-or-less complete scapula of Nototherium.
Sketch of cliff with samples.
Going out with spotlight 9 miles n. of river. No kangaroos seen N. of river itself. Shot m. [coll.no. 7] Wt 43 lbs., HF 27, Ear 13.5, Total length 149.5, Tail 77.5
> 15th May 1959
100 hrs left Murchison
Greenough R. walked out banks for about a mile to west of road, no fossils. Rabbits plentiful in burrows, foxes' earth. Shot bellbird.
Shot pair of mulga parrots put in Mrs White's frig. for night.
Merkanooka
Spotlighting around Merkanooka, locals say that all three species of Kangaroos occur locally : Greys and Euros on the Irwin and coastal side of the watershed and Reds and Euros in the "lakes" side. Reds occasionally come into grey and euro territory. They also say that the greys and foxes move from the coast and back to inland each year. Local greys have short toenails (hard substrate) but when they appear at the beginning of the winter toenails are long - sand plain conditions.
[Coll. No 8] Grey f. Wt 43 lbs HF28. Nail 2.3. Ear 12. Tail 66 Total 144. with pouch joey. wt 200g. Shot in rolled bush, spotlight.
[Coll. No 9] Euro m. shot in crop. Wt 24lbs. Ear 12. Tail 71 HF 25 Nail 10. Total 144
[Coll. No 10]Fox f. Wt 8lbs. Ear 9.2, Tail 35.5. HF 15. Total 99, shot in grass pasture.
[Coll. No 11] Fox m. wt. 14lbs. Ear 9.5, Tail 42, HF 16.5 Total 104. Shot in grass pasture.
Locals say Euros fairly common in Salmon, York Gum country. Small breakaways with caves occur (8 ft or so.) Greys plentiful in scrub. Jams etc.
Left Merkanooka for Perth 1400 hrs 16th May.
3 p. typed list of Latin names of birds observed.
