As the land composing the State of Western Australia has been for many
ages undisturbed, by upheavals of a geological nature, the soil and
climate must have varied very little during all that time, so that at the
present day the conditions of existence for organic beings may be taken to
be similar to these prevailing many thousand years ago. Through all this
time successive generations of plants have been accommodating themselves
to the conditions surrounding them, with the alternative that, if they
could not so adapt themselves, they would suffer extinction. Individual
plants that have for any reason been able to withstand particular trying
conditions better than their companions have in consequence of this
survived, and their descendants, through their possession of those
qualities, have continued on their course. A certain amount of
modification of structure will accompany, if it be not the cause of, this
power of resistance, and when further modifications of the same kind
arise, or others equally favourable, or other characteristics are
introduced by crossing with different forms, the plant may thus, by a
process of natural selection, be so much altered from its original form as
to constitute a distinct species. Long-continued drought, for example,
would impose such a test of the endurance of plants ; and as a matter of
fact, drought, periodic or constant, is the most prominent and
characteristic feature of the environment of plants in Western Australia.
In only a few other regions on the earth’s surface is aridity of climate
so pronounced as in some parts of Australia, and yet the driest parts of
its area are furnished with plants able to live through it and propagate
their kind. We are thus led to infer that our native plants must be
particularly well adapted to droughty conditions, while the duration of
this dry environment, and of the resulting structural modifications, seems
to suggest the idea of fixity of the forms now existing, seeing that a
long-continued succession of similar seasonal cycles, with little
disturbance of soil conditions, must in the course of time have brought
each form of plant to a state of perfection in its adaptation to this
unvarying environment.

ACQUIRED CHARACTERS.

According to Weismann and others, acquired characters cannot be inherited,
the germ plasm being continued unaltered in structure from parent to
offspring, and therefore incapable of producing new characters ; so that
no matter how highly any particular characteristic may be developed during
the lifetime of an individual organism that characteristic cannot possibly
be inherited by the offspring, at birth that is to say. Hence they deny
the correctness of part of the theory of development propounded by Darwin,
who believed that the inheritance of acquired characters was one of the
means through which new species arose, besides the crossing of our species
or variety with another. All depends, however, on the sense in which the
characters called “acquired” have arisen. If acquired characters were
heritable in the sense that the progeny at birth would be provided with
them, then an animal or a plant at various stages of its course through
life ought to produce descendants showing characteristics corresponding to
those acquired by the parents at particular stages. Although the traits
evolved in an organ or tissue by the action of particular stimuli brought
to bear on them in their nevironment [sic] may not appear in the progeny
at their birth, there is at least no reason to suppose that the
descendants should be less capable of developing the same characteristics
in a similar way. On the contrary, each successive generation subjected to
the same conditions—to the same stimuli or the same absence of stimuli—may
carry the development of a characteristic further and further to an
indefinite degree, and the capacity for such specialisation may become
greater and greater the longer the favouring conditions keep the same. We
can scarcely impose a limit to the degree to which an organ may develop
under special stimuli, or to the successive forms an organ may pass
through in a long series of generations, all under the action of the vital
forces inherent in the germ cells. If an entirely new organ or a structure
of a different type were supposed to be included in the expression
“acquired character,” it would be quite reasonable to doubt the
possibility of such being produced in the individual or inherited the
descendants. But if the specialisation has taken place simply from the
action of the stimuli encountered in the environment on the qualities
inherent in the germ cells of the organism, it seems quite reasonable to
expect that not only the capacity but the structure evolved on typical
lines may in time become fixed and heritable and when by the action of
tile external forces (such as drought) educing those new traits those
organisms lacking them are cut off on account of unfitness, the characters
of those surviving may be very unlike the originals.

Apart from the direct inheritance of acquired characteristics, however, a
highly developed trait may have an important influence on the capacity or
chances of an individual plant or animal so provided, for effective
crossing with another  variety.

STRUCTURAL MODIFICATION.

The structural modifications by means of which plants are enabled to live
and flourish in dry climates are very varied and interesting. In some
cases the plant as a whole, or particular organs, are highly specialised
to cope successfully with drought, while the great majority of our species
show some indication in their structure of the necessity that exists for
special provision against this feature of the climate. In considering the
question of how this is effected it is necessary to study the relation of
the plant to water, the element of most vital importance to it. Plants
live and grow by the absorption of water from the ground by means of their
roots, which serve also to keep them in a fixed position. This water finds
its way through the stem and branches to the leaves, from the surface of
which it is exhaled into the air. This water is not pure when it enters
the plant, but contains dissolved in it in small quantities a number of
different mineral substances necessary in the formation of its tissues.
Sometimes, however, these ingredients in the water are prejudicial to the
growth of the plant, and may cause its death ; in other cases they may be
tolerated or even favourable to growth, while in others again they may be
the cause of peculiarities of structure sufficiently pronounced to have
caused botanists to describe as distinct species plants so modified by the
absorption of water charged with a particular mineral substance derived
from the soil in which they grew. These substances in the soil may be
injurious to the majority of other plants, so that toleration of them by a
particular variety may be the means of its advancement and spread, through
being relieved from the competition of other plants in that soil.

The great bulk of the woody tissues of plants, however, is not derived
from the water supplied through the roots, but from the atmosphere, which
contains carbonic acid gas, the source of the element carbon, the chief
constituent of wood. The extraction of carbon is effected by the vital
action of the leaves in their performance of the function of respiration.
In a large tree bearing many thousands of leaves it can be understood that
a very great quantity of water is required for its growth, but if the soil
does not contain much or soon becomes exhausted the growth will be
proportionately restricted. In soils that are very dry or liable to become
so at particular seasons plants must be modified in some such way as will
enable them to do with a scanty supply of water. One obvious way in which
moisture may be secured even during the dry season, is by an extension of
the root system to the deeper strata of the soil, which are less subject
to the disiccating [sic] influence of the sun and atmosphere than the
superficial layers. As we have a very long dry summer we should expect to
find the great majority of our native perennial plants to have roots long
enough to reach deep into the ground. Examples of this may be found by
anyone who will take the trouble to dig deep enough. As all example, let
me mention calythrix [?]lavesceus, a small shrub less than a foot high,
that makes the sandy scrub gay with its bright yellow flowers during the
hottest months of summer, when the majority of flowers have faded. You
will find that the clusters of branches appearing above ground spring from
a root-like underground stem running horizontally at 3 to 6 in. below the
surface, and that the true roots for absorbing moisture are attached to
this and extend downwards to a lower stratum of the soil. In like manner
the bush casuarina (C. distyla) of the sandy scrub sends out underground
shoots which at intervals come to the surface as young plants, thus
helping in its propagation independently of its seeds. The same thing
occurs more strikingly still in the Christmas tree (nuytsia floribunda).
When this tree becomes broken down, as easily happens oil account of the
brittleness of its wood, or succumbs to a bush fire, you frequently find
that within a radius of a few yards from the old tree a large number of
young bushes have made their appearance, sometimes in a circle, and these
are found attached to underground shoots given off by the old stock at
various depths below the surface of the ground.

ROOT SYSTEM.

These plants illustrate one arrangement by which the drought of a long dry
summer, and other untoward conditions may he overcome ; but there are many
other ways in which the root system is modified in a special way to retain
life in the plant, and even at shallow depths in the soil. Such are seen
in bulbs, tubers, and various forms of swollen roots or underground stems,
in all of which water is stored up during the wet seasons of the year,
that the germ of the plant may be kept alive through the droughty period,
to start into active growth again when the next rains supply moisture
sufficient for the growth of a new plant which forms roots and provides a
new bulb or succulent organ in which water is again stored up. It is not
only in the underground portions of plants that this storage of water is
effected ; we see it also in the stems and branches of plants such as
those of the cactacrae and some euphorbiaceae, giving them quite a
peculiar character. This type of plant is seen in the most arid regions,
where only a scanty rainfall over a short period of the year must be made
the most of for growth and storage, before the hot, dry air takes it all
back from the ground. Active transpiration is not possible in these dry
surroundings, and as leaves are not required to carry off surplus water
they are suppressed altogether or reduced to scales or prickles, the stems
themselves taking their place and performing their functions to the extent
required In these plants, and in succulent plants generally, water is
stored up in cellular tissue set apart for the purpose, to be drawn upon
when necessary. There are many native plants around us with succulent
leaves in which water is stored against drought, such as the saltbushes,
mesembryanthemums (or pig-face), members of the portulaca family,
including the ice-plant in which water-containing cells on the surface of
the leaves glisten like particles of ice. Some of the lobelias —poisonous
plants not uncommon with us—frequently have their juices so carefully
stored and protected from evaporation in stem and flower that we may find
plants still standing upright in the ground, flowering and ripening their
seed, although the root and lower part of the stem with the leaves on it
are dead and brittle. Others, of the Portulaca family, are so retentive of
life that they may be used for room decoration without water for weeks or
months, while under heavy pressure within sheets of drying paper they
continue their growth for long periods.

THE LEAF.

As the leaf is the respiratory organ of the plant besides being concerned
in transpiration, its formation and intimate structure are important
objects of study. The leaves are in direct continuity with the roots
through the medium of the vascular fibres, which pass from the roots
through stem and branches, and from these through the stalk of the leaf,
breaking up on entering its blade into an expanded network visible to the
naked eye, so that every minute portion of its area is supplied with
water. The surface of the leaf is studded over with minute pores, which
allow the water to escape into the air as vapour, and at the same time let
in the air for respiratory purposes. The small cavities to which the pores
or stomata give access are lined with delicate living cells which are the
active agents in the function of respiration or breathing. The carbonic
acid gas entering with the air becomes dissolved in the water that has
descended from the roots, and is thus presented to the active living cells
which decompose it into the oxygen which escapes into the atmosphere,
while the carbon is appropriated for the formation of the woody tissue of
the plant. The breathing pores or stomata are so affected by the state of
the atmosphere that when it is very dry the two cells guarding them so
alter their form and position as to close the opening, while with a moist
atmosphere and a full current of sap flowing they become more turgid and
bulge outwards so as to form an opening that allows communication with the
air again. It can be well understood that in a dry climate a large
distilling apparatus of the kind indicated would not generally be suitable
; for lack of moisture it could not be kept in action. The extensive scale
on which broad-leaved trees in a moist atmosphere transfer water raised
from the ground to the air has to be reduced, so that the quantity exhaled
shall be proportioned to the amount present in the soil. Accordingly the
broad leaves, with innumerable breathing pores, must have their surface
diminished in extent, and the cellular tissue and stomata reduced in
proportion. In conformity with this requirement we find that in a very
large number of our local plants the foliage is of a very stiff, spiny,
and harsh character, the soft cellular tissues being reduced to a minimum,
the leaves being narrow, with prominent ribs, and ending in sharp points.

As we have a copious rainfall in the winter months, a luxuriant growth of
some broad-leaved plants is encouraged, but the leaves of such, not being
deciduous, are protected by many interesting devices from the influence of
the dry air and hot sunshine of summer, which directly tend to induce
transpiration and rob the plants of their moisture. The leaves of the
eucalypti, acacias, and others are set in a vertical position, so that
their surfaces will be parallel to the sun’s rays at the hottest time of
the day, and so receive less heat. In others the leaves are covered with
hairs, especially on the under surface, and sometimes they, or the whole
plant, are enveloped in a covering of hairs so dense and so matted
together as to resemble thick flannel or blanket. Such a covering not only
protects the substance of the leaf from excessive heat or cold or other
injurious influences, but it may retain for a considerable time such
moisture as may come to it from rain or dew, to the benefit of the plant.
During the growing season leaves may be somewhat soft and delicate, but
with a gradually increasing intensity of sunshine and dryness of the air,
the superficial layer of cells forming its substance may become thickened
into an impervious cuticle, preventing evaporation of the moisture below,
and modifying the effects of the light and heat of the sun. In other cases
fluids are excreted on the surface of the leaf, so that the epidermis is
protected and the stomata effectually sealed with wax, gum, resin, or
lime. In some leaves the stomata are so deeply sunk below the surface as
to be removed from the direct action of the light and heated air, or they
may be situated in the bottom of grooves which themselves become shrunk
and partly closed when the air is dry. In some grasses and sedges you may
observe that as they grow the leaves are quite flat, but shortly after the
stalk is plucked you find that the leaves have lost their flat character
and appear curled up lengthwise, the change being due to the stoppage of
the sap current when the stem was severed from the roots. One of the
plants now coming into flower about Perth is Grevillea oxystigma, a small
shrub with abundance of white blossom. You will notice that as long as the
rainy season lasts the leaves are mostly flat, but at a later date, in the
dry season, they appear more often as double-barrelled tubes each half of
the blade having curved backwards to the midrib as if to exclude the dry
air from the under surface, which is already protected by a covering of
minute hairs. This rolled condition appears to be more constant in the
drier districts of the interior, such as Kellerberrin or the Stirling
Ranges, while in these localities other species of G. show the peculiarity
in a still more pronounced degree. The rolling back of the margins is
often so tightly effected in some plants, that the leaf must be broken up
if you wish to see the hidden under-surface. From this condition of the
leaf it is only a step further to one that is quite solid with the under-
surface obliterated and a groove marking the position of the midrib ; and
from that again we easily arrive at the terete form, as it is called, like
a knitting-needle, quite smooth all round and presenting to the air the
least possible area of the surface, and ending in a sharp point most
frequently.

INJURIOUS EXTERNAL INFLUENCES.

It is interesting to note how the stems of trees and other plants are
protected from injurious external influences. In a visit to the North-West
I was struck with the fact that the few trees seen had their trunks and
branches provided either with a rough thick corky bark or had them smooth
and quite white as if painted with a cooling composition such as that
applied to the roofs of houses. In either case it evidently serves as a
protection from the excessive sunshine and heat of that region. The heat
of the sun and air is probably the cause of the development of the thick
protective cuticle, like that on the palm of the village blacksmith, and
the white stems reflect the light and heat of the sun, so that the
interior of the stems will not suffer injury. When the moisture in the
soil is not pure water, but contains particular substances dissolved in it
such as salt, many plants would be injured or killed if planted there,
while others, like saltbushes would grow and thrive. The saltbushes may
grow well in an ordinary soil, so that a distinctly brackish condition is
not indispensable to them : but they have a tolerance or affinity for
salt, and may extract more of it from an ordinary soil than other plants
do, and store it up in their tissues. They thrive better in a moderate
degree of brackishness, however, and their roots, when not in active
growth, might suffer no injury from a somewhat concentrated solution of
salt, as those of other plants would. The subject of the adaptation of
plants to their surroundings may be said to be co-extensive with the
vegetable kingdom, and we may go on speaking of examples of their ways and
means of doing so indefinitely ; but it would be advantageous to consider
some of the means by which the economically important family of grasses
maintain their position under trying conditions. In some grasses—for
example, Sesleria aenciefolia, a South European species—a remarkable
intricately-woven tunic is provided for the covering and protection of the
lower part of the stalks. The sheaths of the lower leaves—the part of the
leaf embracing the stem—are composed of longitudinal and crossing zigzag
fibres so woven together as to form an intricate network in the tissue of
that part of the leaf. When the upper part of the leaf withers and drops
away in dry weather this fibrous net remains as a protective clothing for
the steam [sic] of the grass during the trying period between summer and
the following spring. Instead of having a woven fibrous tunic the base of
the leaf sheath may be more strawlike in its nature, as in some of our
native grasses, but in drought either texture is calculated to protect the
plant, to absorb moisture when the chance occurs, and to retain it for a
longer or shorter time during intermediate dry periods.

PROTECTIVE COVERING.

In Australia and South Africa another form of protective covering has been
evolved in the native grasses of those parts of the world. On the bases of
the leaf sheaths, instead of woven fibrous or straw as described, we find
a great development of hairs of a woolly nature so copious as to
completely cover the base of the stem and give it a bulbous appearance.
These woolly hairs are sometimes woven into a feltlike fabric of
appreciable thickness, giving effective protection from injurious outside
influences, and at the same times preventing the escape of moisture, while
it absorbs water from the atmosphere and retains it for the replenishment
of that required in the vital processes carried on in the living tissues
of the plant. Eragrostis eriopoda, a North-West grass, gives a typical
example of this arrangement, which may he observed, though to a less
degree in other species of Eragrostis, Stipa, Panicum, Danthonia, etc. It
would be easy to demonstrate the power of this felted tunic to retain
moisture by wetting a clump of one of these grasses and a similar clump of
another grass unprovided with a hairy covering, and laying both in an open
place to dry, when it would be found that the felted covering would still
be moist long after the other had become perfectly dry.

In the sandy soil about Perth and in the South-West generally during the
spring months may be seen a tall purplish grass, bearing at the top of its
stalk a loose bunch of flowers somewhat resembling quaking-grass in shape.
This is Poa nodosa, which grows up during the wet season, and continues
for some time further into the dry period, flowering and ripening its
seeds when the sand in which it grows is almost constantly dry. If the
base of the stem is examined there will be seen one, two or three bulbous
swellings of the base of the stalk, just below the surface of the sandy
soil. These swellings are succulent, and contain a store of water in
anticipation of the plant’s reeds during the course of the long periods of
dry weather that are sure to follow. A similar formation is found in a
variety of well-known Timothy grass that grows in the drier districts
about the Mediterranean Sea. There is no specific difference between this
variety and the typical form (Phleum pratense) found in moister
localities, beyond the presence of the bulbous swelling of the underground
stem, and when this form is transplanted to cultivated ground and supplied
with sufficient moisture, the stems lose their bulbous character. Whether
Timothy grass grown in dry localities in Western Australia ever assumes
this bulbous form, perhaps some of our agriculturists may be able to say.
If it should be able to adapt itself to our climate it may be worth
encouraging for that reason alone ; but whether the bulbous form be
imported as such from its native steppes or modified from the ordinary
form by a process of acclimatisation, it would be scarcely reasonable to
expect it to possess the same succulency as the grass grown with abundant
moisture. It might prove of value in dry districts, but at the same time
our native grasses, long used to the climate, may be found, if properly
tested by experiment and analysis, to be quite as nutritious.

INDIGENOUS FODDER PLANTS.

Under a sort of fatuity we neglect the plants growing in our own soils and
search all over the world for new kinds of fodder plants, without giving a
thought to those growing in our own vicinity. There are many grasses and
saltbushes adapted to withstand the most severe droughts, and all that is
done is to take advantage of the bounty of nature and use up all the
herbage provided till it is in danger of extermination. The grasses are
known to be highly nutritious, but no steps are taken to preserve them or
to extend the area of their growth ; while the saltbushes, though they
have been analysed and proved, in foreign countries to have high feeding
qualities, receive scarcely any consideration, as if they were thought as
indestructible as the sand or as inevitable as drought. In connection with
this subject we have to distinguish between perennial plants and annuals.
The pastoralists are concerned with the former, but their scheme of
exploitation of the country grazed upon does not include provisions for
the future continuation of the fodder plants originally provided. On the
other hand the cultivator of the soil imports plants from foreign
countries, apparently without always considering whether the conditions of
existence here are fairly comparable with those of their home country.
Fodder plants from India, with its combination of heat and moisture may
grow here, but they could not be expected to do as well in our dry season
as when in their own home. Some plants form that country or from the basin
of the Nile might produce abundance of fodder or fruit, with the help of
irrigation ; but land is so plentiful and the population is so scanty in
Western Australia that irrigation does not recommend itself to cultivation....

[C3812] photo of campsite, [C3813-16] photos of [Anderat] pile in cave in breakaway. Athol & I excavated pile and found a succession of nests of fine fibre and eaten quandong & sandalwood nuts. Numerous rat-like faeces. This can only be a nest of Leporillus. Will open up fibre nest and nuts[C3817,8], also b&w of same. Athol collected a small Cryptenbolus[?] - new to me. I collected a small Hetemota [?] in the cave with the Anderat nest. second view[3819]. The young Notomys are still alive & suckling. Road bears 248*, set off. 1200 hrs stopped to walk over to Skipper Knob (ref 436657).This area of breakaway on the SWestern side of L. Baker consists of ---- sandstone above and fine sandstone below. There are some 100 ft thick and have some local crossbedding and included quartzite hen's egg sized pebbles. No fossils found. Drove on. Junction 27th// road to Laverton. Put in 1 jerrycan, showing empty. Caught Athol bogged in sand, dug out. Stayed for lunch Sched.

1 telegram:+Sw at 9.52 Dr Ride 8QWX  MAPS SEED REROUTED KANANDAH TODAY TERRELL
Passed Hanns Tabletop. Road turning to West. Cooper's Creek - very bad sand, had to unhitch trailer. Coopers Hill. Stopped to camp for night.
Windy night but warm. Cloud coming up from tthe east, will probably rain.
2 juv. notys died in second day of life.

[WR208] Leggadina , trapped in Bilbring Granite, Lightning Rocks 6/8/67 A.M.D.
[WR 209] Antechinus macdonnellensis A.M.D.
[WR210] Antechinus macdonnellensis trapped in Bilbring Rocks, Lightning Rocks, 6 young in pouch, preserved in formalin.
[WR211] Leggadina m. trapped in Bilbring Granite, Lightning Rocks A.M.D.

All these were injected with formalin & refrigerated until measurements could be taken, weights not recorded, all are preserved in formalin. Collected insects at light before turning in at 21.50.

> 9th August 1967 WEDNESDAY
Camped just south of Cooper's Hill, rained during night, only about 10-20 points, otherwise a very good night for sleeping, best so far.

0700 Sched to Harry Butler. He is still working across the Nullarbor but : through the worst & expects to be at Loongana tomorrow. Told Bob Stewart who is worried about one of his people who is with Harry.

Pinned insects etc. Cleaned up camp & got away at 10hrs. Photos of campsite[CR 3820-21]. Trig point on E. side of rd in sandridge, is this Point REET2S, if it is  - and the distance is correct, the road is to the west & not to the east of the Sheriff Range - a long continuous sandhill.

Fuel Gauge very low , added 1 jerrycan. This is half of our fuel now when this is used up. Very bad dune with bad washout in the lead in. Numerous colour shots[C3822-32]. I got stuck but got out by lowering tyre pressures to 10lbs per sq inch. Athol went in & we got him out with boards. Very lucky to get off so lightly. Lucky we were not going north or we would not have made it. Athol out of fuel. He's not certain how much he holds or has used. We have done 205.6 miles since he refuelled - if he holds 20 gals - and I suspect he holds more - then he does 10.3 mpg.

Put in 1 jerrycan & we will see how far he goes on 4 1/2 gals of fuel. (He went to 26.3). Y junction, took SW fork. Presumably the SE fork goes down to to Limejuice camp. Beginning of long strait - seems no more sand dunes after mile after mile of them. Here eucalypts numerous and belts of mulga. very pretty country. camels numerous & some galahs & 28s, must be water about. En of 12 mile straight, reach Neale Junction.

Turned down road to the East to find a campsite a few hundred yards away. Attractive wooded country with large eucalypts. Very strong cold wind blowing all day. Decided to put up tent for the first time in this trip. Too cold otherwise. Will be a heavy dew tonight.

Much about this entry reminds me of the entry immediately to the south of the Nullarbor. A great contrast with the plain itself. No wonder people have thought that the plain was a barrier to migration.

Fed animals. The Antechinus [WR214] is dead. The little Notomys is growing fast & is darker in colour now, it can also just stand and struggle about but very wobbly & falls over.

> 10th August Thursday
(Camp on Emu Road vicinity Neale Junction)
Up at 0650. a beautiful morning, an excellent nights sleep out of the wind.
0700 Sched with Harry Butler. He is at Loongana and is fixing the axle today. He expects to be in Cundelee on next Thursday. Will talk to me tomorrow, he did not reach Wanna Lakes. Sent 1 telegram through USQ
TERRELL PHONE 284411 PERTH WORKING VICINITY NEALE JUNCTION ALL WELL TELL MARGARET REGARDS: RIDE.
Photo of campsite[C33]

The last of the Notomys born to the Lake Baker animals on the 7th of August has died. [WR214] Antechinus macdonnellensis, collected Bilbring Granite, Lightning Rocks 6/8/67 A.m. Dayles. Live trap baited with mutton fat cooked, a universal bait. Died in captivity 9 Aug 1967.

Left camp at 11.00 hrs to go along Emu Rd. to east to line of breakaways marked on map crossing road abt 15 miles away. Emu road through this eucalypt wooded with much acacia and an industry of condegrass[?] and spinifex. Probably "woodland savannah" but difficult to classify. From the side it looks quite dense. Left road along track northwards towards breakaways. Breakaways composed of ------[?] sandstone with fine bedded sandstones below. Typical Cretaceous sequence. No good. Collected Amphibolus. Put in one jerrycan, out of fuel, still doing slightly more than 16 mpg. Finished colour film on Bush Turkey [C24,5,6] i.e. Bustard. Back to camp, had lunch. Drove northwards in an attempt to reach Lindsay's Mound Springs which should be about 4 miles off the road at its nearest point 12.6 miles N. of Neale Junction. Fell in hole in road where it collapsed into a rut as the vehicle went past. Dug out O.K. Collected Amphibolus, spinifex and sand (larger than previous, this is a mule[?] with black gulan[?] won[?]). Turned off road. Spinifex and sand with mulga. Staked tyre at 06.1, decided to walk the breakaway about 1/2 to 1 mile ahead to see if we could see mound springs. Cr breakaway being 66* from vehicle. Looked 135* where mound springs should be about 2 miles away. Nothing to be seen. Took 2 colour shots of scene [C3302,3]. Back in camp. Athol has set traps: 59 Sherms[?], 19 breakbacks, 3 cat trays baited with cooked birds, others all baited with  Universal bait. Fed all animals etc. Turned in at 21.30. Clear night 1/4 moon, no clouds, cold. Tomorrow will drive about 60 miles to line of breakaways and lakes which corners road at about the junction of the Nullarbor mioc and the Cretaceous.

> 11th Aug. (Friday) 1967.
Camped at Neale Junction. Athol got 3 animals all good. Sminthopsis hirtipes, Notomys (the larger species of Warbo), and a little Pseudomys different from hermansburgensis with dark tail and ears, pink feet. First 2 : breakbacks, last in Sheman[?]. Photographed Sminthopsis [C3304, 3506] in reasonably lifelike position 7 also a lot of b&w.

Sched with H.Butler. He is mobile again. Sched with Ruth Swan told her we will probably be with her on Sunday but will let her know definitely at 7.30 tomorrow morning. Photographed details of Sminthopsis and Notomys, finished No. 3 b&w film. Photographed camp at Neale Junction [3907-3910].

[WR 215] Sminthopsis hirtipes f., a very striking species, nose extremely pointed, ears very large, tail long and fat like a S. larapinta [v. detailed physical description 2 p.], preserved in formalin. AMD 11/8/67. Neale Junction, Spinifex & eucalypt on sand.

[WR216] Notomys, f., detailed description. Coll. AMD Neale Junction,. Spinifex & eucalypts, sand, 11/8/67.

Left camp southwards at 11.15 hrs. left note in bottle at Neale Junction [C6]. [C789] Magnificent country, never seen anything like it before. Great eucalypts in spinifex between dunes. Athol out of jerrycan. Poorly exposed sandstones, coarse and fine, typical Cretaceous in small breakaways. Filled up with 2 jerricans, we are getting 15 mpg, we have 202 miles left in fuel. Road changes direction to 220*, road changes direction to 178*, camped in a patch of bindi ! Athol dumped oil of Landrover. Drove over to the first small lake '''' at 79.7 Budgies v. plentiful [C3911]. there are poor exposures and the margins near the northern shore there is calcite, on the northern shore a dune made up of evaporition with a fine stand of Callitris. All pretty well vegetated and no real ablactin going on. A poor prospect. Walked 1 1/2 miles further over to second lake to the NE, better exposures but still por prospect. Light grey will see back in morning. Drove back to camp. Athol set out in light fires. Went to look for rabbits. --ped again having shot one in the saltbush just to the north of exps. The rest of the dune was pretty sterile. This is poor ---al country. We got out of the spinifex and eucalypt country when we came over a feature about 7 or 8 miles before we camped. This is all saltbush, bindi, some windgrass, mulga in a clay and sandy soil. Almost no tracks anywhere except foxes and dogs.

Athol put out all the traps, 59 ----, 19 breakbacks and 3 cat traps, the latter baited with birds. Fed animals, turned in 2030.

> 12 Aug (Saturday)1967.
Left camp. Bob forgot to put in spade. We spotted this about 100* from camp and he walked back. I got out and to my surprise a dingo got up and stood about 10* from me and looked at me. I watched it for a while (& he watched me) and I then went back to the vehicle to get camera. I got a couple of poor rather distant shots of him because he moved off as I walked back to him. When Bob returned I drove after him and got out with the 13.5 cm. lens & b&w. He was very friendly. Came close to me, howled when I howled, jumped over bushes, played like a puppy. Sat down under a bush like a dog (HMV type). Chased a rabbit that we put up, dug out a piece of buried something (? old rabbit) from under a bush & threw it around. In all a most remarkable performance, took about 30 b&w x esl colour [C3912-3925] at 1/200th at f11 - could be a bit over-exposed. Unfortunately, he was very careful to keep downwind of us all the time and this meant he was back-lit. Every time I got around him and got upwind of me he moved very quickly and was afraid, but he would come close & investigate quite fearlessly in the other direction. Drove to 2nd lake. Around second lake:

This lake is somewhat better than the first but still of the same character. On the southern side there are large hills of ----ite - completely sterile and along the northern side there are exposures of sand and clay but no sign of bedding and also appears sterile. The floor is bare, and when dug into generally reveals brown clay, but in parts this is grey. Drove due east to the top of 2nd lake at 89.5.

Arrived at 3rd lake: Worse exposures here, much vegetation - the southern shore again here has the opposite of the other two.  Bob took colour photos. Very depressing. Away to the north we can see the elevated horizon. Is this the edge of the Cretaceous and are we in the Miocene or Tertiary ? Left 3rd lake for ?scarp to the north at 99.4, saw kangaroos, greys and reds, about 1/2 doz greys. Wonderful to find them up here in this country north of the Nullarbor. Chased around hoping to get one but rifle not properly zeroed and missed what should have been a single shot. On course to north at 102 awig on the scarp feature at 105. As far as can be seen there are no breakaways. Creeks flow down from off the top which is mallee-spinifex sand - almost certainly is Cretaceous but in the creeks there is only calcite exposed and sterile sandy "cement".

Arrived back at camp.

Broke camp to drive south to Nullarbor, general vegetation Acacia, grasses and bluebush, spinifex and mallee very scarce, very few animal tracks here. Cold & dark getting back. Kangaroos (Red). Shot a young male for the pot, collected skull [WR220]. Rifle now shooting well at about 200* + failing light. No measurements taken. Put in last jerrican of fuel. i e we have between 65 & 70 miles in the tank now, 121 miles to go to Kanandah homestead.
 Camped for night.

> 13 Aug 1967 (Sunday)
Very cold night, down to 28*. Got up after sun this morning!
Had breakfast and 0900 Sched. Then went to transfer specs from formalin to alcohol and find that the specification nos. & data written for Glen in pencil had abraded off the labels. Fortunately just sufficient remains to construct numerical key to localities. Label attached to each specimen:
Yellow (1) 3 specs. Amphibolus Lightning Rocks, collected Aboriginal Johnson Lane.
(2) 1 spec. Amphibolus vicinity Skippers Knob, coll. AMD 8/*/67 dug out of hole
(3) 1 spec. Amphibolus vicinity Manton Knob ( originally erroneously attributed to Pt. Read. Coll. A.M.D. 1 spec. gecko data as for Amphibolus 3.
(4) 1 spec Gecko collected cave-breaking vicinity Manton Knob. WDLR. (5) 2 specs Amphibolus collected vicinity Neale Junction WDLR.

The young  Notomys labels also badly abraded but that in the largest 3rd day open is clear enough to differentiate it from the other two. Put in tube. Prepared to leave at 11.00. Fuel. Athol has put in his last jerrican into the Landrover i.e. we should have about 126 miles in Landrover. 10 gals. put into the International : ie we should have in excess of 100 miles in the Int. He is still on the tailend of his last 10 gals. 116 miles to Kanandah.

Arrived at feature marked in map, found pisolitic limestone very reminiscent of the Bothriembryon limestone of Quobba and Barrier & Dorre (see B & D pages for description). Bothriembryon ! Collected 4 specs. Bob collected likewise [C3926-7], Landrover steady in fixture & condguars [?]. Stopped at depression and collected an isolated but perfect specimen. Stopped on an incline down into a depression about 1/2 mile across, in the incline are coapints (?) overlain by Both-limestone which have often a skin of calcarenite overlying its angular edges. Vegetation change to mulga and from nodules - these now seem to be calcrete & not pisolitic to the same extent. [C3928-9] Miocene gibbers.

Alongside Endeavour Well. Discovered Athol being turned back. Reached in stationery with tent. Reached Athol, lent him Wenzel pump and jack handle, moved on to arrange fuel for him at Seemore Downs. Back at Endeavour Well, crossed fence line, forked west, passed tank, Seemore Sowns. Peter Hogg (a Jock) and wife. He used to be a boring contractor & now manager setting up a new station. Homestead a bus while new homestead building , age c. 50 and no children. Getting dark said that they would hold Athol for night. Drove on to Kanandah. Forked left, hill, hill % tank, barbed wire fence, Snake Gully Well, North Gate, Kanandah Budy, signpost Kanandah homestead. Nice to be welcomed (Ruth & Eric Swan (?), asked us to stay. 2 children here: Russell (Rusty) a naturalist age 10, Susan age 6, other 2 children at school in Perth (David at Aquinas). Met Owner & wife: Davd & Heather Sims and foreman Elaine Measkey.

> 14th August Monday
Sched: Dick Hawthorn told me that there was a letter at Warbo and said he would try to get it to the Western Mining Aircraft on Wednesday.

Telegram: RIDE PHONE 862242 PERTH ENJOYING HOSPITALITY KANANDAH WILL PHONE FROM RAWLINNA THU AFTERNOON : DEE.

Drove out with Eric Swan to Native Willow Dam at northern end of property. An enormous dam - the largest that I have ever seen on any pastoral property. He says they cost $4650-00 each.They hold 31 cu. yds., have the following dimensions 310 x 285x31 ft. Took Kodachromes [C3950-33]. The material excavated seems to be some sort of a bedded sandstone composed of regular rounded quartz grains in a kaolin matrix, looks a bit like a decomposed granite but seems to have different degrees of grain size and content. Will re-examine this later.

Got back to Homestead at 2.15 cutting it a bit fine to get to Rawlinna by 3.20 when exchange starts. Nightmare drive to Rawlinna along rough stony road for Naretha, 8 miles to Naretha, 30 miles to Rawlinna. Got there 5 min. late but postmaster agreed to let me use phone. Praed M. seeming alright after fall but Sed & Kathy seem to have caught measles. Told him I will try to get back for a couple of days in about a week. Schoolmaster friend of Kim Fletcher gave me wooden artefact in cave for museum, wants detn. Drove back to Naretha, saw Athol. He will stay there and trap. he has had an awful time with tyres, patches very poor & much pinching. I think the next landrover must have split rims. Put in 6 gals at Kanandah before starting for Rawlinna.

> 15 August 1967 Tuesday
Sched. Asked Mrs Hogg to keep an eye open for Athol's tools last dropped on the road 3 miles North of Endeavour Wells. She will ask Peter to let Kanandah know if he finds it.

Telegram: RIDE PHONE 862542 PERTH. WORKING BETWEEN KANANDAH BALLADONIA ABOUT ONE WEEK THEN ANTICIPATE  SHORT BREAK PERTH BEFORE MELLENBYE : DEE. MERRILEES PHONE 284411 PERTH. WORKING BETWEEN KANANDAH BALLADONIA CAN YOU SEND URGENTLY ANNOTATED BALLADONIA MAP ALSO IF POSSIBLE 1/250,000 SHEETS CUNDEELEE AND ZANTHUS STOP WOULD HAVE TO BE POSTED TODAY STOP STILL DRAWING BLANK REGARDS RIDE.

Fuel from Kanandah, issued local purchase order to cover 14 and 15 Aug.

Naretha Stn. met Athol who had still not succeeded in getting a tyre inflated. Told him to go to Rawlinna and collect the new tyre & tube while we went down to southern end of run to look at exposures with Eric Swan, 20 shearers set - no catch. Drove west along N. side of line. Crossed line. Made slight detour with bend in fence on N.E. corner of Koonjarra lease, south at rt lst to fence line along good bulldozed track. Cutline crosses track diagonally SW-NE, turned SW(?). Arrived at claypan with water. This is Geddards (=Ponton's) creek.[C39345] No exposures here. Turned back to track. Arrived back at track turned south, Evaporites across the road. Turned SW across country from the road to drive over to  a great dune of evaporites. Eric says that this runs 6 or 7 miles approx NS along the outflow valley of Geddards Creek [C3936,7] will come back to this tomorrow. Back at road, turned south, cutline at fence. Turned off a few hundred yards to the west to Duck Dam (just north of Emu Point)

Duck Dam : Had lunch and collected fossils from the clays of broken down  Clusters on the edge of the dam. All L. Miocene inowleguata(?) in poor preservation - all replacement casts - but George Kendrick may need them for a record, and to confirm Miocene date of exposure.

Drove back to homestead with Eric up the Old Peppertrees Road which runs diagonally NE from Emu Point tank up to the tran(?) line on the eastern boundary of Koojana in last bit up a cutline along the Koojana fence. Kangaroos plentiful, Greys and Reds sometimes running together. Greys often in mobs of up to 1/2 dozen grazing together but when scattered they usually break up into smaller mets(?) - pairs or 3s. The Reds seem to be singles or pairs. Rabbits plentiful, no other small animals. Foxes everywhere but only a few dogs about. Eric seems to have beaten them with his dog fences - he is having no trouble. Large mobs of turkeys - up to half a dozen seen each day we hav been here. Eric is taking a very kindly attitude towards his fauna - let's hope it pays off and he succeeds in keeping it. He is shearing 27 thousand this year in excellent condition & he hopes to build numbers even higher. He is also developing Boonderoo & Koonjarra for McGregors (who own Kanandah). This will be run by a separate subsidiary company and he hopes to retain some managerial interest when it gets started.Together these will be very big indeed - vicinity of 2 million acres. McGregors have also put into Kanandah something over 1/2 million dollars already - they have certainly convinced us of the need for this country to be developed with big money. To do it in bits is asking to have bits thrashed before the rest is developed.

> 16th August (Wednesday)
Drove down to Athol at Naretha.
[WR217], [WR218],[WR219] Notomys collected from Warburton Range.

Talked it over with Athol. He is doing no good where he is. I will get him to move down to the Claypan of yesterday. Left him at 9.15 with the 3 animals to skin and on back to the homestead to pick up Bob & go up to Native Willow Dam. Last night Athol had 29 Shemas set, 3 cat traps and 19 breakbacks - no result. Back to homestead for coffee. Left at 10.20 for woolshed. Woolshed, High Tank / ("Pinnacle") and hill. Gate; stayed on E of NS fence. High Tank & hill, crossed NS fence just short of tank at a gate and moved W along NS fence south side. Gate in centre-fence

(i e N.S. fence) N of tank. Refill from jerricans (2), male turkey flying at

30 mph ! Single jump takeoff to clear fence. Gate in approx EW fence leading up to NW as well continuing NS fence. 75.9 new EW fence. Cutline to Native Willow Dam. Walked over the material exposed by the bulldozer and foundthat it was hopeless. The "sandstones" are seen, on closer examination, to be decomposed metamorphosed granites with kaolin uniting with rounded quartz grains. No bedding beyond a somewhat crude sorting of grains in some of the lumps, but no orientation. Little doubt that we are off the Miocene here. Left down along road tending SW, stopped at small outcrop on little hill. Pisolitic ironstone, very hard with the pisolites weathered out.

Gate in fence.(This is the same fence at 25* which we saw at 74.5). Turned off SW road to Reprieve Dam. Left dam. Not yet through the soil horizon

[?] yet ! Back at SW cut. Cottage owned[?] through fence & south along fence line. Cows[?] in paddock, through fence, turn East. Turned south along cutline. Gate in fence - continue south, through gate in NS fence - turning East away from fence-line. Through fence at Black Ridge Dam. This has a considerable thickness of red-clay. Why ?

Cottage after some confusion is Charles Healy E along N of E/W fence. Road changed now hit corner of 3 paddocks. Through gate & now E along N side of EW fence at 7.1 on the holding paddock with saddles etc at 7.7. [Tony Roberts wife]. Back due out to the homestead in the Dale.

Notes in Photocover of Goddards [Pontons] Creek for Eric's mgsw[?] Zantus, Cundeelee and further notes although the creek flattens out.

> 17th August (Thursday) 1967
Loaded up with 31 gals of fuel and essential local produce orders for a further 4 to repay Peter Hogg for his loan of a jerrican full to Athol. Many thanks to Ruth and Eric. Later discovered we forgot to buy beer !

Left homestead for Black Ridge Dam.

At Black Ridge Dam. This dam is peculiar one ; in it there are 26 feet of sandy clays. Unfortunately no base at all although the texture reminds me very much of King Creek Banly[?] Dam - but there it is black !.Turned north through fenceline just to east of Horse yards and donkey ramp (between it & cottage)cl on to Terry's Dam.

Terry's dam> Some red sandy clay and this time limestone as well. Seems without much doubt to be a filled valley extending N-S with luck it goes int the Goddards creek section. Lime kilns. Old abandoned workings.

Met Athol, he had no animals in 3 cats, 59 Shermas, 19 breakbacks, camped beyond the claypans in a "dozed" track.Explored along the track for 5 miles then turned back. This trip very successful. At the camp we had found oysters and Athol found corals and bryozoa in the neck. This looks too much like a beachline to be true!. A little further on we found more oysters and Bob got a ?Terebratula. At the point where the track crosses the creek from the South to the North side we find an excellent exposure made by the bulldozer in which there were echinoderms, molluscs and brachiopods. all of this is at the 650ft contour and looks as though we have located the 200 metre terrace on the Nullarbor. If so, this is a most important outcome of the trip. Particularly important is the fact that the Ponton rises to over 900 ft.ed with much luck, may ever give us a change in facies from minimum[?] to fluviatile.

To bed - we will collect shells in the morning for duty pinpres[?] !and then upstream.

> 18th August (Friday) 1967
Camped in Goddard's = (Ponton) Creek. All approx 650 ft. Spoke to Eric on Sched and told him that we would probably be here for a few days. Told him of Bob's "error" regarding supplies and he promised to deliver these as well as the mail tomorrow morning on his way down to the Dam site, (Duck Dam) tomorrow morning. No animals in 3 cats, 59 shermas, 19 breakbacks [traps].

> Reached NS cut line ( Boundary(?) between Boonderoo and Koonjarra) and turned south. Left cutline on about SW course to high evaporite hills along Eastern margin of depression. Walked from vehicle over lip down into depression c 150-180 ft. below Kopi hills. Evaporites all the way. Very nice fine gypsum at the base, hopeless for fossils, walked out into depression but nothing but gypsum. Back at vehicle - back to exposure of shell jeds in creek moving W. of camp. Back at camp. Road crossing(?) creek. Stayed here and made a proper collection of the fauna. Very strange fauna, large number of Brachypods but very few molluscs, only a little Pecten, and the large oyster, a few corals, echinoderms, bryozoa and ? coralline algae. Also collected some nice artifacts. These all appear to be surface & not in the deposit although dry as patinated. Patch of limestone which seems to be a calcrete found within the shelly sand.

Lost it here, only calcrete ed? Miocene nodules. Sandhills with spinifex and eucalypts, collected dead shells of Bothriembryon & Rhagada.

Fence (boundary) with gate a little north of it, after no further exposures. Through fence & turned NE to Kitchener along fence line, gate, turned East, Eastern boundary of Boonderoo, back to camp in Goddards [Ponton] Creek.

> 19th August 1967 (Friday)
Sched 06.15 to Eric Swann. He will bring maps and supplies down at 08.30
Sched 0730 to VJ2 Nothing for me. Athol got one mouse 3 cats, 59 shermas, 19 breakbacks [WR221] Mus musculus, lactating, brown bellied form, very large, preserved formalin. Left camp at 10.45 having filled main tank with almost two jerries. Now have exactly 25 gals ie 375 miles. Athol has in excess of 360 miles. Arranged to meet Athol for lunch 24 miles west of Kitchener where Pontons Creek crosses the trans line. Back at Dog gate in boundary fence. Kitchener. Crossed line. sed to be a level crossing here ; but none now. Athol missed our turn and went off down the fence. Kitchener is empty, noone in houses. 9550 mile. Again no crossing for Athol to lake, deserted huts. Ponton Creek rather wide here, nothing in the flat gently sloping exposures beyond calcrete on the tops of the hills on the E and W and something rather like a soft and rather coarse sandstone downstream of the embankment and conduit.

Had lunch and spent two hours here and still no sign of Athol. Salmon gums, spinifex and mallee. Will leave trailer here to stop Athol. rove on to the crossing of Ponton Creek with the Cundelee Mission Road.

Boring. poor exposures of recent alluvia, walked down to salt Creek, no good. Not missing who called it Goddards Creek.

back at camp at crossing of Trans line, find Athol. Met chap from CSIRO Wildlife - he had been with Michael Ridpath - it was bread !!

> 20th August  (Sunday)
A lovely day. A very cold night - white frost everywhere fortunately no wind. Did not look at temp and unfortunately Athol took it down after Having missed it at 36*. When he saw the ice he realised his mistake but by then too late, 38* at dawn. Packed up and off to Balladonia via Zanthus at 10.00 hrs. Turned south along Zanthus/Rawlinna Rd. Gravel pit with laterized granites & schists coulan by pisolitic laterite which in places(tops of ridges) is imported into calcrete [C4001] country with wildflowers. Woke up that we were alongside the Trans line - so much for our sense of direction !! Turned back to Zanthus. Crossing at Zanthus. Balladonia turnoff east of 3 moths.Roads not as marke but Cundelee >  Kalgoorlie > Balladonia.

12.30 met Athol. He has had awful trouble because of the overhanging branches. Front of truck already seizing up. Had lunch . Decided he must turn back, transferred all jedaco kit to the Landrover & trailer. Took in 10 gals of Athol's petrol. This now gives us 28 gals in case of trouble.

Athol will : 1. Drive to Widgiemooltha & trap. 2. Tuesday 22nd go to Widgie P.O. and ask for telegram addressed DOUGLAS MUSEUM PARTY CARE WIDGIEMOOLTHA WA PO. If no telegram will go to Higginsville 39 road miles from Norseman where he will meet us between 12.30 and 14.30 hrs.

[C4003,4] Typical eucalypt & bark country just south of the salt lakes. All the country we have driven through today is eucalypt woodland with an understorey principally of saltbush and bluebush. Some of the eucalypt is tall mallee but there are tree forms centrally and there are some wide views in which only bush occurs - these are probably old salt lakes or dry pans & "isolated plain" is a good example.

Saw numerous grey kangaroos, a dingo (dead), and a fox (dead). A Lands & Survey Line has been put through here with a continuous set of concrete bench marks. Had some trouble on this very twisty and sandy road. Jacknifed once but fortunately no real damage beyond a welded hand screw head broken in the trailer leg. Camped in an open saltbush and bluebush flat at Pioneer Tank. A beautiful warm evening with a full moon and high cloud. Bats flying over the tank ( a little earth dam) but no hope because too much moon to hold them in the torch beam to shoot. No net with Athol's truck. How silly. Collected spiders and a few ants running in the ground before turning in at 22.00 hrs.

> 21st August (Monday)
Camped at Pioneer Tank Ref.176063. A grey morning but a warm night, slept well - too well to Jim Eric & Jerry on Sched at 6.15.

Sched 7.30 sent telegram 
RIDE PHONE 862242 PERTH NEAR BALLADONIA EXPECT ME WEDNESDAY LATE AFTERNOON UNTIL SATURDAY OR SUNDAY MUCH LOVE : DEE.
Recd 1 PERTH 12 AT 9.16 RIDE 8WNX  THANKS LETTER SEE YOU SOON ALL WELL LOVE: MARGARET

Dug out a trapdoor spider's hole and lid as well, fed gecko. Collected it and also the remains of the trapdoor spider & its lid for identification.

Dug out ants nest under saltbush. A large opening with a rim about 2" across and 1" above the soil surface. Down inside it there were openings, one a slit and the other a hole alongside, found only six inhabitants. A dark nest with apparantly only one centre. Dug out as deep as possible and widely but no other ants in hole. curious that such a large opening had so few inhabitants. Dug out second nest. same external character as the first, collected a few inhabitants. Entrance centre smaller hole not slit-like. Silliers[?] all about 3-4" below surface, horizontal are casts only. Left tank at 09.35.  Near Pioneer Tank. Collected lumps of Bryozoan limestone like the stuff at Goddards Creek. The height here is approx. 470 ft. If it is the same it is not a 200 metre beach line. Is it same part of the Mioc ? or is it the ?Eocene of Lake Cowan ? The stuff outages in lumps in the floor of the plain behind seems to be an old claypan.

Bull Oak Tank, a large earth dam, calcrete, limestone (massive)?, some water over quartz pebbles & clay. No fossils.

Turned left to First King Tank. Stopped at limestone outcrop. calcrete with fine pisolites on a hill. Collected Boths., both alive & dead, Ushells[?] 2 species[?] dead, alive & Rhaggada (alive & dead), aestivating in litter under saltbushes. First King Tank. Shell from exposed weathering out, looks like the Goddards Creek stuff but seems to be "a different oyster". Collected crustacea claws, echinoid alista[?], Pecten, oysters, bryozoans, corals. Turned right towards Kullingobinya Dams.

Kullingobinya Dams: No. 1 is a classic Balladonia-type locality with a flat low granite & a slight swampy depression in the middle. Collected Breccia on side of dam, no sand discernible. No 1 is at the base of the granite which slopes slightly towards the south. This is in silicified Miocene limestone, collected specs. Above no. 1 at the north side of the granite (which is rather like a slightly tilted saucer) calcrete outcrops at the rim. Rabbits have eaten the lot bare.

Noondoonia Rocks. The situation here is the same. The original dam here is on a rim into the granite depression & has not touched the "soak" in the middle. This is still excavated. This soak is particularly important because although grazing etc has killed the trees in the soak their remains are still present and those that it was vegetated with Acacia thicket about 12-15 ft high surrounded by eucalypts. There is an original earth scoop here in perfect working order. All it needs is hoses. Alongside the granite (to the West) is a new dam and like the other situation is in silicified marine[?] Myocene [?]. Over the surface of the granite are lumps of calcrete therefore it must have been covered with a calcrete hill.

Drove in towards corner of fenceline Map ref. 167013., at about 015 there is a depression which is completely  untyped[?]. Miles 2.4 from Noondoonia Rocks - this should be cored, calcrete in surrounding rim.

Gate in fenceline. Middle tank. These occur (a) marine elate[?] with fossils in the tank[?] (b) calcrete  & Both. limestone with Bothriembryon. Collected 2 spp. seem to be the same as the two collected earlier this morning. Incredible ! Gate. Noondoonia buildings. Afghan Rock = Wahganmya. This is rather more exposed than the others with relief in the granite, but the situation is eventually similar. The deposit here is rather more of a fissure[?] and less open. Still much now for being exploration.
Dinner at Balladonia Motel Hotel ! Put in 2 jerricans of fuel.
Camped w. side of road to Norseman. Cold night now just part  full. Ground v. wet.

> 22d August 1967 (Tuesday)
Camped south of Norseman. Sched, Signed off with John & told 8WOX that was best made Balladonia OK. Packed & off.
Western Mining offices at Norseman. Put in 1 jerrycan of fuel. Went out to Caustory[?] and looked at Susten[?] and for the Eocene exposures with fossils which had been recorded. No sign. Very cold. Decided to drive on to Higginsville to meet Athol and then for Bob to return to Norseman to join his friend in Western Mining, and see if he could get some help over this while I returned to Perth with Athol. Met Athol at 1300 and left for Perth. Arrived at 0100 hrs on 23rd August.
 
Measurements of mammals collected on exped & killed or died later.

> 24 Aug 1967 [WR188] Notomys, male, obtained from natives at Warburton Range 3 Aug 1967, ...... Preserved in formalin.
Stuck in back: Sketch map of "Duck Dam of Emu Point" showing area around Kanandah Homestead.

Last 2 pages details of communication with colleagues via Sched....