OUTBACK ADVENTURE

[Maureen K Clifford]

Outback Adventure

He’d travelled from Borroloola on the road to Doomadgee,
was sick of red dirt tracks and samphire bushes he did see,
and he couldn’t stand the heat and by now was sick of flies;
don’t know quite what he expected – for I’d not told any lies.

We were heading on to Hell’s gate not knowing what was in store
and the trusty van was still attached to our old four by four.
We passed mauve shaded turkey bush on the Savannah way
the thought of Hells Gate feeling good - a rest at end of day.

A shower to wash the dust off and a beer to slake our thirst,
a chair beneath a shady tree – nature could do her worst.
We needed rest from bouncing over endless corrugations
and from battling the wheel controlling Toyota gyrations

The showers looked good – Devils and Angels both accommodated,
the signage in the shower block should not be underrated.
It said in language clear and bold one should turn off the lights
when ablutions were finished in the shower block at night.

Lights attract the insects, and insects attract frogs.
Frogs attract the slithery serpents from beneath their logs
Snakes are known to bite and they are venomous and kill
The RFD’s two hours away – waiting won’t be a thrill.

That trip was many years ago – to England he went back
was that a sight of sheer relief – when we got off the track
and onto bitumen and back in busy city streets
where no one ever said G’day or even stopped to greet?

Where each man was a stranger, and no one called you mate.
It was in its way just a different version of Hell’s Gate.
But no doubt he regales his pals on evenings at his local
about his trip to Aussie Hell and no doubt he’s quite vocal.

Maureen Clifford © 04/12

[r.magnay]

G'day Maureen, good ol' pain in the bum me again!...I have done a bit of work out in Robertson River and surrounding bush a few years back, I'm pretty sure there is no saltbush up in that country, well not the stuff we call saltbush anyway, I could be wrong, I think I was once before... ...not much red dirt up there either mostly black soil country and rocks from my memory!......heat and flies....you're pretty much on the money with that.....

[Maureen K Clifford]

You might be right re the saltbush - do you know what it actually is??? According to Google it may be samphire which I have never heard of. As for the red dirt?????

[r.magnay]

..Morning Maureen, I am not up on the plants of the top end and I have heard of samphire, it could be that, I know it is not saltbush though! as for red dirt, thats not red dirt! look here for red dirt!.....


http://www.flickr.com/photos/81252806@N ... hotostream

[Maureen K Clifford]

Fair enough but pale pink sounded a bit girly even for dirt I will change it to samphire in the interest of correctness