THE OUTBACK OF AUSTRALIA . . .


Australia, a country of boundless plains,distances fast
sparse vegetation, dry, wet, changeable, creative contrast
thousands of square miles, here and there lonely homestead
part of our country, few of us really know, called "The Outback"

Spirit of kinship, hospitality, binds these people of this land
holding together a social structure via 'phone or radio band
education for their children, help in sickness or distress
brought to them, first by radio, then Flying Doctor, great success

Go, be enveloped, marvel at the timelessness, the immensity
be part of it's mystique, beauty, harshness, great diversity
ever changing landscape, wildlife, magic to behold setting sun
millions of stars at night, dawn chorus of birds, new day has begun

See Aboriginal rockpaintings, hear dreamtime stories behind all
birdlife, running rivers in wet season, magnificient waterfalls
feral animals in large numbers, camels, cats, wild pigs, brumbies
sight of great anthills, tall palms, canyons, sandy deserts, boab trees

Sound of mournful didgediroo, drifting on still air of tropical night
splashes in billabong, crocodiles, some animals to the death fight
great variety of insects, chicada's, mosquito's, howls of wild dogs
whoosh of flapping wings, music of night birds, croaking of frogs

Traveling in "The Outback", of it's dangers, loneliness, be fully aware
listen to advice from those who have been there, so you can prepare
once you've been there, realising the gullible vastness of our land
we've got it all here, holidays anywhere else seemingly quite bland

UNFORGIVING, BEWARE, IT CAN KILL . . .

Under eclectic blue sky, streaked with whispy cirrus clouds, white
moving across sweeping brown endless plain, awesome sight
silvery saltbush, acacia, to barely discernible horizon far away
a formidable, hot vista, no place for animals, even humans, to stay

Ground cover very tightly packed pebbles, this is the Gibber Plain
vegetation is virtually non-existent, this place crying out for rain
wedge-tailed eagles engaged in disputed terrritorial aerial display
on ground, camels, kangaroos in meagre shade, blistering hot day

A land stripped of all adornment, giving Gibber Plain it's allure
mean, unencumbered, mostly dry, hot, this is elemental nature
this mighty landscape has a harsh, physical beauty all of it's own
even early explorers realised that here nothing could ever be grown

In some parts, so-called "jump-ups", rising from the valley's floor
odd erosion shaped remnants of mountains that were here before
suddenly, sky opened, bolts of lightning, thunder, torrential rain drowning valley floor, beginning of transformation to grassy plain

One can almost feel the sighs of plants, animals, from heat relief
once again, unexpectedly, rain came to the rescue, however brief
creatures, plants, having adapted to the conditions that are harsh
managing, very cleverly in dry seasons, when feed, water are scarse

Here is, what is known as "Cameron Corner", by a simple survey post
the coming together of three States, NSW, SA, Queensland as host
it is also called "The Corner Country", west of Silver City, Broken Hill
a part of Australia, harsh, beautiful, unforgiving, beware, it can kill