The north of Western Australia, Australia

Photos from the Real AUSTRALIA

The north of Western Australia

The Duncan Highway runs from the Northern Territory border at Nicholson to the town of Halls Creek, where it links up with the Great Northern Highway. Old Halls Creek grew up after gold was discovered here in 1885. A gold rush by about 10 000 prospective miners ensued, but this didn't last long; the old place is now crumbling away, 15 km from the present town, that serves the cattle stations in the region.

The Fitzroy River region in the southern Kimberley started to become occupied by white settlers after 1880, to start cattle stations here. This was fiercely resisted by the local Bunuba Aboriginal people, who would spear the pastoralists' stock and definitely didn't want to work for the invaders. Jandamarra, or "Pigeon", as he was known to the whites, led his people in guerilla warfare against the invaders until he was shot by one of his own people who worked for the white police.

Balgo Hills, in the dry and remote outback of Western Australia, is a former Catholic mission and set among hills and spinifex grass. The people are still very traditional and are related to people living on cattle stations towards the border with the Northern Territory. About 100 km north of Balgo is Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater, with 850 metres in diameter and 50 metres deep one of the world's largest. It was formed more than a million years ago when a large meteorite fell to earth here. Native trees now grow in the well preserved circular crater.

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