Sunday, August 15, 2010

Katherine Gorge - Saturday 26th June


I expect a shellacking for opinions about to be expressed. For mine, Katherine Gorge was no big deal. Yes, yes, I know - it is iconic. The look on my ex's face when I voiced this was total disbelief. He had been there. He had swum in the water's. Surely ... I was mistaken. He expresses strong opinions at times.

However, this was my nth gorge. I had been 'on' Windjana, Geike, Chamberlain and Argyle. Katherine lacked wild-life. It lacked rock colour, and it lacked a knowledgeable guide with passion. Yes, it was beautiful, and peaceful. But the high-point seemed to be the making of "Jeddah" by the Chauvels in, what, the '40s.


Katherine involved two sections in flat-bottomed boats, linked by a clamber over some rocks. Our guide did not even explain the aboriginal art for us! The rock area in between the two boat-rides is where the symphony orchestras play. Now THAT I would like to experience!


It was big, and it was deep, and it was majestic. But we went out first thing, 730am, and it felt like a bit of an assembly line at work to get all the tourists through for the day on the gorge. And then the mandatory traipse through the gift shop. Hate that!

27 comments:

Leslie D. said...

You've got some spectacular photos here. Truly first class. The reflections, massive rocks walls and exotic-looking birds..quite a trip!Thanks for sharing these

Joan Elizabeth said...

Oh I think you make the gorge look gorgeous!

I was thinking of you on our trip ... we chose to take a short organised tour of Coober Pedy and I remember why I dislike them. It is great to have a knowledgable guide but oh the excruciating pain of waiting for some old lady to haggle $900 off the opals she was buying ... goodness knows how much she spent. A quick glance over the jewellry and a longer linger over the opal in its natural rock form and I was done .. not in the least bit tempted to buy ... photos are my souvenir.

We got home tonight.

Ann said...

I agree that Katherine Gorge pales compared to the Kimberley and Hamersley Gorges. I found it very impressive but I saw it first on a separate wander through the Northern Territory. Look forward to seeing Joans shots to see what I missed.

kat said...

wow..amazing views..wonderful shots..but i wont dare to swim on that lake even if swimming is my hobby..i wonder if crocodile is just watching nearby lol.

btw: i like your sense of humor. thanks for the comment. you made me smile. Have a great day.

♥peachkins♥ said...

wow! I love the photos! the view is breathtaking!


The Peach Kitchen
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EcoRover said...

Totally sympathetic with you about the tour experience. It's not just that such tours commodify people, but they also commodify the landscape. Sounds like you need to get kayak and explore in your own way, at your own pace.

EcoRover said...

And, oh BTW: despite the downside of the clockwork tour, your photos are stunning.

SandyCarlson said...

Incredible photos. My first gorge. Love it!

isabella kramer - veredit said...

Absolutely fantastic view the first one, but all pictures show a wonderful place! Thanks for sharing!

EG CameraGirl said...

I guess it all depends on what you've seen before and all your past experiences. This gorge looks spectacular to me. :)

Lonnie Hanzon said...

Actually here to thank you for your dead-on, lovely comment on my dear friend Jayne's page. Thank you.
Lonnie

ChrisJ said...

Well I have been in perhaps more spectacular gorges, but not for a long while. I'd be happy to go through that one.Thanks for visiting my blog.

kbguy said...

lots of interesting places you been to. Your photos are as interesting..

Fex said...

wow, nice pictures...the place is very amazing, wish I can visit there someday :)

Elisabeth said...

Hi Julie, I've just now seen you on my blog. Greetings.

Your pictures here belie the feelings you experienced on this trip. They're exquisite.

But I can imagine the tedium of having to share such beauty with truckloads, bus loads, boat loads of tourists.

We hate ourselves when reflected back in the form of a tourist.

Still you have given your bloggers something to behold and apart from your words, your images show few signs of the dreaded tourists.

Thanks for sharing the good stuff and sparing us the rest.

fini said...

What a beautiful place and lovely weather too!!
I'll be snapping hundreds of photos here - the scenery is so beautiful, no doubt!

Have a great week ahead:)

Glennis said...

I haven't been here! WOW its so incredibly beautiful great photography of a spectacular place.

Julie said...

Thank you Glennis ... you should come on over for a look at our North-west ... so different from down around the south-east where I live.

BlossomFlowerGirl said...

I love your photos, they're magnificant. I never saw the Gorge like the first one though. I was awed by it, then again, Katherine Gorge was the first one I'd seen apart from Cataract Gorge. Our boat 'captain' took us right up close to the rock wall and I remember we saw several freshwater crocs sunning themselves.
Cheers,
Melbourne Daily Photo

Anonymous said...

What beautiful landscapes! I envy you! bye !!

diane b said...

I agree the tourist conveyer belt can put one off the beauty and splendour around you.We had it about 10 times worse in Canada and Alaska, But after all we are tourists too.Your shots are great and I liked the gorge but I agree some of the Kimberley ones are more colourful.

Anonymous said...

For someone liked me trapped in the suburbs and classrooms of Adelaide at the moment,your blog is food for the soul,and if I were plonked down into Katherine Gorge immediately, it would be bliss.
I laughingly acknowledge that you are right Julie,in expressing that experiences are all relative to what has "been before". It's like when we Aussies get "out-castled or cathedraled" overseas. It does not deflect from the magnificance of the structures, it is just part of the travel experience most can relate to. Thanks for sharing your wonderful adventures and photos.

North County Film Club said...

enjoyed the trip thoroughly. would love to hear the symphony music in gorge.

Gel said...

Julie,
These are magnificent. Simply breathtaking. I can only imagine the awe of seeing this in real life. On recent posts, people guessed Australia as my husband and my "once in a lifetime vacation." He offered to take me there even though he has been for work, but I was concerned that I couldn't handle a 24 hr trip.

For years, I've had friends from down under and seen gorgeous photos on their blogs or emailed to me. Someday, I hope I can go in person. Glad you enjoyed this so much!

Sandy's witterings said...

Big deal or not really depends on what you're used to I suppose. For me this look glorious and peaceful and in a way it looks to be quite an intimate enviroment. The idea of an orchestra playing in here - it's just about too much to imagine all at once.

Baino said...

Ah a bit harsh. Your photos are stunning. I lament the theft of my camera.

Julie said...

Yes, probably a bit harsh.

I lost a 200mm lens off my camera whilst standing on a rooftop in southern France. I watched in slo-mo as it bounced off a concrete stanchion and then landed and rolled on a roof 3 floors down. A replacement cost me over AUD500, but the man smiled sweetly at the barrel he had me over.