Portland Roads

Tuesday 20Th July 1971
Rose from bed to find that we had a dingo in the camp. We decided to have a day of rest so we washed our cloths in the creek, made a good job of it to, went for a walk up stream got some good pictures of kingfishers . Bruiser set the net in the creek. I took some photos of ant that make there nest in the tree leaves and when you pass under them they jump on you and sting finished film17 with some flower shots. We had a shooting contest with all of the rifles then went to check the net we got one fish so we reset the net for the night.

Batavia Downs

Wednesday 21st July 1971
Packed up camp and went to check net, we caught a water rat,2 ells,2 small perch through them all back.
We started at 9.00 & drove into Batavia Downs we then continued on down the Coen road through bull dust & creek beds to the Portland Roads turn off and drove 14miles to the Wentlock River which runs to the west side of the cape and comes out at Mapoon Reserve where we were trying to get to but had to abort because of the extreme wet conditions, we made camp at 3.00 on the banks of the river. We then walked along the road 1/4 mile to the north then into the left for about 2mile & found the remains of an old gold mining town, got photos of the old steam winches & machinery there was an old pub there to. On the way back we saw an old International truck approx 1920 and also a grave marked The Power 1923, so the mine must have been working from about 1900 to 1930. Back to camp and a wash ,I had a bilious attack did not have any tea bed 6.30 finish film 19 old gold mine.
Thursday 22July 1971
Start at 8.00 drove through hilly mountains 7 through a lot of dry creek beds one of them was nearly 75deg because the boat nearly went through the back window, got photos, continued on to the Pascoe River had a look at the remains of the tremendous amount of water that has come down during the wet season. We filled up with water and kept going through the Tozer Pass & down the side of the Great Dividing Range through tropical rainforest, the ground was very slippery and it will present a problem getting back out we then went past the magnificent air field built in the by the USA it is now commercially maintained by Ansett. We then went onto the mission & saw the manager he told us we could not stay on mission ground or the old burial grounds South of the Claudia River so we went back and onto Portland Roads where there is an old wharf built also in the war, there are 10 people living here mainly gold prospectors , fisherman and others just exist. One bloke owns a small property of 3000 acres which he runs cattle on we had tea about 10.00 went to bed Weymouth bay is the area.

Suckor fish

Friday 23July 1971
Rose after a very restless night had breakfast, we then went fishing along the coast, Errol caught a perch and I caught a trevally we returned at lunch. In the afternoon we went back for more fishing once again I caught a trevally after a while we landed at dead low tide and had a look around the shores at the shells and marine life took a photo of a blue star fish and a sucker fish . Bob in the other boat caught a 10lb rock trout we had it for tea. That night bruiser went spotlighting along the mangroves & caught a lobster we returned and cooked it.
Saturday 24th July 1971
After a very wet night in which 73 points of rain fell we rose to a very cloudy morning, after breakfast a fellow by the name of Ted rode up on a white horse he asked the usual things ,what we doing and then invited us to stay on his 5000 square mile property on the Pascoe River, he said he would supply us with a boat and gun dog because there are a lot of pigs there.The Pascoe River is 12miles by sea west of Weymouth bay, It is hard to get used to north being out to sea were east should be.We told ted that we would take up his offer, the rest of the day was very quite.
Sunday 25Th July 1971
Rose and pulled up net which we set the night before & found that we caught 4 sharks a small barramundi I then walked south around the head land and photoed some tiny yellow birds and the coast watch lookout post boxes that are dotted along the coast line.That night we set the net again while Errol and Bruiser and I went to visit Ted King who is the caretaker we had a yarn & a cup of tea and then came back to camp.

Monday 26Th July 1971
The guys went spear fishing and caught 2 lobsters the rest of the day went quietly. We decided to try & get out tomorrow so started packing that afternoon, got to bed early.

Portland Roads Whalf