"After The Flood"

Hunter River, Western Australia

From the campsite it was a steady walk up the gorge, over rocks the size of automobiles, to the head of the gorge where small trees hung to the cliff-faces and the habitat took on a distinct "python paradise" appeal. Trekking up and down the gorge for ten days was not an easy feat, it was hot and tough terrain to live and work in, but it held promise. We used walkie-talkie radios to stay in touch with each other and base camp, in case of medical emergency or a python being discovered.

The left hand bluff	The right hand bluff
The gorge
The cliff-face in the sunshine	Close-up of the python habitat
The Donkin Falls at the head of the gorge

We trekked up the gorge most days to search for the Rough-scaled python (Morelia carinata) and filmed along the way, a process which does slow down the search but was the main purpose for both myself and the film crew being in the Hunter River gorge in the first place.

Director David and Mark at the start of the gorge Photo: Rob Pendlebury	Mark talking to cameraman Des and his son Matt Photo: David Wright
Sound recordist Terry adjusts Dr Ann's radio-mic Photo: David Wright	and then turns his attention to Mark's Photo: Rob Pendlebury
Filming and recording water babbling over stones Photo: Rob Pendlebury	A rest on the trek for Des and Terry Photo: David Wright
Fragments of forest may harbour pythons	Filming in the forest fragments Photo: Rob Pendlebury
Ann and Tenzing at the Donkin Falls Photo: David Wright	Rob Pendlebury at the Donkin Falls Photo: Rob Pendlebury

We investigated the pools, the rocks, the scattered broken trees, the caves and fissues in the cliffs, the piles of debris on the bends and the fragments of forest remaining in the gorge. And we did find reptiles.

Walking along the cliff ridges, searching in caves and fissues with a heliograph (shaving mirror) is more effective than a torch/lantern, and binoculars are useful for checking ahead for alert reptiles like monitor lizards or crocodiles

During daylight searches in the gorge we found five skinks species, but only managed to capture and photograph three of them. The caught the Northern lined firetail skink (Morethia ruficauda ruficauda), we had captured the other subspecies in the Pilbara during filming of "The Pilbara Cobra"; Blotched snake-eyed skink (Cryptoblepharus megastictus), also seen at Kununurra, and Desert rainbow skink (Carlia triacantha). The species that evaded capture were the Western slender blue-tongue skink (Cyclodomorphus megalops megalops), also found during filming of "The Pilbara Cobra", and the Bar-shouldered ctenotus (Ctenotus inornatus).

Blotched snake-eyed skink Cryptoblepharus megastictus
Desert rainbow skink Carlia triacantha
Northern lined firetail skink Morethia ruficauda ruficauda

One of the commonest lizards sighted, but hardest to approach, was Merten's water monitor lizard (Varanus mertensi), a large lizard that inhabited the many rocky pools at the top end of the gorge. We sighted many individuals basking on large rocks, from where they dived into deep water if they were approached.

Merten's water monitor lizards Varanus mertensi Click to enlarge images

Eventually we found a monitor that dived into a smaller, shallower pool, but it still took a great deal of time to extricate it from under a large boulder.

It was a long wait...	but eventually he came up for air...
...and the capture was made	Filming the capture of the Merten's water monitor lizard Varanus mertensi Photo: David Wright
Merten's water monitor lizard Varanus mertensi Photos: David Wright
Merten's water monitor lizard Varanus mertensi
Merten's water monitor lizard Varanus mertensi

We also found crocodiles at the head of the gorge and in the larger pools. These were Freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnsoni) characterised by their narrows snouts. Several were not in the best of health, possibly due to a shortage of food, and they were stunted.

Basking Freshwater crocodile Crocodylus johnsoni If you cannot find the croc in the left hand image click to enlarge it
Freshwater crocodile Crocodylus johnsoni
Northern snake-necked turtle Chelodina rugosa

And the only turtle we found was a Northern snake-necked turtle (Chelodina rugosa) or rather the remains of one far up the gorge. This turtle was possibly the victim of a crocodile attack.

On our daylight searches in the gorge we failed to find any snakes.