Jenny Chapman – Tour 2427 – 31 July 2024

SONG: Waltzing the Kimberley TUNE: Waltzing Matilda

Verse 1
Once a group of thirteen
Toured thru the Kimberley
On a wild adventure with Liz and Phil
And we hiked and we swam and we sat round the campfire
We’ve been a waltzing the Kimberley for real!

Chorus
Waltzing the Kimberley, waltzing the Kimberley
We’ve been a waltzing with Liz and Phil
And we hiked and we swam and sat round the campfire
We’ve been a waltzing the Kimberley for real!

Verse 2
Up before dawn and in bed before 9pm
Sleeping in our swags under the Milky Way
Eating healthy meals and pitching in with daily tasks
We’ve bonded together in the Aussie way.

CHORUS

Verse 3
Wilbert’s come the furthest, he’s been everywhere man!
Rachel’s mad on birds and has feathers in her hat!
Sue and Sam do great photo shoots
Heather makes friends with everyone
Jenny and Steve from Adelaide and from Bendigo there’s Matt.

CHORUS

Verse 4
Liz and Phil from over the ditch work day and night to keep us going,
Kay and Russ, Rachel and Glenys are family!
On this tour tall people abound
Geoff and Heath are two more of them
We’re All intrepid travellers in the Kimberley!

CHORUS

Verse 5.
We’ve hiked in towering gorges and climbed over steep rocks
Cooled off at waterholes and soaked in hot springs
Cruised past crocs and rockadiles, wallabies and sea eagles
Soared to great heights and made our hearts sing!

CHORUS

Verse 6
We survived the Gibb, crossed many creeks and dry river beds
Learnt history and geology!
Hot Coffee at sunrise, drinks and nibbles at sunset
Native birds and wildlife; this is the Kimberely!

CHORUS

Verse 7
Now at the end when we reflect how lucky we were to come along
A great big shout to Phil and Liz who guided us everyday
Without them we couldn’t have done it all
They made it easy and lots of fun
Sad to say goodbye as to home we find our way.

CHORUS
Waltzing the Kimberley, waltzing the Kimberley
We’ve been waltzing with Liz and Phil
And we hiked and we swam and sat by the campfire
We’ve been waltzing the Kimberley for real!

KIMBERLEY ADVENTURE WILD July 31-August 11 2024
Bird species awards based on my creative observation of birds and people during the tour.

RACHEL is being bestowed with a new honour. She is to receive the All creatures great and small award and to be known from here on as Rachel Attenborough. Thanks for inspiring us all Rachel to look a bit harder and for the great photos you shared with us.

WILBERT – Wandering White Ibis: A long-legged migratory bird that flies multiple short migrations annually but with no two years being the same. Currently this stands at 110 destinations over 30 plus years. The Wandering White Ibis is the Platinum flier of all the bird species.

HEATHER – White Bellied Sea Eagle: This species has flown over many seas but has made Australia home. It soars to far flung places appreciating nature from the heights. Being an Eagle species it is symbolically closest to the stars and the heavens.

MATT – Yellow Footed Rock Hopper: This bird has the ability to grow an extra hard yellow shell on its feet when it spends time hopping over the Kimberely rocks. The shell disappears once the environment changes.

GEOFF – Southern Bucket- hatted Egret: A quiet sllender water bird who spends winters up north and grows head feathers that resemble a hat for its northern season.

SUE – Japanese Bowerbird: This bird is well known known for collecting shiny objects and useful things. It tends to make two distinct calls uncanningly sounding like different languages

SAM – The Tokyo Swift: This bird darts here and there with punctuated soft calls to its mate to whom it keeps close.

PHIL – The Kimberley Wild Eagle: A grand presence at home in the region which puts to use its massive knowledge and experience of the landscape, food and water sources, flora and fauna to earn its name as King of the Kimberley’s.

LIZ – The Golden Fairy Wren: This bird darts here and there very fast and is very social, known for travelling with and looking after the many bird species around her as well as her own. Her diminutive size is no indication of the power and influence she wields even upon the Kimberley Wild Eagle.

STEVE – The Orange Tag Kite: This bird was once had an orange neck flap or tag but has evolved without it and still flies quite successfully under the radar in the region. It drinks a lot of water morning and night.

JENNY – Grey Crowned Babbler: A bird with song like calls. Its grey crown has a plume resembling a shiny light. This bird is also a special friend of the brolga and known for imitating its dances.

GLENYS – Pacific Plumed Water Hen: This species is found in Australia and NZ adorning lagoons and billabongs where it takes a watchful eye over its young.

HEATH – Star jump Jabiru: Another long legged water bird this Jabiru is known for flapping its wings while jumping in a stationary position on plateaus and even trucks in the Kimberley region

RUSS & KAY – Magpie geese: Often found together with their mates. Highly social and capable birds who function as a team. Like their famous counterparts Iris and Henry, they like a regular visit to the pub.