Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 26 May 1937, page 8


LETT ERS

KIMBERLEY COAST.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

Sir,---In regard to the very interesting ac-count by Mr. J. Percival, junior, covering Captain P. G. Taylor's flight with the special Coronation pictures for the "Herald," ap-

pearing in your issue of yesterday, may I be permitted to point out that Mr. Percival wrote apparently under misapprehension with rela-tion to the Kimberley coast over which the 'plane crossed on the night from Koepang to

Wyndham.

Mr. Percival refers to the coast between Napier, Broome Bay, and Wyndham as em-bracing "giant chasms full of tidal water, ex-tending miles inland--unmarked on the map." The country thus referred to was examined and explored in 1911 and 1912 by the Kim-berley Exploring Expedition, under my com-mand, and my maps incorporated in the Western Australian Government maps Issued by the Surveyor-General. The great chasm mentioned is a feature of a large, previously unknown river, that we discovered, and named the "Berkeley River," the mouth of which Is some 10 miles due east of Mount Casuarina, a lonely mark on that very lonely coast. The Berkeley Gorge, which extends for 15 miles inland, is guarded by precipitous walls over 300 feet In height, and the waterway in the gorge is about 200 yards wide, patently very deep, and, as Mr. Percival states, "capable of hiding a fleet of destroyers," and even larger vessels, may I add. The scenery there-abouts is, perhaps, as wild as any to be seen in Australia, and years ago I prophesied that some day, when the Far North becomes gene-rally known to the world at large, this great gorge will be the haunt of tourists. My photographs, incidentally, of this remarkable locality, appeared some years ago in the columns of both the "Sydney Morning Heraldd" and the "Sydney Mail."

Other features of interest regarding this locality are the discovery in the Berkeley coun-try of rich copper indications, and the fact that on the adjacent coast the German avia-tors, Hans Bertram and Klausmann, made their dramatic forced landing some time ago, from where, after weary weeks, they were rescued in heroic circumstances by natives from the

mission station.

Between the Berkeley and the Drysdale rivers, 40 miles to the west, we discovered another magnificent river, to which we gave the name of "The King George," which nomenclature was confirmed by the Survey Department, and the feature placed upon the maps. All the rivers on this section of the far northern coast, and there are several in addition to those that I have mentioned, are characterised by gorge-like ravines, but that of the Berkeley is infinitely the wildest and the most stupendous.

I am, etc.,

C. PRICE CONIGRAVE.

Sydney, May 25.