Tunnel Creek - A road-trip to the source

Friday the 9th April 2010 was a trip down memory lane for me. In 1978 I worked building dams and roads in the dramatic landscapes of Kimberly region of Western Australia. As the wet season approaches the temperature climbs into the high forties (that’s Celsius) and the humidity becomes unbearable. The contrast between the 48°C heat outside the entrance to Tunnel creek on my first visit and the comfortable 25°C inside left a lasting impression on me. I could not believe the power of the incredible natural air-conditioning it provides. I wanted to see if my memory of 30 odd years ago was playing tricks on me, so this year I persuaded my family to visit this remote sacred site with me.

Even before you enter this amazing cave eroded by an ancient stream through a 360 million yr old (Devonian) limestone reef, you are greeted by beautifully coloured water smoothed marble boulders and sides of the cave. It is calculated that massive wet season flows have been pulsing through this cave system for about 20 million years.

Beautifully coloured Marble

The cave itself is

Fine grained dense marble in the creek bed of the tunnel cave.

about 700m long with several side passages and chambers that enabled an early Aboriginal freedom fighter, Jandamarra, to evade European police for several years. In the center is a collapsed chamber that enabled Jandamarra to escape out of the cave onto the razor pointed limestone top of this part of the Napier range, which is the remains of the uplifted Devonian reef. It was hot and humid outside but in this natural little life bubble it was pleasant and cool and virtually insect free - yes no flies all day! I only heard one mosquito all day too even though it was the end of the wet season. Its hard to take good pictures of it because of the bright light entering the opening from above but I hope these give some idea. The vines are predominantly a native passion-fruit that is a sweet and tasty. I imagined Jandamarra eating these and the rock figs and other bush-tucker growing around the rocky scree. While I explored the path the legendary geurrilla warrier may have taken to the highest lookout points nearby, my (very white) kids seemed to enter into the spirit of the place.

Sheltered from fire and extreme heat the native passion fruit vines and other rain-forest plants cover the rock scree that spills down the eastern side of the central opening.

Dancing on the rocks and in the cool sand bar by the stream. Jumping in the water then rolling in the sand and "painting" it on their faces.

Natural light floods under the arching chamber roof that is still in tact after the collapse of the cave roof - perhaps thousands of years ago.

Tunnel Creek was even more beautiful than I had remembered. We spent the whole of a very hot humid day outside lounging around in the cool and exploring this fascinating natural wonder.

As a Life Bubble it meets most of my criteria. Sheltered and green, perfect natural climate control, productive and fruitful, virtually free from biting and annoying insects, naturally lit, evocative and intriguing and will probably be much the same for another 20 million years without any upkeep needed!

Then just as we were about to leave I came across this little gem tucked away in a crevice in the Tunnel Creek Life Bubble. I would love to know her name if anybody can tell me, because I think she may be the owner of the Life Bubble.Well after some hunting on the web I found out she is Litoria splendida - the Magnificent Tree frog. Aptly named she is too!