There’s nothing in the red center of Australia
October 19, 2013 in Australia, Oceania, Travelogue
There’s nothing in the red center of Australia.
If by nothing you mean echos of endless wide spaces and wide sky that holds the world together like an eternal ribbon of Australian blue around a package of rainbow colours that can only be unwrapped slowly.
Beneath the thin veneer of “nothing” are layers of something stunningly, historically, culturally, naturally, creatively beautiful.
- The earth is simultaneously desert-hard and sand-silt soft, as if the entire surface was sifted through a flour sieve.
- “Red” is not the right word. I’m not sure there is a right word. The soil is a particular shade of burnt sienna that Crayola never thought of.
- “Green” runs the gamut from dusty sage, almost grey, through every subtlety of Mediterranean olive, to garish lime. There is plant life everywhere, even where it seems there is not.
- Where there are trees, they are black and gnarled; an aboriginal crone’s hand reaching out of the parched soil, grasping desperately at the sky, begging for water.
There’s nothing in the red center of Australia.
Except life in unexpected places:
- Lizards, big and small. Under rocks, in the shade, waddling awkwardly through the camp kitchen, picking at scraps.
- Great big, tick shaped beetles, huddled beneath pieces of curling bark on the trunk of a tree.
- Snakes (even though I don’t like them)
- Enormous, Wedge-tailed eagles whirling overhead, crouched over road-kill-a-roos, perched majestically on bare branches.
- Dusty children perched on piles of old rubber tires on turn offs to dirt roads leading nowhere.
- Flies; god, the flies.
- Wildflowers, in white and yellow, the tiniest things, blooming in a blooming desert! Against all odds, laughing at the sun.
- Heat is a living thing, dancing in an iridescent ball gown to music only she can hear.
There is nothing in the red center of Australia.
Except the beating heart of a continent:
- Dirt the colour of dried blood.
- A rock, like an enormous, petrified heart jutting out of the earth.
- I can hear the heartbeat, if I stand still, in the pounding of my own blood at my temples, agitated by the incredible heat, the searing sun, the blinding reflections.
At night, the “nothing” sings.
- Insect songs, celebrating relief from another day’s heat.
- Star songs, sung for thousands of years over sleeping souls by watchful guardians.
- The drumbeat of the darkness.
- The long, low hum of the moon; perhaps it’s echo inspired the didgeridoo.
- The grass whispers behind the melody, wind through long, feathery reeds.
- It’s a lullaby.
There’s nothing in the red center of Australia.
Unless you take the time to look.
Love this! What a beautiful word picture you have painted!
My husband tells me you must go to Daintree rain forest when you are near Cairns. He also said Atherton Table Lands is a must see while you are in that part of the country. Reading your blog posts is making him miss his many years in Australia!
Love Alice Springs! My husband grew up there and we’ve returned a few times to camp and explore. His Dad use to drop him off in the Outback with this backpacking gear and a compass and he’d explore his way back to town. Back in the day they were there because the NSA had massive spy satellites there. Not sure about now.
Jennifer, that’s brilliant! I love your description of ‘nothing’ and it really captures why we love outback Australia so much. Thank you.
so, you’re becoming a fine poet, too! If I had to describe Alabama in a single word I think I’d have to go with, “historic.” Everything here is about history. The Confederate States of America were born in the Capitol building. The first president of the CSA was sworn in at the Capitol building. The first capital of the CSA was here in Montgomery, Alabama. The civil rights movement sort of started here with the bus boycott. Dr. Martin Luther King started here with the bus boycott. When Jefferson Davis died he laid in state at the Capitol building. Louisiana became an independent country a month or two prior to the CSA forming.
We have the opportunity to worship in the church that Martin Luther King was pastor of, tomorrow morning. Setting the alarm clock tonight.
It’s a beautiful evening here in Montgomery, the sunset is spectacular. Jan just went to wash the laundry, Marley is upside down next to me recuperating from the day. We have Wi-Fi! Maybe I’ll try to connect with you on FaceTime, hang on……
Jennifer you write so beautifully about my country. I am SO GLAD that you took the long route to Cairns.
Jennifer, I took the liberty of posting a link on my Facebook page and a friend who works in Sturt National Park and lives in Tibooburra (I’m sure you can Google them) posted the following comment …
“Norm, over the year I’ve listen to people try to describe the Aussie outback & most cannot find the right words but now that has all changed ………………………….. Thank Jen so much for her amazing writing & insight.”
Wow, Norm, I’m honored, thank you so much for sharing and for the kind words from your friend. He’s most welcome to get in touch if he likes! 🙂 There is a 70% chance of RAIN on Uluru tomorrow and we are SO EXCITED, especially after seeing your pictures and hearing your stories about the rain here… we feel very lucky! 🙂
Margaret… thank you so much… I spend a lot of time telling myself stories in my own head as we drive… sometimes something decent leaks out. 🙂 I’m SO GLAD we took the long way too!! 🙂
Grandpa… thank you very much… you’ve been with us in spirit ALL DAY long. We are going to try to facetime you at sunrise tomorrow and share it with you. Hannah made a civil rights joke yesterday… the boys were all fighting over who got “shotgun” and she said, “I’ll take Rosa Parks!” 😉