Lordisn’tafraidtogethishandsdirtyontour.In
a buzzingcopseofironwoods,wecomeacrossa dazed
kookaburra.Lordfansthebird’swingslikea deck
ofcardstocheckforbrokenbonesbeforeshifting
it intotheshadetorecover.Ata peacefulbillabong,
heexplainshowcrocnumbershavesoaredsince
thearrivalofcanetoads:“Thetoadsarekillingthe
goannas,thegoannasaren’teatingthecroceggs,
andthat’shada hugeimpactoncrocnumbers.”
Westopbesidea flankofburningbushland,
soclosethatwecanfeeltheheatonourfaces.
“Blackfellaswould’velitit,”saysLord.“Theywalk
through,burningastheygo.Y’seethekitescoming
down?They’llhavea greattimecleaningupeverything
that’scomingoutofthefire...”Then,witha licencethat
possiblycomeswiththekinshipscarsonhisback,Lord
continuestheworkofthenativepeople,puttinga match
tobushontheothersideoftheroad.
HewantstotakeustoOenpelli,anAboriginal
communityreachedviaa watercrossingontheEast
AlligatorRiver.Theslowriveris fatwithrainsandLord
eyesit withcaution.Hechatsinlanguagewithsome
youngmenfromthecommunity,theirvehiclesimilarly
poisedat thecrossing,beforesuggestingwemighthave
tochangeplans.Asweretreat,heexplainstheyoung
men’slineageandrelativesintheStoneCountry.
“Youknow,Harry,inAboriginalculture,I’veseen
dramaticandtraumaticchanges.AllthepeopleI grew
upwithhavedied.It’supsetting.I keepa recordof
peoplewhopassawayinArnhemLand,andI cantell
youtheaverageageis 47.”
Frequently,Lordpointstoplaceswherepeople
he’sknownhavelived.RodAnsellwasa neighbouring
crochunterwhofoundsomefameafterPaulHogan
basedhisscreencharacter,MickDundee,onhis
exploits;Anselldiedina shootoutwithpolice.Lord’s
blackgrandmotherdiedthreeyearsago;asa young
woman,she’dbeensoldtoa goldprospector.And
whenhisquixoticfatherboughtthevastproperty
in1959,heclearedanairstripbyhand;heandhis
workerslabouredwearingonlytheirhatssothe
swarmsofgreenantscouldn’tinfestanyclothing.
They’recharacterswho’veshapedthelandscape,
shapedtheidentityoftheTerritoryandshaped
SabLord.Thesceneryis sublime,buttherichness
ofhisinsightsmakesit moreakintoConanDoyle’s
lostworld,andmysonis wide-eyed.
AtLord’scamp– inthecentreofKakaduand
notfarfromthevillage-styleretreatofCooindaLodge- wesitarounda roaringfirepitonwhichthebushman
cooksthick,juicysteaks.Thepermanentbushcampis
justthat– a clearedbitofbushwhereupto 12 people
canstayina privateplaceofcanvasandshadecloth.
It’sa longwayfromthedesignerspacesofBamurru
Plains– there’sa sharedablutionblock,forstarters - but that’s part of its appeal. Industry titans and
140 GOURMET TRAVELLER