Kimberley Escarpment, Ragged Range, The Kimberley, Western Australia

Lying south of Kununurra in the The Kimberley, Western Australia, this range remains rarely photographed. Not visible from the main road that leads to the more famous Bungle Bungles, this Range is one of the most spectacular afternoon landscape shoots I’ve had the privilege to photograph.

Setting off with a heavy 35kgs pack laden with camera equipment, a sleeping bag and tent, food and six litres of water to combat the oppressive heat and humidity, I set off across the countryside. Walking across the rocky plains, I was worried about snakes, thinking this would be prime snake country. Watching every foot plant, I prepared myself for any encounter. Reaching the escarpment I climbed my way up the steep slopes, sweat dripping from me and my breath heavy with a cold and cough I just couldn’t shake from the week before. Not being able to see the access point from below, I climbed and climbed only to find out the escarpment had a 8-10m high cliff with no way of climbing higher. Time to go for Plan B – Make my way back down and try another ‘finger’ – an escarpment further along towards the range. Not ideal being closer but better than nothing.

Walking up a dry creek bed with large rocks all around, I stumbled to the next escarpment and upwards towards a smaller cliff wall that I thought I may be able to negotiate. Alas it wasn’t to be as the cliff provided too tall yet again. Time for Plan C – walk to the north and photograph looking south. I hadn’t researched this possibility however I still had time in the day despite already going through half my water.

Reaching the third escarpment I could see access almost all the way to the top and I was hopeful that it would give me the higher vantage point I needed - Although there was always doubt in my mind that my efforts would be thwarted again. I figured if that was to be, I would abandon my trip for now and have to come back another year.

Yet another brutal climb and more energy expended, I made the top after numerous scrambles and slips on the rocky slopes, cutting my hands on the spiky grass I desperately grabbed hold of to get up safely. Reaching the final cliff, I dropped my pack and looked for an access point. Seeing the sun to the north I was hopeful that the cliff was not too high and I would find I way. SUCCESS! A relatively easy climb through the rocks had me at the top and I walked a short distance along the finger to the highest point, looking north and south along the range. The view was better than I expected, giving me not one but two shots with the sun setting to the west.

With the sun setting I shot with multiple cameras over the course of an hour, before the light fading and I set up camp on the escarpment and rested for my journey back down the following day. Sleeping on the rock with just my sleeping bag (and a 20m drop only a few metres either side of me…lucky I don’t sleep walk), I woke in the early hours of the morning to have the moon shining brightly through the gap in the range. It was a perfect ending to an odyssey that had consumed me for 12 months and a monkey I was glad to have off my back!