JAMES PRICE POINT A Truly Remarkable Coastline The Power and the Passion
JAMES PRICE POINT A Truly Remarkable Coastline The Power and the Passion A collection of works by David Bettini, Jim Delios, Christian Fletcher, Nigel Gaunt, Rod Hartvigsen, Flemming Bo Jensen, Adam Monk and Ingetje Tadros
First published 2012 Nigel Gaunt PO Box 2672 Broome, Western Australia 6725 Book orders: PO Box 2672 Broome, Western Australia 6725 Telephone: (08) 9192 2334 Email: reddirtphotography@westnet.com.au
Text copyright Š individual contributors, 2012 Photography copyright Š individual photographers, 2012 All rights reserved. ISBN 978-0-9872864-0-6 Cover Photograph: Nigel Gaunt, Broome Western Australia 6725 Layout and typography: Red Logic Design, Broome Western Australia 6725 Photos P16-19: Courtesy of Nigel Gaunt and Rod Hartvigsen
Foreword Acknowledgment
4 6
Protest Families of Broome Coastline
5 16 20
Photographers
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All sales (less print cost and postage) donated to:
Pride Rod Hartvigsen
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Foreword The photographs in this collection tell
journey from Antarctica. Turtles swim
This precious place is now threatened
two interlinked stories. Those at the
thousands of kilometres here to feed on
with a proposal to build one of the
beginning, record events from a
seagrass, while dugongs and Australia’s
world’s largest gas refineries, by oil and
citizens’ blockade of the road to James
only endemic dolphin, the snubfin,
gas companies Woodside, Shell, BHP,
Price Point, and the day the police
travel the coast regularly.
BP and Chevron. 30km of land would
came up in force to break it. The later photographs show some of the reasons so many people feel so passionately about this place. Few marine and coastal environments on Earth are as ecologically intact, stunningly beautiful and remote from destructive human pressures as those of the Kimberley region in the north of Western Australia. The Kimberley’s coast is recognised by scientists as one of the least damaged in the world. The spectacular coast at James Price Point is a place where females from the world’s largest population of humpback whales give birth to their calves after their 6,500km 4
On land, the bilby, one of our most distinctive threatened species, lives in the Pindan woodlands, where wild dingoes still roam free. Nestled in behind the sensitive coastal dunes at James Price Point is the largest patch of Monsoon vine thicket, a rare and threatened ‘dry’ rainforest of a type only found on the Dampier Peninsula.
be turned into a heavy industry zone. Dredging for a port would result in a 50km marine ‘dead zone’. Government plans reveal that such a project would open the rest of the Kimberley to industrialisation.
Sadness Ingetje Tadros
NO GAS Ingetje Tadros
The essence of Broome Rod Hartvigsen
Right to maintain Ingetje Tadros
The people of Broome, armed with science and passion, have decided they want this place protected. Friends from around the globe are joining the
James Price Point is Broome’s backyard,
struggle. We hope you too will help in
a place where people go to take
whatever way you can to protect the
photographs, fish and camp with
Kimberley into the future. A place like
families and friends. The Australian
nowhere else on earth.
Academy of Science recommended that it be declared a National Park in the
Martin Pritchard (Environs Kimberley)
1960s, and in 1991 the State
Anne Poelina (Broome Families)
Government’s Department of
Peter Tucker (Save the Kimberley)
Conservation and Land Management
Nik Wevers (Broome Community
made the same recommendation.
No Gas Campaign)
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Acknowledgment Joseph Roe Aboriginal people believe the land, its
Individual Law Bosses are keenly aware
People are rich if they are living on their
plants, animals and people, arose within
of their duty to hand over the country in
Country, since it sustains them on every
the same life-giving creation process, and
good shape to the next generation, and
level, and the place is kept in dynamic
share the same essential energy vibration.
with it, the songs that facilitate the
relationship with its people.
For many traditional people, a specific tree, animal or place that has some relationship to the time of their conception – their first heartbeat – becomes their ‘rai’, or spirit essence. It is
balance and well-being of all. They know that, if they are negligent in looking after their country, it will directly affect them and their family because they share spirit with that land in particular.
The LNG Gas Precinct proposal is a dangerous and frightening prospect for the Traditional Owners and Custodians. Without Country, there can be no Culture. Law cannot be practised. Nor
to this place that a person’s spirit returns
The Goolarabooloo people are still
can the Country be ‘kept quiet’ and safe.
when they die. The ‘rai’ of the person
actively engaged in looking after their
The site-specific cultural heritage has
and the country of the same essential
country, despite living within a western
arisen directly from this coastline. It
vibrational spirit are connected by ‘lian’
world that would have them sell it, for
cannot be relocated or put on hold
(‘spirit’ or ‘feeling of connection’). If
the greater economic resources of the
while Country is destroyed for Industry.
country is affected, the person is also
nation. They believe that connection with
No amount of money can compensate
affected. Only people with ‘rai’
country and culture is the base of one’s
for its loss.
connection can speak for their country.
true sense of identity, spiritual and physical health, and self-esteem. Without it, one will never be strong enough or
Culture cannot exist without Country, nor Country without Culture.
clever enough to look after the future, or
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to cope as an individual within the
Joseph Roe
present day wider western world.
(Senior Law Boss, Goolarabooloo)
Theresa Roe ‘Get out of my Country’ Rod Hartvigsen
7
Peaceful protest equals arrest Rod Hartvigsen
8
Black Tuesday Ingetje Tadros
Pampila dragged off Rod Hartvigsen
Truck lock on Ingetje Tadros
Barnett’s bullies Rod Hartvigsen
Protestor prosecuted Rod Hartvigsen
Drum lock on Ingetje Tadros
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100 days of blockade Ingetje Tadros
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Silent protest Ingetje Tadros
Elsta Foy ‘The pain of invasion’ Rod Hartvigsen
Joseph Roe ‘Lawboss of Waldaman’ Rod Hartvigsen
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Arrest Ingetje Tadros
NO GAS Rod Hartvigsen
> Indigenous People say No Ingetje Tadros
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Broome families Blow your Gas out of your own arse!
Broome families We love Broome
Broome families Listen to what the People say
Broome family No gas plant on the Kimberley coast
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Broome families No gas
Broome families Hands off Country
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Broome families What kind of a town do you want Broome to be?
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Broome families Will we realise we cannot eat money?
Broome families No Gas at James Price Point
This Broome family says no gas
Broome family Help us protect the Kimberley
Broome family No gas
Broome family Float it
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Gulil at James Price Point Rod Hartvigsen
Red headed honey eater David Bettini Low tide Nigel Gaunt
> Gouldian Finch David Bettini >> Red Winged Parrot David Bettini
Sunset at James Price Point Adam Monk
< Storm Flemming Bo Jensen
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Whale of a time near Waldaman Rod Hartvigsen
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James Price Point Adam Monk
Frilled neck lizard David Bettini
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Unspoilt horizons Rod Hartvigsen
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Footprints Adam Monk
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< Drill rig Christian Fletcher
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Flat Rock Nigel Gaunt
Dragonfly Nigel Gaunt
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Splash Nigel Gaunt
< James Price Point Nigel Gaunt
Rafael at James Price Point Jim Delios
Reflection Flemming Bo Jensen
White bellied sea eagle David Bettini
Osprey David Bettini
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Yellow Oriole David Bettini
Yellow spotted monitor David Bettini
> James Price Point Flemming Bo Jensen
James Price Point Christian Fletcher
< Aerial sands Nigel Gaunt << Wave Nigel Gaunt
Coast Christian Fletcher
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James Price Point ‘Where Eagles Soar’ Rod Hartvigsen
Red, white and blue Christian Fletcher
Terns #1 David Bettini
Dry Season fires at James Price Point Rod Hartvigsen
Terns #2 David Bettini
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> Reflections Nigel Gaunt
< Waves Flemming Bo Jensen
Storm front Flemming Bo Jensen
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Yinijarri to Waldaman Rod Hartvigsen
Liquid Gold Rod Hartvigsen
High tide sunset Rod Hartvigsen
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About the photographers Willie Creek Christian Fletcher
David Bettini, is one of Western Australia’s most prominent landscape and aerial photographers. With the use of light and camera lens his work reflects the pristine and wild nature of Western Australia. Aspiring to be unique from other photographers, David travels extensively to capture Western Australia in all of her moods. www.davidbettini.com.au
Flemming Bo Jensen, is a Danish freelance travel, portrait and landscape photographer. He travels the world extensively and aspires to become a visual storyteller and documentarist. “My greatest passion lies in capturing the people of our world and our many different living conditions and the contrast and drama of nature vs mankind.”. www.flemmingbojensen.com
Christian Fletcher, is the AIPP Australian and West Australian Landscape Photographer of the year 2011, having photographed landscapes in Australia and around the world for over 20 years. “Photography comes second to my family, I place it that highly. Sometimes it can be frustrating, sometimes depressing, but it is always rewarding if you work hard and want to succeed.” www.christianfletcher.com.au
Nigel Gaunt, is an award winning landscape and fine art photographer based in Broome, North Western Australia. He specialises in photographic tours exploring the rugged Kimberely landscape and capturing the wild light that the area is famous for. “My images let people view how I see the beauty and ruggedness of the North West.... I like to take people to places they’ve often been to but never seen.”. www.reddirtphoto.com.au 46
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About the photographers Rod Hartvigsen, is a self taught, professional photographer, who lives in Broome, Western Australia. Growing up in a variety of remote Australian locations, Rod has developed a deep love for the bush and wild places. He specialises in landscape photography, but also delves into abstract natural art photographs, wildlife and what he calls ‘people’ photography. www.murranji.com.au
Adam Monk, is a West Australian landscape photographer. He has always loved the wild untouched places, the peace and quiet of the bush both here in Australia and in his travels overseas. “I think the art of photography, specifically landscape, is to stand in a place, breath in the ambience, the feel, the beauty, the whole essence and distil that into one image that conveys the feeling of being there.” www.adammonk.com
Ingetje Tadros, is a renowned Broome photographer and traveller originating from The Netherlands. Over the course of 30 years of regular travel, she has visited more than 40 countries across six continents, all the while capturing striking images of the world’s tribal people, and of lives and places that exist in relative obscurity. Her photography offers the viewer genuine moments of humanity and stunning expressive form. www.ingetjetadros.com
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This book is a visual record of a brilliant photographic exhibition held in Broome, Western Australia, in October, 2011.
Here is a collection of works by eight prominent and inspirational photographers, local and international. The photographs celebrate the powerful beauty of James Price Point, near Broome, and the passion of the people fighting to save this special place from destruction by the oil and gas industry.