Rodney Campbell's Blog

The Kennedy Range is an eroded plateau located on the rim of the Gascoyne River catchment about 160km from the coast. The range experiences a desert climate

Around 250 million years ago, the Gascoyne region was a shallow ocean basin off the edge of the ancient Australian continent. It filled with sediment, which later became compressed to form layers of sandstone and shale. Movements in the Earth’s crust brought these above sea level where erosion has stripped away much of the rock

Kennedy

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/120 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100 x 21 Frames

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

The Kennedy Range is a remnant of the land surface that elsewhere has been worn away but here forms a mesa some 75km long and up to 25km wide, oriented north to south

The southern and eastern sides of the range have eroded to form spectacular cliffs that rise 100m above the Lyons River Valley plain. These are dissected by a maze of steep-sided canyons, which have short-lived streams after rain

These west facing ranges make for some spectacular views at sunrise. The campground is also nestled right at the base of the range. This gives very easy access to the spectacular scenery

Another early morning rise to fly the drone in these fantastic ranges. This morning I walked from the campground along the base trails towards Drapers Gorge

Tracks

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/30 sec at f/2.8, ISO 400

I’d take off and fly around towards Drapers (away from the campground), so as to not chance waking the few neighbours we had. The Mavic 2 Pro is very quiet anyway, but hey… 🙂

It was before sunrise again (for the best softer light). These shots were just after 6:20AM

No amazing clouds this morning but we still have the nice soft pastel skies before the sun kicks above the horizon behind me

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Drapers Gorge

DJI Mavic 2 Pro L1D-20c + 28.0 mm f/2.8 @ 10.26 mm, 1/80 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100 x 21 Frames

That ridge of land right in front of us in the middle with the road into Drapers gorge to the left of it is the escarpment we’d climbed yesterday morning

You can also see the Temple Gorge Campground way over on the right

This is a five (5) frame vertical panorama I took here in Honeycomb gorge

Honeycomb Gorge

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 1/20 sec at f/8, ISO 64 x 5 Frames

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Wormed

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 36 mm, 1/40 sec at f/8, ISO 280

In the afternoon we headed across to Honeycomb Gorge

Alone

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 50 mm, 1/50 sec at f/7.1, ISO 500

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Honeycomb Gorge Trail (Class 3, 600m return) is an easy, but rocky trail which takes walkers to a large amphitheatre containing a seasonal waterfall (unfortunately not running at this time of year)

This is possibly the most popular site within the Kennedy Range national park

You can also walk to the gorge from the camp ground (approx 3km each way) or drive around (which is what we opted to do)

Honeycomb Gorge

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 24 mm, 1/25 sec at f/8, ISO 160 x 6 Frames

Here we could marvel at the honeycomb cavities that have been eroded into the cliff face by wind and water spray. This has created a mass of hexagonal holes leading to the “Honeycomb” name with the cliffs rising up to 100 metres above the valley

Honeycomb

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 70 mm, 1/80 sec at f/5.6, ISO 500

Crumble

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 29.5 mm, 1/30 sec at f/8, ISO 640

Up on top of the range, what few “trees” were there were incredibly windworn

Must get pretty damn windy up here… most of the living plants were flattened horizontally onto the ground (barely a few cm above the ground)

The harsh environment has weathered the wood to extremes making for some lovely texture

Exposed

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 43 mm, 1/60 sec at f/8, ISO 64

V

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 70 mm, 1/80 sec at f/8, ISO 90

Looking Back

NIKON Z 7 + NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S @ 70 mm, 1/80 sec at f/8, ISO 90

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.