At work.
The most sacred.
I took three roads to get to the rock. The Ballardong Nyoongar people know it well. I drove past a Wedge-tail eagle balanced on the flank of a sheep's carcass, moments before I reached a dirt road that eventually brought me to this place. When I filled my tank at a neighbouring town, the storeman said that he hadn't heard of this place: perhaps I had only dreamed of it. The day was 'Makuru' but the season was 'Djilba'.
Despite the wind and the rain,when I got here, I felt happy. Climbing Dingo hill, the vast area of cracked rock became more immense and I could feel a presence on the expanse of stone. Between the pools were small moss-filled areas and patches of tiny, wild flowers... small sheets of butterfly food.
Pondering the purpose of the larger, carefully placed stones in the shallow rain-filled water pools, I imagined a child collecting water a thousand years ago, using the stones to stand on for safety, then throwing the smaller stones to scare off wild dogs. I had never been here, yet I had been here a thousand times before.
I stepped over three little droppings as I left the rock... I had been watched.
Despite the wind and the rain,when I got here, I felt happy. Climbing Dingo hill, the vast area of cracked rock became more immense and I could feel a presence on the expanse of stone. Between the pools were small moss-filled areas and patches of tiny, wild flowers... small sheets of butterfly food.
Pondering the purpose of the larger, carefully placed stones in the shallow rain-filled water pools, I imagined a child collecting water a thousand years ago, using the stones to stand on for safety, then throwing the smaller stones to scare off wild dogs. I had never been here, yet I had been here a thousand times before.
I stepped over three little droppings as I left the rock... I had been watched.
