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More than 550 volunteers donated their weekend to cleaning up the Gibb River Road between Derby and Wyndham. There were 78 teams drawn from businesses, the tourism industry, government departments, community groups, clubs and individuals from far and wide. They met at each end of the Gibb River Road with the intention to pick up as much rubbish as possible along the road verge, un-managed campsites and roadside pullovers. They also had to and make it to Mt. Elizabeth Station before the sunset. The volunteers came from Broome, Kununurra, Wyndham, Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, Mowanjum, Imintji, Kupungarri, Dodnun and Gibb River. They filled more than 800 garbage bags and carried them to the road verge for pick up by crews and trucks from the Shires of Derby/West Kimberley, Wyndham-East Kimberley and BGC Contracting. |
The East Kimberley contingent this year rose from 12 last year to more than 160, including a team of 30 from the Savannah Guides organization as well as a team from California USA. Car bodies, tyres, drums, old signs, bull bars, grader blades and mechanical paraphernalia were amongst the numerous items found. Teams from Fitzroy Crossing did some badly needed tidying up along the Fairfield Leopold Road. A team from the Department of Justice's Bungarun Work Camp also cleaned up along the Derby Highway and Willare Bridge. Some of the more unusual items picked up were a set of dentures, a cement mixer and a pair of manikin legs, (we're not sure what happened to the rest of the Manikin). Prizes were awarded to A King and Queen from both ends of the Gibb River Road. The East Kimberley 'King' was Mark Albers, for his proposed wearing of a truck mud flap as loincloth. |
When placed in position, a star and a 'W' were in a compromising spot. The 'Queen' was Sue Alexander, who made her entrance a top the Gibb River Express as 'Priscilla, Queen of the Kimberley'. The Lacy family played host to more than 500 people at Mount Elizabeth campground on Saturday night with a barbecue dinner and drinks donated by local businesses and two well-known breweries. A well fed and watered crowd danced the night away to The Gibb River Band, Sam Lovell and friends and the Pigram Brothers with a brief appearance by the King himself - Elvis. "It's hard to describe the atmosphere at Mt. Elizabeth to someone who wasn't there" said organizer Jake Zahl. "It was like a huge melting pot with people from all walks of life and all corners of the Kimberley community." |