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09. Gibber pavement, near Abminga.
Title : 09. Gibber pavement, near Abminga. 09. Gibber pavement, near Abminga.
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Creator : Mountford, Charles P., photographer
Date of creation : 1938
Format : Photograph
Dimensions : 60 x 60 mm
Contributor : State Library of South Australia
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Description :

Gibber pavement, near Abminga.


After leaving the Abminga siding, the party began their journey to Mount Dare Station.

On route, they stopped at Blood's Creek Station, and talked to owner Ted Colson (the first European to cross the Simpson Desert). Mountford was pleased to meet him, but did note that he seemed put out after having his offer to join the expedition party rejected. (Apparently many others had similarly offered and been rejected to join this potentially history-making expedition).

After leaving Blood's Creek Station they continued on, coming across some extensive gibber plains.

Remarked Mountford in his diary "I thought I had seen gibbers before, but found I was quite mistaken. These were so large in places as to make motor transport over them next to impossible. Several photos were taken to show the shine on the polished gibber stones."

The terrazzo pavement effect of the gibber plains is formed by the wind and water erosion of softer minerals above, beneath and around the harder minerals that remain. The shiny surface is the result of wind-born dust and sand polishing the surface of these stones.

Subjects
Coverage year : 1938
Region : Flinders Ranges and Far North - Outback
Further reading :
Connell, Gordon. The mystery of Ludwig Leichhardt. Carlton, Vic. : Melbourne University Press, 1980

Davey, A. G., Davies, S. Jocelyn and Helman, Peter M. Mount Dare : a conservation and management appraisal of the former Mount Dare station in relation to the proposed national park at Dalhousie Springs, far northern South Australia..., A.C.T. : Applied Natural Resource Management, 1985

Lamshed, Max. 'Monty' : the biography of C.P. Mountford, Adelaide : Rigby, 1972, pp. 56-60

Mountford, Charles P. 'Papers relating to the South Australian Government Expedition to search for the remains of explorer Ludwig Leichhardt', PRG 1218/9

Price, A. Grenfell. The Mystery of Leichhardt : the South Australian government expedition of 1938, South Australia : Royal Geographical Society, 1937-38

Roderick, Colin. Leichhardt, the dauntless explorer, North Ryde, N.S.W. : Angus & Robertson, 1988

Shephard, Mark. The Simpson Desert : natural history and human endeavour, Adelaide : Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (South Australian Branch) and Giles Publications, 1992
Internet links :
Australian Natural Resources Atlas. Biodiversity assessment - Stony plains

National Museum of Australia. Leichhardt: the man, the mystery, the science, the history [symposium held in 2007]

PIRSA Soil conservation district board: Marree Soil Conservation District plan Select 'Marree', 'Marree Soil Conservation District' and 'Go to district plan'

South Australia. Department for Environment and Heritage. Witjira National Park

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