ABSTRACT

The River is alive; the land is alive. It can take your life any time . . . (Lucy Marshall, indigenous custodian, Derby, 2006)

The Fitzroy River . . . ? That’s why I’m here . . . ! (Joe Duncan, settler and fisher, Fitzroy Crossing, 2006)

The Fitzroy River traverses the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia, variously intersecting along the way with related waterways such as the inland Margaret River to the east, and the Timor Sea on the western coast.1 At its centre, the Fitzroy River transforms into Geikie Gorge, one of the finest and most renowned gorges in Australia. Joe Duncan’s comments – put to me during a conversation about why he had chosen to reside for more than 20 years in a place some distance from his birthplace and homeland – echo those typically expressed by individuals who permanently live near, or visit occasionally, the river, gorge and associated waterways: ‘The Fitzroy River . . .? That’s why I’m here . . . !’