Comments by "Helmuth Schultes" (@helmuthschultes9243) on "American Reacts to Driving The Australian Outback" video.

  1. Lake Argyle is a huge man made water storage originally established for developing far north WA as a cotton growing region. It receives huge water volume from the heavy Monsoon rains of our 'Wet Season', our summer time in far north areas. The rain can dump many inches of rain each day and particularly overnight for months from November to March/April. The huge rainfall amount is typical in tropics nearing equator . Southern US and northern Mexico are very dry more like central Australia most of the year. But admittedly those areas do also get heavy rain at times, as probably do the southern US and near parts of Mexico. Just your areas have recently severe drought. Lake Argyle has many years of water stored, and would not likely run low even in decade long no rain, but currently is too full to store more. Located at Kununurra on one of the huge rivers draining the enormous wet season rainfall. It covers an area probably larger than some US states. The river gorge below the dam has Salt Water Crocodiles, so probably not advisable to swim in. The river also has good fishing for the ever popular Barramundi fish. Sadly the cotton industry failed due to insect pests. As for many regions of motocross, they become target of massive insect infestation. These days the area around Kununurra is a major fruit and vegetable growing area, irrigated by plentiful water from this lake Argyle. The Argyle name has also become world renown for the large diamond mine, sadly now I understand effectively exhausted, that lies not far from Kununurra. At its peak this mine was yielding as much gem diamond as all South African mines together. Especially great was the supply of pink diamonds. Also among the hardest diamonds in the world. I realise few recognise that diamonds have a huge range of hardness depending how deep they formed in the magma before ejecting in the volcanic pipes leaving them at near surface. The hardness of the Australian diamonds is such that cutting the diamonds needs to use other Australian diamond, the Afrucan diamonds is too soft and dies not scratch the Australian. Some Russian diamonds can work but on the whole also softer. Much of this volcanic deposit has actually eroded long ago, likely washing diamonds down rivers into the Timor Sea off the northern coast, and maybe even some buried ancient river deposits. There are hopes that other such volcanic pipes will be found in the area and be mined. Note worthy is that the region is known as "The Kimberlys" because the region looked so similar to the Kimberly area in South Africa. Well not really surprising as before separated by plate tectonic shifts, both were once together on one giant landmass. Thus also not surprising both areas have diamond deposits. Other major tourist attraction included the famous Bungle Bungle 'Beehive mounds'
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  2. 4:04 Commonly called 'Bottle Brush' for obvious reasons. Botanically a Banksia if I am not mistaken. Many will only release seeds after a fire, otherwise hold the seeds long time in woody nodule remains after flowering. Seen just off centre bottom near flower.
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  3. What is worth remembering looking at those remote wide scenes of far horizon, it is quite likely that as far as you see there is low chance of any settlements, roads, maybe some 4WD tracks left at sometime past by vehicles, exploring, prospecting, and Aborigine wandering paths, and at any specific time, any people at all, or at most extremely few.
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  4. I have accumulated near 100,000km in various remote 4WD travels, more than 2/3rd as single vehicle travel, and the rest as two to four vehicles. More than half as sole vehicle occupant, rest with one adult extra. That is off sealed highway, dirt road some lesser travelled some rarely travelled and deserts both rocky and sandy/dune, and near 2000km of beach sandy/dune driving. I strongly advise against solitary vehicle travels, though clearly have broken that rule too much myself. Especially important is water and food supplies, and extreme care to NOT risk too much. Repair abilities and critical wear out parts as spares. Major breakdown is possible, but essential is vehicle state and pre trip check and preparation. I have I guess used most of my luck, as nothing worse than a flat tyre and broken fan belt so far. Yet, I using my vehicle and winch have rescued other travellers in trouble. Some in places and conditions I would have not driven. Even assisted tourists in a hired Toyota Landcruiser, zero 4WD experience, caught 56 km away from highway, after a overnight major rainstorm, that turned the 4WD track into Axel deep mud , the track flooded up to 2ft deep in places, least covered by at least a foot deep water of entire track for 35 km of that trip. Two other 4WD vehicles had escaped at start of the heavy rain the evening before. The trip included one deeper creek flowing strongly with near 3ft water depth. Both vehicles side drifting in the current crossing it with some 20 yards wide deep part, with shallower approach and departure sections. I had to explain the 4WD, techniques, cautions of driving in mud and flooding, and creek crossing in detail. Only at the creek I went ahead to try and demonstrate a safe crossing and show how to handle the current. Also to be ready to winch if needed. On the track out I had them ahead, to make easier winching if they bog down, without having to turn around, very difficult in those conditions. The track went well, and creek was interesting to say the least but uneventful both vehicles crossed well under control. Shortly later we were back on bitumen highway and they departed very thankful, and amazed how well 4WD works. By surprise the couple were from my former home town and suburb in Germany. Many inexperienced people do assume a 4WD can go anywhere, how wrong and they discovered that in remote and difficult places. Not too advisable if lacking experience. I have turned around many times judging risk not worth it, that experience suggested potentially a problem. Now getting older, I get ever more cautious travelling alone. Still there is a thrill to achieving hard travel and lovely solitude at night under starry dark skies.
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  5. Get lost in those caves, and you join many ancient animal bones, right back to to fossils of millions of years past. Most of the 'Great Bight' region along the Nullarbor Plains is honeycombed by underground caves, many extending to unexplored lengths, beyond 30 km. The Nullarbor plain is special as NO TREES, that is why it's name. But in no way is it empty desert, wildlife and lower height vegetation, and after rain wild flowers.
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  6. Boat trees are common in the tropical North. The thick trunk retains considerable water, in almost spongy yet tough wood structure. They are very tough, surviving many Cyclones, Hurricanes to US, to survive centuries and longer. Also wild fires common from lightning strikes, as well as lit by Aborigines as part of their Hunter- gatherer society.
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  7. We do not have as large gorge as the Great Canyon, but we have very MANY large canyons in this huge ancient land, some are very long and even hard to reach and enter. Lots include permanent water pools and even waterfalls. During 'Wet season', our summer, some can be deeply flooded .
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  8. Yes a Goanna, one of many monitor lizards
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  9. 3:22 Insect trapping plants, surviving in poor sandy soils, by gaining sustenance by trapping insects and ants on the sticky little red stalks, and extracting needed minerals. Pretty but deadly to small bugs.
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  10. On the main highway there is traffic all the time. But away from highway, say travelling huge distances in your 4WD, or even just car, a breakdown can be very bad. You may be on a track rarely travelled and covering from 500 km to 1500km with NO contact with other people. Mere luck if meeting anyone else in days of travelling. Bad if you you are ill prepared, and unable to do even minor repairs even fix a flat tyre. There is no roadside assist, and rescue/recovery of broken vehicle can far exceed the value of the vehicle. I'll prepared people do die. There are emergency beacons and two way radio link to 'Flying Doctor' network, where you maintain scheduled contact, and can call for help. Or if rich enough even have a Satllite phone. Such radio or phone equipment can be hired for travel to very remote locations. Emergency Beacons probably also rentable, but readily purchased too if needed regularly both for land travel and boating.
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