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MARK JONES FILMS
Producer. Director. Writer. Camera. Edit. Activist.

Still one of my favourites. You do not want to smell the breath of a croc. It smells of death.

I’m 23 years old here and as green as. It’s a tour at the Malcolm Douglas croc park circa 1993. It is fair to say I was a bit ahead of myself as young blokes can tend to be. It was a Sunday, big tour.

Deek, a jumping croc named after Robert DeCastella, was the last croc of the show and everyone was pumped. I walked through the gate and stupidly looked over the barricade. He was already half way up when I peered over, and I went into reverse.

When a big croc smashes its jaws the noise is frightening. When it happens next to your head you’re turning to Buddhism. You know what I mean?

#funtimes #crocodiles #crocodilenearmisses #austrália

The last of the monsoon fronts pushing through as the Sou Westerlies start kicking in as the air clears and the stars begin shining that little bit more. The Earth is moving in its orbit around the sun which is shifting making the light softer. The mozzies take over for the next 6 weeks as the dragonflies start hatching. Everyone is pulling out their swags and dusting them off looking forward to getting back into it onto country.

#country #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

A rare photo of me and Malcolm from 1993 taken by Kev who left the operation not long after when he fell off the boat into the water with a 4 metre long tiger shark, but that is a tale for another day.

This is the Lacapede islands west of Beagle Bay. Famous for its turtles, tiger sharks, nesting birds and the poo they have laid.

The Lacapedes are the only part of Australia which had another countries flag foisted upon it back in the day when you could do such things. Those pesky Americans saw an opportunity in the guano industry and bulldozed their way through until someone told them they couldn’t.

I am laying in a ditch made by turtles. The whole island(s) was a nest. Opportunistic sharks cruise the shallows waiting for the weak ones. A desolate yet magical place.

#malcolmdouglas #adventure #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic#akimberleyadventure

As cyclone Errol fizzed into literally nothing, Dad Noah was out teaching his son how to surf the cyclonic swells on a Good Friday here in Broome.

The air is clearing. The first red tails are calling out and the walgawalga - the salmon - start to hunt.

While the rest of the world gets angry, Dads teach their kids to surf cyclones here.

#broome #thekimberley #culturallandscape #ancientwonders

25 years ago tomorrow we got walloped by the edge of a cat 5 cyclone which we still thank our lucky stars. So it was with some trepidation that we looked at a cat 4 yesterday and wondered aloud. Thankfully the modelling was right and Errol went from a raging tempest to a flatuous farce in hours. He did however, manage to create a swell which was clean, small and fun. Good Friday will be remembered for the day when the big ships were ordered not to move (Coral Princess in the background) and the locals hit Cable Beach in their droves.

#broome #abckimberley #abc #bmesurf #broomesurf #cycloneswell #broomewaves #wasurfing #surfingwa #surfingaustralia #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

The quintessential Cable Beach shot of the Willie cruising at sundown during the dry.

After a gruelling wet season, the locals are hankering for the cool mornings and this sight.

#broome #thewillie #cablebeach #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

Our dear old mate Uncle Roy Wiggan who sadly passed away some 8 years ago with a set of ‘Ilma’ that represented a story about a sacred fig tree that used to stand on ‘The isle of the dead’.

The design of the ilma and the stories and songs would come to the elders in a dream and would be made physical. These totems would then become tools that were used in the dance to help tell the story.

Roy was a prolific producer of Ilma. His pieces can be found in museums all around the world. We miss him greatly.

#aboriginalart #culturallandscape #bardi #artist #art ##TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #outbackmagic

The first Kimberley rock art dating (RAD) trip began in 2015 on the Drysdale River - Dalgarr - in what turned out to be the most extensive rock art dating project ever undertaken globally.

It was an honour to be invited to document such a historic project which begins to provide answers to the prehistory of this nation.

This photo is of Kwini elder Augi Unangho gifting (Wunan - to share) Professor Janet Hergt and Professor Andy Gleadow with a stone axe from his Kwini country. 9 years later, the academics were to give back (Wunan - share) a copy of their findings to Augi and his mob.

An incredible adventure and experience.

#rockart #universityofmelbourne #rockartaustralia #rockartdatingteam #kimberleyrockart #art #kwini #balangarra @rock_art_australia

Sending Rob, Leslie and the girls our love from Broome and the Kimberley.

Rob Hirst poured his power and passion into the James Price Point campaign all those years ago. He wrote songs about the campaign, performed many gigs throughout Australia, and spoke about it whenever he had the microphone or the ear of a politician. He along with @xavierruddofficial @johnbutler and @missyhigginsmusic were enormous for that campaign. The Kimberley thanks you. ❤️

@robhirstofficial your bravery is inspiring brother. ❤️

This photo was taken at the @woodfordfolkfestival when the legendary Bill Hauritz gave us a gig speaking up about what would happen to one of the last great wildernesses left on the planet. A cultural landscape with no pier in the world. The remarkable
@kirstyfergusoncockburn pulled it altogether.

#legends #jpp #contriversialwoodside #walmadan #campaigns @albertwiggan

Cable Beach Broome.

We were commissioned to do a photo shoot for an organisation up here doing equine therapy for disadvantaged youth. A great success story connecting people with horses and giving the youth better skills to understand themselves and others.

#broome #equinetherapy #horses #cablebeach #yawadarnijanga

The northern spiny tailed gecko. This fella was caught napping in a grevillea flower in the great sandy desert. The honey smelt a little fermented/off which may have accounted for his laconic behaviour. I read as well that these guys have a penchant for wattle sap which also has chemistry that can alter one’s state.

Whilst we have always thought that it is the domain of humans to consume fermenting plants to alter our state, it turns out hundreds of animals do it. When we have big wets the beetles love chowing down on the fermenting fruits and then getting up and flying. Often you can hear the big rhino beetles crashing into the tin whilst in a euphoric state.

It might explain the eyes on these crazy critters.

#wildlife #australianwildlife #gecko #greatsandydesert #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

I didn’t know it at the time, but this was to be the last adventure I was to do with Malcolm after nearly 20 years.

We were on our way into the great sandy desert to find bilbies along an old exploration track. A cyclone had swept through a month before and cut out a chasm in the track, hence why Malcolm is below the vehicle.

There were many trials and tribulations during this trip, as there always was, without them there would be no films.

Malcolm passed away 3 months later.

#malcolmdouglas #bilbies #savethebilby #greatsandydesert
#TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

As a low festers to the North and wends its way along the coast, we in Broome are a little nervy. 25 years ago, almost to the day, we got touched up by a beast.

Back in those days we didn’t have all the apps to watch the systems. I can remember vividly talking to Malcolm Douglas at smoko about news of a cyclone and he responding with “we have got a couple of days”. That night we got walloped by Rosita who luckily dog legged at the last minute and took out a resort to the South with winds over 300k’s an hour.

It was a nerve racking night waiting for your roof to peel off like a sardine can.

Here’s hoping that all this storm does is pump some swell.

#bmesurf #broome #broomesurfing #cycloneswells #abckimberley
@oscarhenschkee @mackenzie.percival @tomhamilt0n

Archeologist Professor Peter Veth with a crystal found in a dig at DRY07 at Dalgarr - Drysdale river.

From memory the archeologists only got a metre or so deep before they hit bedrock. It was little wonder as we were on the wall of a steep incline next to the river. Those dates came in around 7-8,000 years from memory. The quartz crystal, always attached to water and the Wunguud, had been used ceremonially long before Stone Henge and the pyramids. It’s hard to get your head around.

In the scheme of things this is young but excited the archeology team hugely. It’s amazing to watch these teams, so focused, piece these places together with the guidance of the TO’s from the Kwini mob.

@peter.veth
#culturallandscape #balangarra #kwini #australianarcheology #archeology

I will always remember Howard and his passion during the James Price Point campaign where he would wax lyrical for hours on politics and culture and the Demons. He was a stalwart Labor man his whole life save for the JPP campaign, where he swapped a red tshirt for a green one.

We made a film a little while back about the Martuwarra river called “The Serpent’s Tale” in the fight to protect the great river. It was Howard who first sidled up and said, we need to make a film about the river. He planted a seed.

He was the master at planting seeds.

He was a mentor for me in so many ways, and I know a lot of others will feel the same.

Vale Howard.

It makes me sad to think I will never share a glass and a chat again.

#kimberleycharacters

April is the fickle mistress when it comes to weather up here in the Kimberley. We went from cyclones, swell and rain to dry easterlies, dragon flies and predictions of an early dry. And then, as April would have it, we are back into humidity, storms and a ‘big brotha blow’ developing to the North.

For those that love the sea and the swell there is much anticipation.

Model: @meghenschkejones ❤️

#thesea #océan #ocean #broome #cablebeach #storms #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

There is no better feeling than leaving civilisation, turning off your phone, saying goodbye to the float plane pilot, pushing him off, waving goodbye and then as all the noise evaporates, all you can hear is the water gently lapping at the sand. The tranquility is then broken by your mate who shouts out “gold bombers or Barra classics?”.

There’s always one.

#tightlines🎣 #onetreebeach #wunambalgaambera #seaplanes #thekimberley #abckimberley #abc #adventure #fishing

Shirley Purdie out of Warmun - Turkey Creek - in the central Kimberley. I have worked with Shirley and her family over the years with various projects. She is one of my favourite human beings. Warm and welcoming and full of stories. And my oh my, are there some stories.

#culturallandscape #aboriginalculture #aboriginalart #warmun #australia #westaustralia #kimberleyart #nationaltreasure #australiasnorthwest #characters #tura

Exmouth circa 1999.

We were traipsing around the area making a film called “The Coral Coast” when we happened upon this big Perentie loping across the road. Malcolm immediately shouted out “roll the camera” and jumped out of the car and gave pursuit with me not far behind.

Eventually he jumped on it and wrestled the beast and then pointed it at the camera and talked about the wooden stake driven into its shoulder (look closely). An injury it had for a long time given the way it had healed.

Malcolm set about constructing an operating theatre in the bush using swag canvas, betadine, a leatherman and a fire and he prized the wooden stake out after a good 20 minutes.

The operating theatre looked like a butchers shop afterward, and the poor animal looked pretty dazed and confused, but it wandered off, a little worse for wear, but without a 75mm splinter protruding either side of its scapula.

Malcolm considered himself a bit of a surgeon, but with his 5 thumbs, I’m glad he didn’t have to perform it on me.

#malcolmdouglas #exmouth #perentie #barney #coralcoast #adventure #filmmaking #documentary #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

This was a site in Kwini country that we were taken to with Augi Unangho a couple of years back. The area of the petroglyphs was around 5 x 5 metres and inside there were dozens of tracks of humans, kangaroo, emu and crocodile.

Augi had already told us the story for each animal and this was the place where they “all came together” before they head to all points of the compass.

There is something very special about being taken to a place like this and having the story told. It’s like reading a giant book in the landscape and these are the pages.

#culturallandscape #kwinicountry #balangarra #thekimberley #rockart #petroglyph #austrália #westernaustralia #ancientculture #australianrockart #rockcarvings #storiesinstone

I have done the Dampier to Onslow trip twice along the Mary Ann passage through the islands. Once with Malcolm in the mid 90’s and the second time with Fishing WA in 2007.

Back in those days there wasn’t a lot of oil and gas infrastructure and so it still felt like a wilderness, today it’s a little different.

Of all the fishing along the WA coast, this stretch, I would have to say, is the best.

And camping through it for weeks at a time living off the sea is one of the great adventures. Swags under the stars and living with the tide.

#dampierarchepelago #fishingwa #fishing #westernaustralia #boats #adventure #crayfish #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #pilbaracruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

Somewhere on the Kimberley coast circa 2001.

I was talking to @wilthomasmusic yesterday about this photo. Malcolm Douglas is in the background checking out his new Trailcraft boat (which I can tell you is a little more beaten up these days) whilst Wil is making toast and tea to start the day.

Malcolm had many idiosyncrasies, this was one of them.

#malcolmdouglas #adventure #kimberleycoast #lowtide #yarns #australianadventurers #toast #cuppa #trailcraft #trailcraftboats

As the sun moves North through the sky after equinox we happen to have the moon a lazy 40,000 km’s closer to us which gives rise, quite literally, to the largest tides this century. The town was buzzing with energy from the surfers at Cable beach through to the nuns in the bay.

Mother Nature is a potent force in our neck of the woods and we are constantly reminded.

@marlinee_jayne @mackenzie.percival

#broome #gianttides #equinox #nature #mothernature #abckimberley #australiassouthwest #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

It ain’t to often you go for a wander down a jetty in Broome and get swamped by the biggest tide this century with 5 nuns, but it happened today. Their smiles lit up the place.

I call this one “Baptism”.

#broome #abcbroome #abckimberley #abc #watourism #australia #australiasnorthwest #thereddirt #outbackaustralia #thekimberley #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

Our good mate Greg Quicke was always reminding us that the 🌏 is turning and that it sweeps in a path around the sun. We have just gone through equinox and the sun is moving through the sky to the North. Our position changes because of the Earth’s tilt and like clockwork the seasons begin to change. The monsoon begins to disappear, the storms begin to unshackle, the Sou-Easterly begins to prevail, and the temperature begins to drop.

These next few weeks are always a bit nerve racking for those that remember cyclone Rosita. The ocean temps are still very high and anything can happen.

#rainbows #roebuckbay #broome #monsoon #storms #weather

Dr Bruno David on the Dalgarr - Drysdale river - at a site dubbed “Dry 07” by archeology.

We had been documenting a team of scientists dating rock art and this became an important site for all sorts of archeology including large movements of stone and its Wandjina panels. Why? Because this was Kwini/Balangarra country and therefore not Wandjina country.

It was explained to us by the elders that these Wandjina motifs were painted here when women from the neighbouring southern tribes married into the Kwini people, they bought there stories with them.

It was also pointed out by the elders that the storm gods in this part of the world were depicted in animal form (kangaroo), and not anthropomorphic (human).

Same kind of stories with different symbols.

#dalgarr #kwinipeople #kwini #balangarracountry #archeology #drysdaleriver #rockart #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

Munja. Walcott Inlet circa 2000.

We were filming around the clock for a doco entitled “In search of the big Barra” which I have to say, was a tough gig (yes, I am being sarcastic).

We cruised up and down the Kimberley coast for 6 weeks flicking lures and throwing ‘livies’ in all sorts of nooks and crannies.

We caught a lot of fish over that time in some of the most spectacular places I have seen. Out of it came one of my favourite MD films, and this photo became my first ever front cover for “Fishing World” magazine. A dream of mine for many a year.

#malcolmdouglas #adventures #ﬁlmmaking #barra #fishing #australianfishing #fishinglife #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

As the tropical lows fizz west and a weak cyclone Dianne crosses to the North a cheeky little swell has been passing through. Yesterday’s morning session was dominated by the women as the numbers swelled through the day. Some beautiful crisp waves were the reward amongst a few manta rays and schools of bony herring being smashed up by predators.

A beautiful day.

@oscarhenschkee @bmesurf #broomesurfing #broomesurf #broomeswell #surfingwa #cyclonesurfing #kimberleysurfing #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

The view looking South toward Antartica.

#bandacliffs #greataustralianbight #southaustralia #southernocean #nullabor #nullaborplain #adventure #photography #landscapephotographymagazine Model: @meghenschkejones meghenschkejones

As the wet begins to wind up the weather becomes a little more unpredictable. We have a low sliding west providing a fun little wave and a zephyr forming North which could be anything. For those that have spent any time here, these end of the season blows can bring a little anxiety and a few waves as well.

@wilthomasmusic @claudiacurran_
@mackenzie.percival

#broomesurf #surfingbroome #bmesurf #broomeswell #TheKimberley #SeeAustralia #AustraliaBucketList #BroomeWA #KimberleyCruise
#OutbackAdventure #WAuncovered #AustraliaTravel #OffTheBeatenTrack
#4WDadventure #RedDirtDreaming #WAtourism #ExploreWA #DroneAustralia
#SlowTravelAustralia #WAnature #OutbackMagic

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DIARY OF A JOURNEYMAN

An unorthodox career

Mark's apprenticeship began some 30 years ago with legendary film maker Malcolm Douglas. Since then he has collaborated with many more fantastic and talented people which have given him a unique and rare insight into the real Australia.

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MARK JONES FILMS Producer. Director. Writer. Camera. Edit. Activist.

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DIARY OF A JOURNEYMAN

MARK JONES FILMS
Producer. Director. Writer. Camera. Edit. Activist.