Join Western Yalanji man Johnny Murison to explore the rock art of Quinkan country. Johnny runs Jarramali Rock Art Tours near Laura on Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula.
“In 2016 myself and my cousin were out hunting, camping and fishing when we rediscovered the rock art now known as the Magnificent Gallery,” Johnny says. Oh, it had been ‘discovered’ before, he explains, but its location was kept pretty quiet. He explains how he eventually came to be a custodian of this extraordinary place, enabling the development of a low key glamping-style tourism business.
“I knew I belonged here. Once I had all the permissions from the Elders and my uncles I started bringing others here,” he continues.
In developing Jarramali Rock Art Tours Johnny has created a simple yet adequate camp on the edge on a sandstone escarpment a short walk from the appropriately-named Magnificent Gallery rock art site. Bringing in materials like water tanks, timber and roofing iron on the back of his 4WD, he built a cabin with one side completely open to take advantage of views over the extraordinary landscape. There’s a kitchen sink and gas stove to boil water but Johnny prefers to cook roasted meats and vegetables flavoured with plenty of garlic in camp ovens over hot coals. A handful of tents equipped with camp stretchers and duvets are positioned in strategic locations a short walk from this cabin. The doorless compost toilet has the best view with the tree-lined escarpment hogging the limelight.
Jarramali Rock Art Tours
