“THE OVERLANDERS”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26350, 3 January 1947, Page 6

“THE OVERLANDERS”

On the Roper River “ Chips ” Rafferty shot three crocodiles. He sent the skins to Sydney for tanning. The rest he buried —quickly. Temperatures were around the 100 degree mark and 70 at night. The river water was always warm. Stars, players and technicians lived on army rations. They killed their own beef. There were also pigeons, ducks and yabbies for the taking. Popular sport was shooting fish. Men of the unit used to sit on a tree limb overhanging the river and wait for a school of bream to pass. The “ fishermen ” then fired a .303 bullet into the water, and aboriginals would dive in and capture the stunned fish. After leaving Alice Springs the company moved to Narwietooma, which used to be the happy hunting ground of the Arunta tribe. Part of the beautiful McDonnell Range goes through Narwietooma. It was here that the company saw millions of kangaroos. Every member of the unit lived under canvas. It was no fun when a nearby bore went dry and water had to be carted 15 miles every day. The flies were so bad at Emilie’s Creek that technicians, armed with spray guns, had to keep up a constant barrage to prevent them from completely ruining scenes, especially romantic ones. Microphones had to be draped with muslin, for the flies buzzing around made a noise as though a flight of planes had gone ov°r at low altitude. For a bet “ Chips ’’ Rafferty ate a piece of snake and later a slab of goanna. Said “ Chips ” afterwards: “ Snake tastes like oily fish; goanna is not much dif-ferent-only oilier."