Strange Desert Mystery In Northern Territory

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1948, Page 2

Strange Desert Mystery In Northern Territory

Look at the map and you will see that Australia has a big bump on its ; back. That is Arnhem Land, a land of I mystery. Strang'e thiugs are reported from the unkuown desert terrain between the coast on the north and the Ro|>er liiver in the south. The latest chapter is added by Keith Douglas Young, of Darwin, explorer and photographer. • Recently he trekked southward ^ to secure a pictorial' record of the "For-' bidden Ohty," fashioned by wind and storm from great clilfs of limestone, with battlements, towers, walls, streets and minarets extending over 100 square hilles. The area is known as an age-oiu corroboree ground of the aborigines, init thev fear to enter the citv or even dismiss it. They say it is the abode of ihe spirit Boorooinji, a " proper cheeky fella. " who would eat any humau or animal entering the city bouudaries. But Young vveut there aud on his return- said:— d • I " At night the city glowed with an eerie, lutninescent light which I consider to be radlo-active in origin. "The natives were terrilied at this phenomenon, and sat at all tinies with their backs to it." .... • His photo-eleetrie light metex acteti queerly. " It was ' practically useless while in the city area, but the abnormalitv disappeared when he left and the nieter functioncd perfectly from then 011. He took careful note of the surround ings. but could fmd no iron ore. He believed that the nieter was influenced by radio-aclivity. "A properly-equipped party wi'th Geiger counters and the necessarv equipnient should visit the area to eijtablish the presence aud extcnt of the radio-activc metalliferous ores, " he said. "In the interests of uational defence this plaee should be investigatec by expert scientists. " A flve-day ri'de on horseback would be necessarv to reach the "city," and, although he was not keen to return, he would aeeonipanv any responsible expedition. Mr. Young claimed that the area had never been thoroughly explored. Iu the early days a survey was made "almost at a gallop beeanse savage aborigines kept white meu on the move. ' ' Ue was Avilling to.turn his cine-colour lilms over to the Army for examination. An exploration is likcly-