One Man's Impact

"LEGENDARY Australian bushman and documentary maker Malcolm Douglas has been killed in a car crash on his Broome property. "

The Australian

The recent sudden death of Malcolm Douglas bought memories flooding back of my time in Broome, where I stayed under its spell for twelve months before exploring the rest of Australia. Broome, located in the far north of Western Australia in the Kimberley region, is a magical place that attracts visitors from all over the world, and a lot of this attention can be attributed to Douglas' documentaries. 

During the 70's Douglas and his friend, David Oldmeadow, embarked upon what many young Australians and overseas backpackers do now, explore Australia, only when they did it they were among the first. Roughing it in their youth and using the bush for survival these men have become pioneers. Douglas used his story telling abilities combined with a camera to document 'Outback Australia' and present to everyday people what was out there, opening up areas of the outback and inspiring travellers and photographers alike. 

Travellers share stories and photographs with fellow travellers and spread the word about the places to go, The Kimberley is full of such places; Windjana Gorge, The Bungle Bungles, Cape Leveque, The Gibb River Road. The excitement of driving a Kombi van along unsealed roads, working out whether the river crossing is too deep, stopping to admire a monitor lizard as he sidles across the bitumen. We have learnt from people like Douglas that certain areas of our world are fragile and demand respect, his passion for the Kimberley and commitment to environmental preservation is something we as travellers should also adopt. Photographing these environments can be extremely rewarding, the constantly changing colours and light reflect the dramatic shapes and textures of the landscape, you can quite literally become lost in the other world of the Kimberley. Photographs can also educate people about the fragile nature of these places and encourage respect and the yearning to learn more.

Another important connection Douglas established was with the Aboriginal people, his cultural awareness earned him respect in certain communities of the Kimberley who honour him as a member. Incorporating sensitivities in the 70's, when very few white Australians were, he captured documentary footage of Aborigines hunting kangaroos and drinking their blood as a substitute for water, leaving an example of media having a positive effect on teaching people about the world. 

Never labelled a photographer Douglas' lifetime of work as environmentalist, film maker, educator, adventurer, has impacted and influenced the people who travel and photograph outback Australia. 

Thank you Mr Douglas.