Simba - 17. Simba Ch 17

Looking at the river on the map, I checked to see what the distance is from Chapel Reserve in Old Naorlunga down to WM Hunt Reserve near the bowling and tennis clubs, all within the recreation reserve, and it was a distance of 7.4-kilometres. There is one Railway Bridge, a footbridge, a two-lane road bridge and a four-lane main road bridge crossing over the river, with all of them having good clearance under them.

From that point on the river narrows considerably and there is alot more trees alongside the river. Referring back to the information on hiking along the river, it recommends the first stage of the hike, which is 6-kilometres long, with an exit point at Heptenstal Road. Although it would not be impossible to do, there would be a fair amount of work to do to clear away vegetation and large rocks, plus install a number of locks, for canal boats to have access that far up the river.

What I could see from the information that I have, that the first 7.4-kilometres of the river, is able to accessed the whole way and get under the bridges, without any problems. With it being almost the same length as the Sturt River, which is mostly concreted floor and sides for the same distance, there were more advantages with using the Onkaparinga River, because there is no need for any locks to be built.

With there being no locks needed thou, it has one disadvantage, and that is that with the Sturt River it lengthens the time of the canal cruise, but having to open and close all of the locks. When Aaron came to see what I was doing, I explained everything to him about the idea of having the canal boats on this other river, which would not require any locks for the first 7 ½ kilometres, and that is within a Recreation Reserve so there are a lot less restrictions.

When I showed him the document, that describes the plans for improving the flow of the river, I explained that this would be something where our project could get involved in. I suggested that we could recommend to them to build a series of locks over a distance of six kilometres, to improve the water flow and quality, while removing encroaching vegetation, which hinders the flow and allows more evasive plants to be established.

Once the locks have been put into place and are actively working to improve the river system, and then maybe we could as if we can run canal boat cruises along the river, for a further six kilometres, using the locks to get further up the river.

“That is sneaky, but I do like it,” Aaron said to me, “I thought you might, and what I would suggest you do is to make the name of the canal boat business, something that gives any hint of a connection with the project, so they don’t complain that it was all part of our plan the whole time,” I replied.

The next day, while the lads were at University and Uncle Nat was at work, Aaron and I went to a local native garden nursery, and we purchased four varieties of Banksia, six varieties of Bottlebrush, six varieties of Hakea, four varieties of Melaleuca, six varieties of small Eucalyptus trees and four varieties of Westringia.

With thirty different kinds of plants that will be delivered to the project in two days time, we needed to employ a landscaper to dig holes and plant them all, so when we arrived back at the project, we wondered around the property trying to decided where to put all of the plants.

Deciding to let the landscaper do all of that we headed inside, and after some online searching, we contacted a number of landscapers and managed to find one who is based close by that would be available from Wednesday onwards to help with the planting, and she had all the equipment needed.

With that all arranged, I began to show Aaron some information about Taylor Island and what we did there on our previous visits, when a text message arrived from Uncle Nat. “Hi Jacob, can you let Aaron know that the two items have been delivered, the keys are with them, Nathaniel.”

When I showed the message to Aaron, he just smiled broadly. “Ok, what are you two up too?” I asked, “You will see cousin, now up you get and bring your keys with you, we need to go to the sheds,” Aaron replied, as we headed outside, and with the fencing now completed, we have a secure yard area.

We exited the yard and went to the side of the sheds where there is a single door, which I unlocked and reaching around I switched on the lights, where I discovered two brand new Landrover Defenders, parked inside. On the side of the vehicle closest to us, was signage.

“Kuishi Project” in big lettering and below it is a large lioness head and the words “Simba – To Survive” and “Uokoaji na Ukarabati” below it, which means Rescue and Rehabilitation” in Swahili. I was almost in tears of joy seeing it. “It’s… it’s fantastic, thankyou cousin,” I said wiping away a tear with my hand.

The green one is yours, and the stone one is the project staff vehicle, both are the same, fitted with everything that you need, steel bull bar, tow hitch, front and back mudflaps, bonnet protector, snorkel, and 19-inch wheels.

There is also front recovery points, headlamp protectors, tinted windows, a 3-metre side awning and a 40-channel UHF radio, plus a hand held radio, and off-road clearance.

Inside, we have a large portable fridge, two cargo storage drawers, at the back to hold everything that you need for an extended trip, plus a set of sand tracks, to get out of boggy situations and a first aid kit. Everything is the same in both vehicles, so there will be no need to borrow from the other vehicle,” Aarons said to me, as we walked up to my new vehicle.

After walking around the vehicle, I stepped back as I stood in front of it, and noticed the personalised number plates – “Simba 01” which made me smile.

“That was Uncle Nat’s idea about the plates,” Aaron said as he unlocked the outside roller door and slid it open, “Come on, jump in, I want you to take me for a ride in your new beast,” Aaron said, and I laughed, as I opened the door, and climbed in.

I looked around the inside for a moment, before starting it up. “Diesel, that is good, I prefer it,” I commented, as I wound down the window and leaning out, I slipped it into reverse and slowly backed out. “I will be right back, I just need to lockup the building,” Aaron said before heading inside and after checking everything was closed, he came back out, closing the gate, and going inside the shed he closed the roller door and exited out the small side door.

About twenty minutes later we arrived at the front gate of the Army Barracks, and I was surprised that we were waved through, and Aaron laughed. Uncle Nat had a feeling that you may come here, so he notified the front gate to expect you in a flash new green Landrover, with the licence plate Simba 01,” Aaron said as I acknowledged the gate guards wave.

As we parked outside the admin building, Uncle Nat had just stepped out and was smiling. “So what do you think? Will it be good enough for the project?” Uncle Nat asked me as I climbed out, “Yes, a lot more than I ever expected, thankyou,” I replied.

After showing Uncle Nat around the vehicle, he announced that he had to get back to work and wished us a good rest of the day, and we climbed back into the vehicle and set off again. “We have one more stop to make before heading back,” Aaron announced as we exited the base, and he told me the address to go too in Mile End, on the western side of the city.

When we arrived at a Signage business, I was not sure what to expect as I followed Aaron inside. “Hello, my name is Aaron Tomlinson, you have an order ready for me to pick up,” Aaron said when we arrived at the reception desk.

“Yes Mr Tomlinson, it is all ready, if you would like to follow me to the back area,” the receptionist replied, as we followed her through a side door and down a hallway to another door, where we entered a workshop, and on seeing us arrive, a man approached, and the receptionist spoke briefly to him.

“Mr Tomlinson, and I presume this is Mr Blackwood, we have all of your order completed, if you would like to follow me,” the man said, as we entered a large conference type room of to one side. “Laid out on the large central table was a big steel sign, which is about 2 metres in height and five metres in length.

The sign had the same lioness head on it, and the same wording as is on the vehicles, with the lioness head first on the left of the sign, taking up nearly the whole height. “Wow, this is incredible, thankyou so much for doing this for me, I like it very much,” I commented.

“I have ordered three of these steel signs, this big one is to be put on the front wall of the main building, the other two are about half the size and will go on the back wall of the sheds and on the front gate,” Aaron said to me.

I have all of the other products already packaged, and sitting on the bench over there, including the briefcase satchel, four caps, the business cards, four multi tools with pouches, the eight promotional banners, and in the corner there are the two pop-up 3x3 metre gazebos, with the promotional logo on them,” the man said to us.

Aaron was just smiling, while I had a total look of shock on my face, as I heard Aaron thank him for all of the work at short notice, and they shook hands.

“Let me organise for the three signs to be wrapped so that you can load them into your vehicle,” the man announced. A few moments later two men arrived, and picking up the gazebos in the carry bags, and headed out, while Aaron grabbed one of the boxes, and indicated for me to pick up the second and smaller box.

After unlocking the vehicle, the gazebos fitted perfectly in the back seat, while we placed the two boxes in the very back, beside the fridge, which I opened for the first time, and saw it half filled with bottles of water.

I looked into the two storage drawers, which were empty, but had plenty of space, and soon the two men came out with the cardboard wrapped signs, which were loaded onto the roof rack, and tied down, with ratchet tie downs, that Aaron suddenly had with him.

Thanking them again, we climbed into the vehicle and headed back to the Project Office, and we drove to the single door of the shed, where we unloaded the signs, and placed them just inside, before locking the door of the shed, and carrying the two boxes we headed inside, and into the conference room.

“The satchel is for you, and we each get a cap and a multi tool and pouch, and the 1000 business cards are all the same, with the web address, email and your mobile number,” Aaron informed me. “Show me these banners, I want to see what they look like,” I asked.

A few minutes later, Aaron had the eight self-standing display banners set up around the room. Each one at the top had the lioness head, and the words Kuishi Project, “Uokoaji na Ukarabati” and I saw that each banner was different.

Full colour photos of when we were on Taylor Island, two photos of each category, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Marine Animals, and a second picture on each banner has one or two of us carefully handling the birds or animals, as we were doing our research, with great shots of the island and surrounding sea in the background.

“Wow, these came out really well, I remember taking some of these photos, they are absolutely fantastic, thanks cousin, you are awesome,” I said to Aaron. “Not as awesome as you, for taking in a homeless and freezing cold and wet young man, and bringing him here to Australia to a better future,” Aaron replied.

We should set up these in the main hall, and bring in the gazebos too and set them up, so we can see how they look,” I suggested after a few moments of silence, and heading back out to the vehicle we pulled out the gazebos. We opened them up in the main hall, revealing a very colourful roof, from another photo taken on Taylor Island, and Aaron shoed me the three side walls that go with each one, with each side wall having another picture that had been taken.

“These are stunning, and really stand out, we should put together a display for some shows and festivals, to promote our organisation,” I said to Aaron. “That is good, as I have made a list of festivals and events that would suit promoting the project,” Aaron said to me. “Ok, I guess we better get sorted with promotional supplies and anything else that we may need,” I responded.

“Chris has already done a lot of the red tape paperwork with the Department of Environment, we have just been granted a Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility Permit, the four of us have been granted Wildlife Carer Permits, a Protected Animal Rescue Permit, and finally a Scientific Research Permit,” Aaron said to me.

“Blimey that is a lot of red tape, I’m glad Chris did it all, as I would be lost amongst it all,” I responded, and Aaron chuckled at this. “You will find the framed permits in the reception office, while your WC Permit is on the wall in your office, as is mine, while the other two are in the reception office.

The next thing we need to do it to organise buying some cages for housing injured and sick wildlife, and get them set up in the shed. Oh and Chris and I have arranged for the east side of the shed to have a divider wall installed, separating the two vehicle bays from the animal rescue area, plus organising for two large and two small aviaries for in the enclose yard,” Aaron announced.

Going online we found a few options in regards to animal cages, some of them are collapsible and others were solid cages, and liking the one that had one cage on top of the other, with separate door, and a sleeping shelf on one side. With the height and width being the same and the depth been double the width, it gives the animal plenty of move around space, which is important, and we decided to order eight of these cages for now.

Aaron showed me the Aviaries that he and Chris had selected, which would be arriving tomorrow. “I think we need to have a lot of this outdoor yard covered with a roof, to protect the cages from wild weather, so how about we arrange for a pergola to be built that has adjustable roof slats.

One that the slats can be closed at night and for storms, an opened during the day to let in sunshine,” I said to my cousin, who agreed with my idea.

Later that afternoon, after returning home and relaxing for the rest of the time, Uncle Nat arrived a little earlier than usual, so we asked if he would help us to install the signs at the project, which he agreed to do once he had changed.

With a heap of tools form his shed, Uncle Nat joined us in my new vehicle, to make the short trip to the project. “Well, you have been busy since I was last here, a secure high fence yard, that is good to see,” Uncle Nat said as we parked outside the sheds.