In the Australian desert, two young boys discovered an exploding hand grenade that had been abandoned by a World War II military outpost.
The grenade was discovered by the lads three weeks ago in Noonkanbah Station, 380 kilometers east of Broome in northern Western Australia.
They may be seen posing with the dusty grenade that was kept buried for more than 70 years in a photo from Ngaarda Media.
During World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Dutch army both used Noonkanbah Station as a station.
The boys’ reporting of the grenade was praised by Australians, who also demanded that the government adequately clean the area of explosives.
One individual commented, “What an amazing find and so pleased to hear no one got wounded.”
During World War II, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Dutch military utilized Noonkanbah Station (above).
It’s unfortunate that the military didn’t enter and thoroughly clean up. Another person wrote, “The government claims nothing out there to see or destroy.
Another remarked, “Clever boys to know it is harmful, thank God it’s all safe.”
Irene Jimbidie, a local resident who grew up in the vicinity, and other residents have occasionally reported discovering traces of the station’s past.
She claimed that in the 1980s, an unexploded bomb was found.
According to Ms. Jimbidie, one of the stockyards is where the device was discovered.
“This old bomb was jutting out, only the top half,” the narrator said. “After they’d finished mustering, the horses would have softened the top soil.”
Station Noonkanbah
On the Fitzroy River is the 170,000-hectare cattle property known as Noonkanbah.
During World War II, the station functioned as a military post for the Dutch army and the Royal Australian Air Force.
As a result of the Noonkanbah Blockade in 1980, it is well recognized for being the origin of the Kimberly Land Council.
In that year, the WA government sought to provide permits for mineral exploration drilling tests in Noonkanbah, a region home to numerous Indigenous sacred sites.
The dispute intensified in August when Indigenous station employees protested by blocking drilling from the region by sitting in a creek bed.
The drills were sent in to dig up the holy place while protesters were taken away.
It was discovered there was no oil in the region by November.
The incident started a domino effect that eventually resulted in the creation of the Kimberley Land Council, which served as the voice of more than 30 Aboriginal communities.