Wild Horses Don't Swim

by Mike Keenan

Australian farmer Mike Keenan's first book, The Horses Too Are Gone , a true story of battling drought to save his cattle and his farm, touched a chord with readers. Now Mike takes us into the magnificent wilderness of the west Kimberley, an area of pristine rivers and dramatic gorges, in a personal quest to highlight the problems of this beautiful but troubled region. Mike's involvement with the area began when, while on holiday there, he learned of plans to dam the lifeblood of the region, the Fitzroy River—the last great river still flowing freely to the sea—to provide water for cotton-growing on the plains below. It was horrific news: a dam would not only flood a vast area of the wilderness, but also, through the chemicals used in cotton-growing, contaminate the unspoilt King Sound, fed by the Fitzroy River. Typically, Mike decided to take a look for himself and organized to trek in on horseback with the help of local Aborigines, traditional owners of the area. Following in the footsteps of 19th century European explorers, Mike and his long-suffering wife, Sally, their friends, and horses begin an extraordinary journey into a world where danger lurks behind every rock. What follows is a series of hair-raising adventures: encounters with feral donkeys, brumbies, and wild bulls; the antics of the horses Stallion Tom and Blackjack; swimming rapids and climbing sheer cliffs; together with campfire camaraderie and yarn-spinning along the way.

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Rlouiseg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book. Mike writes very descriptively and makes the scenes alive. Along with horse riding across the range, and rafting down the Fitzroy River, Mike includes all the preparations for his trip and interesting practices of the Aboriginal people. I really enjoyed learning more about the West Kimberly area of Australia and the people that live there.

[Joy Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading of Mike and Sal's extraordinary expedition into the Kimberleys, all the planning before, the dangers and the beauty they encountered in this untouched wilderness. Mike is a good writer, keeping it light and detailing only what is important about events and people. I learned alot about Australian geography up in that part of the country where I've never been and the fair-dinkum original Aborigines.

[Ruth Forbes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening! Lots of action and author mostly accompanied by his adventurous wife.

[Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable book, well written and easy to follow. It does move quickly from day-to-day and I would have liked some more intricate detail about the beauty of the Kimberley. Keenan is obviously a passionate environmentalist and this comes across clearly in his writing.