DAY 35 - CLEAVERVILLE – YULE RIVER

3 April 2008

DAY 35 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip


CLEAVERVILLE – YULE RIVER

Meandered through Pilbara’s lovely little towns of Wickam, Port Sampson, Cossack and Roebourne. Pilbara is so unique and the landscape feels so ancient, so different.

The weather is hottish and humid. We heard that Lyons Creek that we had crossed several weeks ago near the Kennedy Ranges was now 3 metres high. The creeks and rivers are rising and some then falling within short time spans. You cross one river and its empty and the next creek or river crossing a few kilometres away is high and flowing. It is hard to comprehend what is happening here.

We timed how long it took the one kilometre long ore train to pass as we waited at a crossing – 8 minutes.Perth office was rung up.

The GPS has been playing up. So the Perth office was rung up. It is to be sent back for a check. It tells us to take a 300 km detour when we are 20km from a place, doesn’t recognise some major roads and decides to have a rest and do no work t times. Very annoying – and it’s a new one that we got for the trip.




After Gascoyne’s hot and dry
Pilbara’s welcome is hot with a sigh
Humid not dry
Overcast sky
Lightning on order every day
As clouds build up during the day
To dump their might freight
Of water – it’s a mighty weight
As one tries to sleep during the night
After flies and grasshoppers one has had to fight



The rivers fill
Floodways spill
Tidal plains empty and fill
And even more water flows one’s way
As roads rise and dip along the way
Testing the driver as they cross each bit
Hoping to stay on track with each nature’s little trick
From Karijini to Millstream the mighty Fortescue streams
Building up volume as it flows down stream
Whilst not far down the track
Along the mighty railway track
Back and forth the trains do rumble
Dampier, Port Lambert in their sights
With salt mines and North West Shelf sharing their light



Port Sampson lies quietly to the side
Beavering away at pearls and fish on the side
Whilst poor stately Cossack a has been it seems
Holds on to its past with self driving tours it seems.








Onwards we press through flood plain terrain
Will there or will there not be water or rain
One creek is dry
The next it is flowing
And so we keep going
Till we stop for a rest
At lovely Yule Creek for that rest

DAYS 33-34 - KARRATHA – DAMPIER - CLEAVERVILLE

1-2 April 2008

DAYS 33-34 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip


KARRATHA – DAMPIER - CLEAVERVILLE

Tuesday 1 April

I woke up to find hubby already working on the car electrics. He decided to change the regulator to see if that was the cause of the problem. A very muggy day again.

After some shopping we went on to explore the area. Woodside Visitors Centre and lookout are a must. Whilst one is aware of the impact of the North West Shelf Project, the visitor’s centre sure brought home the immensity of the project. An interesting interactive diorama explained the gas petroleum system well. The processing plant is big and its lighted beacons are visible for miles around.

We explored beautiful Dampier and the Burrup Peninsula. The salt mines were clearly visible in the distance


Quite a number of ships are in the archipelago waiting to be loaded either at the Woodside plant, or at the iron ore loading ports.

The tidal flats between Dampier and Karratha provided another bit of contrast to the scenery.

The rocky outcrops continued to intrigue us.

The rocks are over 600 million years old. The way they appear really do suggest human interference. They are however, weathered and cracked and form a very distinctive and unique landscape.

At Deep Gorge there are numerous aboriginal engravings on these rocks. We went to have a look at them as I had read about them in Josephine Flood’s book “The riches of ancient Australia”. As the day was overcast, the light was not good, so the engravings that we did see looked very faded. I think you also had to know where to look as they are supposed to be prolific in the number yet we found only a few of them.


We made our way to Cleaverville - a beautiful bush camping spot. The road in is supposed to be able to be used by 2WD but it was a bit rough with the wash aways from last weekend. When we got here we found two other camp sites set up. A woman who is 75 and travelling on her own in a motorhome told us she will be staying here for about 3 weeks until the road is graded as she cannot get out in her vehicle. In the other campsite a couple had set up home as they cannot get accommodation in Karratha. He is a tiler and goes there everyday unless he can’t get out because of the road condition. The starting rate here for a tiler is $70 per hour. If you prove yourself to be good at the job you can get up to $100 per hour. Shortage of tradespeople it’s called.

Lots of cloud build up again. Wonder what weather is in store. Heard there was another very big cyclone out at sea that will impact on the region. Looks like the dry season may be a little late this year.


The humidity is really wearing us down. It is worse than the dry extreme heat we experienced earlier in the trip.



Wednesday 2 April

At night we could hear the rumble of ships being loaded at Lambert and Dampier.

Stayed put today.

Walked along the beach, collected shells, relaxed and discussed some trip options. A pity we cannot go for a swim but the water seems polluted – some slicky stuff floating on top of the water. Looks like it could be from the ships.

It is nice to just have a quiet day. At night we watched the hermit crabs at play and were plagued by grasshoppers.

DAY 32 MILLSTREAM CHICHESTER NATIONAL PARK – ROEBOURNE, KARRATHA

31 March 2008

DAY 32 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

MILLSTREAM CHICHESTER NATIONAL PARK – ROEBOURNE, KARRATHA


Yesterday I mentioned that we were relaxing in quiet surroundings. What a joke! It was a very noisy night – cicadas, birds, frogs. Woke to a beautiful sunny day after a hot humid night. After breakfast we went back to Python Pool for a swim/wash and then made our way to Roubourne.

The reflections in the water at Python Pool were really clear this time of the day.


As we travelled on the radio there were comments about the wild weather during the weekend and the number of cars stranded at roadhouses waiting for rivers and creeks to fall.

The scenery again had changed. It was flat except for distant unique low ranges and strange rocky outcrops that would appear out of nowhere as if someone had dumped a number of huge loads of broken boulders.

At Roebourne we visited the Old Goal – the current information centre. A lovely little museum inside presented a history of the goal as well as the local community.

A banner caught my eye. It was a community project in an attempt to bring local indigenous women together to work in harmony to produce a piece of work that captured their art and culture. The final piece consisted of repeated screen printed images on calico squares. A beautiful piece of work. As I can’t get the photo to go in correctly, it keeps appearing on its side, so I’ve enclosed a picture of one of the panels.


We decided to see more of Roebourne on the way back as we made decision to go to Karratha based on information we got at the visitor’s centre. We wanted to see if we could get two tyres for the car and hubby is still not happy with the car electrics. He believes that the batteries are not being charged fully.

Karratha is Pilbara’s main centre. It is a pleasant place but very expensive. The caravan park fees at the Pilbara Holiday Park were going up tomorrow by $10 a night as the season was starting. We paid $37 for one night. Yet the park did not have their barbeque area built yet or the 2nd camp kitchen, which they need because of the size of the park and miniscule size of the other camp kitchen. You cannot get a one bedroom flat here for under $700 per week. There is a huge housing shortage for the workers let alone tourists coming through.

Whilst Karratha may be the centre of Pilbara for supplies we had no luck in getting tyres. Hubby decided to wait till Broome as he will have time there if they have to be ordered in. He got quoted $470 for a road tyre, which was not what he was after, or wait a week to get something suitable in. He was after an on and off road tyre. Also no luck in getting an auto electrician to check the electrics unless we were prepared to stay here for over a week.

We met a lovely family from Germany travelling with two young children. This reminded us of when we took three of our children for several months to Europe when they were young.

As day light saving is finished we got caught out and ended up cooking in the dark. Another hot humid night ahead.

DAYS 30-31 MILLSTREAM CHICHESTER NATIONAL PARK

29-30 March 2008

DAYS 30-31 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

MILLSTREAM CHICHESTER NATIONAL PARK

Whilst we were in Tom Price we organised to get a permit to travel on the private Pilbara Rail Access Road. So after leaving our lovely camp spot we headed for this road and Mt Sheila.


It had drizzled again overnight and we were not sure what roads might be open as there was a lot of water on the road. We managed to miss the turn off for Mt Sheila. We continued along the road that was very well maintained compared to the national park roads. We saw several of the trains go past. Are they long!


It was a very picturesque drive between Hamersley Ranges for a considerable part of the road.


The amount of water on the road though was causing some concern. Although not raining the day was overcast and there was considerable mention of the progress of Cyclone Poncho west of the coast on the radio.


We turned off to Millstream component of the national park. Several creek and Fortescue River crossings were interesting as the water was flowing reasonably fast over them.

The old homestead is now a very interesting visitor’s centre.

The pictures of the 2006 floods were quite unnerving. We walked along the homestead trail that is signposted with information from the perspective of life on the station in the 1930s through the eyes of a 12 year boy. It was a very interesting walk but the highlight was the aquifer and the clear water pool with beautiful pond plants and fish like in an aquarium.


Many parts of the park were closed but the Cliff Lookout was accessible. A good view of the Fortescue River from here.


We took the Snappy Gum Drive to Crossing Pool where we intended to camp. I held my breath going through two of the river crossings. We got through alright.


The Crossing Pool area was lovely and we decided to stay put here for a couple of days.


We caught up with some chores and spent the evening relaxing. We met a lovely couple that have traversed this country in every direction as well as visited most parts of the world. We had a most enjoyable evening with them. There were another two cars of people tenting as well.


Lightening started to appear in the evening and went on through the night. Then thunder started up with a little drizzle of rain at about 10.00pm. So we got up out of bed and brought in the washing that was still wet and pulled the pop top down. Then the rain really came down. It poured and poured and poured. We had to get up again to close all our windows. We got 50ml of rain although we did not know this at the time.

The morning was beautiful. So we relaxed prepared to spend the day chilling out. At about 11.00am the ranger appeared. Before we knew it we were all on our way out of the park. He told us how much rain we had received and that more was on the way. The river was rising (we could see this as well parked as we were along its bank) and the crossings were getting to be risky. One of the camper groups from last night had left early this morning and their car had been swept into the river when they tried to get across. They were pulled out by the Water Board people. Our choice was to risk staying and not being able to get out for up to a week or to move quickly out.

We quickly packed up and left in convoy with the couple with whom we had spent last night.


There was considerable water to get through just to drive out the first kilometre. Dawson Creek crossing was about 60cm deep and it was flowing very fast. The ranger decided to see us all safely across this creek before closing the park. We croseed it using 2nd low gear. The only option we had was to head for Roebourne as it was the only road open. After numerous water crossings and a slippery, spongy road we finally got to some bitumen through the Chichester Ranges. Another WOW escaped our lips when we had our first glimpses of it. It is very different to the Hamersley Ranges.


Reminded me of films with landscape depicted of ancient times. At this point our convoy broke up as we decided to have a look around. We stopped at Mt Herbert. You wouldn’t believe it but my battery went flat in one camera and I filled up the memory card of the second camera. So we stopped for a late lunch whilst camera was down loaded.



The road from Mt Herbert on was very picturesque. We stopped at Python pool and decided to go for a swim as it was beautiful clear water with a little waterfall down its rock face.

We drove another two kilometres and have camped at Snake Creek campground in the national park. It seems quite safe here if it rains. I have informed hubby not to expect me to venture outside here as there must be a reason for naming it Snake Creek. After a lovely roast Sunday dinner we are relaxing in our quiet surrounds.

DAYS 27-29 KARAJINI NATIONAL PARK

26-28 March 2008


DAYS 27-29 Pilbara – Kimberley Trip

KARAJINI NATIONAL PARK

Wednesday 26 March -
Junction Pool Lookout, Oxley Lookout, Weano Gorge, Kalamina Gorge, Hamersley Gorge

A day of wonderful images. But I will start with tonight as we are currently “trapped” inside the back of our Oka as a Pilbara Death Adder lies close to our steps and is not budging!!! Yes it is true.


After reading the information at the visitor centres about the snakes in the Pilbara region and that they are most active at night, paranoid me checks the ground with a torch before exiting the van once it is dark. Someone has been very amused by my approach but maybe no more. I decided to go to the loo, grabbed the torch, lit it and shone it out the door. Hubby’s amusement at my tactic soon changed when he saw what I was pointing at. After some considerable time it has moved under the car, we think. Interesting night tonight.

Anyway this morning we woke up to the sound of rain. It rained overnight and the weather was muggy. It has been overcast and muggy but the temperature only reached 24 degrees. After a drive on a badly corrugated road we went to Junction Lookout first. A breath taking view of the intersection of Joffre, Hancock, Red and Weano Gorges as we stood 100m above where the gorges met. River Red Gums at the base of the gorge look miniscule in the scheme of things but are actually 20m tall, whilst the Northern Paper Bark trees 15m tall. As you look down you can’t help but appreciate the forces of nature that have carved out the gorges and the power of water in shaping the landscape.

A poignant reminder of the dangers of the gorge in the form of a memorial to an SES volunteer who lost his life during a flash flood whilst rescuing an injured visitor stands near the lookout.
We continued on to Oxer Lookout. We were standing on what was the sea floor 2,500 million years ago. Layers of banded iron rock formations tower over the valleys so far below. Erosion over millions of years has sculpted the rocks into present spectacular landscape.
We had intended to do lots of walks to see everything.

It was not to be. You need to be young, nimble, fit and agile not just fit to undertake most of the tracks in this park with experience in abseiling and rock climbing. That’s not us (any more). We attempted the Weano Gorge walk from the information bill board. It was a class 3 walk. It was a gentle walk descending into the gorge. You walk through a somewhat arid landscape that appears to camouflage the wonders below.

Then suddenly the ground starts to open up.


And it starts to reveal chasms, narrow passages, rock pools.


When we got to the floor of the gorge there was too much water, due to the rain they have had, for me to continue as it would have required considerable rock hopping and wadding in the water. Hubby could have continued but decided that he didn’t want to get wet, so we retraced our steps. We then entered the same gorge from another spot where we climbed down multitude of steps to the floor of the gorge. We went a little way towards the Handrail Pool. Again I decided to stop when we hit water. This time hubby continued on a bit but after the water got to his waist and with camera in hand he decided to call it a day.

After lunch we continued onto Kalamina Gorge. What a lovely gem.


We walked down the steps to the waterfall. It was obvious that there had been recent flooding in the other direction from the waterfall because of all the litter round the tree trunks.
After some time in the gorge we dropped in at the visitor’s centre. The centre is jointly run by the three groups of traditional owners, the Banyjima, Yinhawangka and Kurrama people together with CALM. The design of the building is such that it blends with its surrounds. The centre provides a time capsule of information on the natural and cultural history of the park and its indigenous people.

At the visitor’s centre we picked up a road report that had just come in. A change of plans for us as all roads to and from Rudall National Park are closed due to rains. Regretfully we crossed it off our itinerary.

Finally we got to Dales Camp Ground. After travelling on some badly corrugated and flooded road. What a beautiful setting. We spent some time talking to volunteer camp hosts, ‘grey nomads’. Apparently 100ml of rain fell at Dales last night. The campsites are nice and we are close to the amenities. Now we await to see what happens with the death adder.



Thursday 27 March

Circular Pool, Dales Gorge - Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool

Another day of incredible images! A pity the brilliance of the colours is lost when downsizing the image.

In the morning, after a night of steady rain, I made my way out of the Oka with some trepidation. (I had no choice but be the first to venture out – where has male chivalry disappeared?) No snake in sight. What a relief. The morning was very overcast and somewhat drizzly. The word of the day was “Wow!!!!”

Starting with the beautiful flowering Coastal Caper Flower.

Circular pool – stunning!


Fortescue Falls walk – fabulous!

Fortescue Falls – spectacular!

Fern Pool “Jubura” – humbling! A very special place.

As we walked from Fortescue Falls on to Fern Pool not only did the surrounds change but there was an accompanying change of ambience. Words like reverent, spiritual, peace came to mind. On entering Fern Pool I was not surprised with the sign that indicated that this was a special place for the local people and they asked those visiting not to dive or make loud noises.


We then slowly made our way towards Hamersley Gorge. The roads throughout the park are bad - badly corrugated. In addition after rain they are slippery and lots of floodways have water in them. This makes it difficult for anything but 4WDs.

I am captivated by the trees, along the way, particularly the snappy gum, as they look as if the are stretching, twisting with lots of effort to hold a huge weight.
We went for a drive for a few kilometres on what is now known as the Nanaturra – Munjina Rd, previously the Hamersley – Wittenoom Rd. At the intersection there is a sign that says “Be prepared to stop” followed by another sign “steep descent – no passing or overtaking”. Another stunner as we descended right into a gorge and drove along what would be a creek/river bed for 1.5 km before the road and creek parted direction.

We camped at a beautiful spot just outside the park in a road train assembly area near Rio Tinto Range with Mt Frederick within view. These are the views surrounding us.












Friday 28 March

Hamersley Gorge

We saved the best till last – unknowingly.


It rained again last night. On the short 5km drive to Hamersley Gorge termite mounds melded with the landscape. Hard to tell at a distance whether it was a rock or a mound.

Hamersley Gorge was just brilliant – the lines, contours of the different periods of time, colours – just amazing. The heating cooling and erosion over millions of years has sculptured a masterpiece.
Purple, crimson, indigo, deep red, orange, greens and yellows layers of the gorge walls have twisted, collided, contorted reflecting the forces that uplifted and bent the landscape into its current state.


A series of rock pools cascade one from another.

The top spa pool is not easy to get to with so much water because of the rain. Someone got close to it but it wasn’t me.


The beautiful waterfall pool was very inviting for a swim but it was not hot, just muggy.


After spending some considerable time here we decided to go back to the Hamersley – Wittenoom Rd and explore it more. After about 10km on the left hand side suddenly only flat ground appeared as far as the eye could see and then Mt King ahead. A beautiful road.


It was tempting to go to Wittenoom but all the warnings about visiting the place did hit a nerve. It was also very of putting when the road signs ask you to close the windows as you are entering an asbestos area. We turned back and decided to have another quick peak at the Hamersley Gorge at sunset before we returned to our lovely campsite.

Finally caught up with some news and found out the Cyclone Poncho was responsible for the inclement weather we were experiencing and the reason there was so much more water here. Exmouth had received 400ml in a sudden downpour during these days.


On reflection I just don’t have the words to fully describe the landscape we have experienced. It is awesome, inspiring, grandiose, majestic, strong, rugged yet at the same time has a look of fragility and harshness. Karijini is a most amazing place