The Evening Before …

I gripped the railing and looked through the deep shadows down the deep RED gash of Dales Gorge. WAAAAAY down. Late afternoon at the lookout meant the sun was long gone from the gorge floor.  Even though it had lit up the eastern wall quite spectacularly.

Ho Hum.

Another day in the Pilbara, another killer landscape …

A movement among the rocks far below caught my eye.

Two hikers, the size of ants negotiated massive rock slabs higher than they were.  They crossed vast tables of square-but rock, as they headed towards the imaginatively named Circular Pool.

Yes, that white speck at the waters edge in this photo really IS a person!

‘That’s where we’ll go tomorrow,’ Pilchard announced.

Say WHAT?? How in heck were we going to get down there when the map showed ‘cliff risk area’ symbols all along the gorge edge? Symbols whose warnings I was only too happy to heed?

That ‘killer’ landscape was taking on a whole new AND unwelcome meaning …

Hiking down Dales Gorge

The next morning, we picked our way along the goat track rocky path winding down the sheer cliff under the Three Ways Lookout and past one of those ‘Cliff Risk Area’ signs. I realised I didn’t have anything to worry about.

A strategically placed ladder made negotiating the really steep bits almost easy.

And if I DID slip and fall??

Well … it’d be hard to find a more picturesque location in which to receive a serious – or even fatal – injury. Or two. Or even die.

No, Karijini National Park was no place for a coward.

Set amidst the impossibly RED Hamersley Range and out in the deep heart of mining country, Karijini’s warning signs are for real.

Rangers and volunteers risk – and sometimes lose – their lives rescuing tourists who don’t heed the dangers.

I was watching my footing as we took the Circular Pool detour.  We crossed those same gigantic rock shelves we’d viewed from the lookout the evening before.

They weren’t as bad as they’d looked from above.

But I hoped the people at the lookout above didn’t throw anything down …

Blue Danger

After leaving the rock slabs, the river waters ran deep through groves of trees. Those red Red RED rocky walls towering high above, tinged every now and then with a dash of blue.

Blue?? In this location and in these rocks it took on a sinister meaning …

Only about 50 km away as the crow flies is the closed-down town of Wittenoom.That’s where crocidolite– otherwise known as the potentially deadly Blue Asbestos – was mined extensively in what surely must be Australia’s greatest industrial disaster.  It’s since been immortalised by Aussie Band Midnight Oil in their song Blue Sky Mine.

The mine was closed in 1966 for economic rather than safety reasons.  However, it is estimated that in addition to the 2000+ deaths from asbestos related diseases, the death toll will peak in the 2020s.

Were these crocidolite layers in the rock?? Perhaps not, but I was leaving them well alone …

Like I said. No place for a coward.

After the de-gazettal of Wittenoom, the nearby town of Tom Price*** inherited the ‘Karijini Gateway’ tag and is the closest provider of goods and services.

Hiking back up the gorge

Although only a small stretch of the 40+ km length of Dales Gorge is accessible, it’s a diverse and spectacular few kilometres.

The rocks and ledges that had first given way to the river and trees. Now they gave way to a series of cascades as we headed towards Fortescue Falls.

We negotiated the treacherous and slippery stepping stones across the river.  Then we climbed the natural rock layer steps and stairs to the top of the falls.  And then it was time for lunch – and a show!

With no bars or nightclubs within cooee, the falls and pool below had become an alternative outback meat market.

This walk definitely wasn’t for the faint-hearted as scantily clad travellers cavorted, strutted and posed with all their wares out on display!

The young man who climbed the amphitheatre’s rocky walls to take photos wasn’t necessarily showing off.

Not to me, anyway, although he seemed not to be plagued by the vertigo I would have suffered in his place.

But proving he was no one trick pony, I inadvertently captured him in a similar pose the next day at Joffre Falls.  Want to see him again?  Check out the link at the bottom of the post!

Time out for a swim

A little further up the river, we detoured to popular swimming spot the Fern Pool. En route to the clear, blue water and white bodies fresh from the cooler Northern Hemisphere climes, fig trees sprawl over the mossy rocks and ferns grow in the grottos. Fig leaves are optional …

Then it’s a steep climb up the track out of the gorge to the Falls carpark.

It’s possible my red face, gasping for air and frequent ‘photo’ stops showed the descending tour group what they had to look forward to after seeing the falls up close!  There are spectacular views of the falls from the vantage point above the trailhead if anyone wants to chicken out!

To complete the loop, we followed the return path along the Gorge Rim track back to Three Ways Lookout.  The tremendous view over the falls and river SO far below showed us where we were actually walking not long before.

Back to Camp

The Karijini Visitors Centre, set amongst yet another awesome landscape does a roaring trade in $2 hot showers.  Incomprehensibly, it was under threat from a cash-strapped government looking for mining royalties when we visited. After a few hours on the trail the shower is a perfect interlude before returning to the Dales Campground.  There you’ll find yet another scenic landscape with a late afternoon glow.  The light turned the WAY beyond RED rocks into a shade I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.

The plague of fears (heights, injury, death) I’d had at the start of this excellent walk faded in the afterglow of achievement.  We settled back into our comfy chairs for a meal from the best little café in Australia (see link below).

Maybe there WAS a place for this coward at Karijini after all.

We were done with Dales Gorge.

For now.

Want MORE?

• Red visits Joffre Gorge, Karijini National Park
• Tom Price, Pilbara Region
• Karijini National Park, Western Australia
• Pilbara Region, Western Australia

The post Walk Dales Gorge! Karijini National Park, Western Australia appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

I had no idea that at 747 metres (2450 ft) above sea level Tom Price is the highest town in Western Australia. I also had no idea Tom Price is at the foot of the highest Western Australian mountain with a summit accessible by road. And I had no idea that the town was named for American geologist Thomas Moore Price, instrumental in founding the area’s mining industry.

Who tragically died only two hours after being told that a rich ore deposit had been discovered in the area. But that’s a story for another day …

I didn’t know any of this before driving into Tom Price Western Australia after camping in nearby Karijini National Park for a few days.

And I didn’t care.

All I cared about after driving through the endless RED Pilbara dust was finding a washing machine.

Preferably one with a built in RED DUST removal filter.

But finding the unlikely oasis of Tom Price in the red – actually, make that BEYOND red – heart of the Pilbara region in the Western Australian Outback was a bonus.

And even though we spent less than 24 hours in this top little town we found at least 6 reasons to come back for more one day!

1 Mount Nameless

No, I haven’t forgotten the name of the impressive peak that looms 1128 metres (3700 ft) above the town and manages to find its way into virtually every photo …

… It really IS called Mount Nameless. By non-Indigenous people, anyway. The local Indigenous people know it as Jardrunmunhna, or ‘place of rock wallabies’.

It’s a 30 minute 4WD drive to the top on gravel roads OR a 3 hour return walk for views of the ranges, the Tom Price mine site and the town of Tom Price Western Australia. Or so they tell me … visiting the summit is something that is SO on the list for next time!

2 Tom Price Tourist Park

After spending our first few hours in Tom Price removing red dust from all exposed surfaces of the car and camper trailer; much of our clothing; and ourselves, we had time to admire the stupendous setting of this excellent Caravan park.

A short walk from the back of the camping area ascends to a viewing area just perfect for both sunset AND sunrise.

Mt Nameless on the one hand; the extraordinary Hamersley ranges that dominate the Pilbara on the other.

All under a sky so archetypally outback it immediately turns one’s photos into cliché shots …

3 The Wildflowers:

I don’t know what they’re all called. And I don’t care! But these are just a few of the remarkable array of flowers growing in the iron-rich soil of the Pilbara within cooee of the caravan park.

4 Tom Price Attractions

<p”>All that red dust removal and jaw-dropping scenery admiration can work up a healthy appetite. And during our August 2012 visit, the Moon Palace Chinese restaurant delivered the goods with one of the best meals of our trip!

At the back of the town, we got all excited about the outdoor cinema – until we discovered to our horror that it looked to be tragically destined to become a caravan parking area with a dump point for travellers passing through. Why? WHY????

Above the town, the lookout gives an interesting perspective. And just down the road amidst all the RED, Lake Knox provides an unexpectedly cool, green picnic area. But no swimming – the pond is part of the sewage filtration network …

5 Karijini National Park

Gateway to Karijini, Tom Price Western Australia makes a fine base from which to explore what is arguably Australia’s most dramatic National Park with the closest entry point only 50 km (31 miles) east.

And Karijini is well worth visiting with some of the most spectacular scenery, gob-smacking gorges, RED rocks and magnificent mountains in the country.

Like THIS:

But … Tom Price makes an even finer staging post for the RED and filthy campers who emerge from a few days at Karijini looking for a pleasant spot to clean up, hole up, rest up and eat up! (See #2 above … the Tom Price Tourist Park!!)

6 But Wait!  There’s MORE …

Tom Price Western Australia has more to offer those who, unlike us, are able to extend their stay. So here’s what we’ll be doing next time!

A drive (or walk!) to the Mt Nameless summit is a must, and what adventurer could pass up the opportunity to take a Tom Price mine tour to one of the biggest mine sites in the world? Out of town is the Kings Lake recreation area and Mt Sheila Lookout. And a number of tour operators offering Karijini and Aboriginal Cultural tours are based in the town.

But I’ll just be happy for the chance to prove I’ll never get tired of admiring Mt Nameless and the extraordinary Hamersley Ranges!

Want MORE??

• Tom Price, Western Australia
• Karijini National Park, Western Australia
• The Pilbara Region, Western Australia
• Red Nomad OZ in Karijini National Park

The post Why Tom Price Western Australia is a TOP Aussie Town! appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

It doesn’t matter where we are.

Or how far we’ve travelled.

Or how hot it is.

Or cold.

Or what time of day.

Whether it’s time for a snack, a meal, a nightcap, morning tea or midnight feast.

We can always drop in to Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café!

Because it’s ALWAYS open.

For us …

… and serves up food just the way we like it!

With fresh, local ingredients.

Like food from our favourite bakeries.

Or fast food.

Or even good, old fashioned home-cooked meals.

But Red and Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café isn’t open to just ANYONE!  Its exclusive membership deals are just for two!

Usually.

BUT … there’s an occasional dispensation for a special guest, or a mate.

And the best thing about Red and Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café?

Against a fascinating and ever-changing backdrop – tropical, desert, coastal, inland, rocky, sandy, scrub, bushland, beach, mallee, lakes, rivers – the Café provides an oasis of stability.

Because no matter how dramatic the changes to scenery, weather or company, the Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café Chairs have remained the same for nearly a decade.

So whatever adventures we’re having on the road, we come home to Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café.

And our Café Chairs!

They’re not even close to being worn out yet, so if you’re out on the road and you see them (and us!), why not drop in and see if the Cafe’s open?!

Want MORE?

• Dales Gorge, Karijini National Park, WA
• Cairns, Far North Queensland
• Wyndham, Western Australia
• Lake Pamamaroo, Menindee Lakes, NSW
• Stonehenge, Queensland
• Waikerie, South Australia

The post Red & Pilchard’s Ultimate All-Australian Travelling Café appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.

The edge of the gorge was no place for a recovering acrophobic*.

Despite its well-made viewing platform with solid handrails, the lookout overhung the sheer drop to the Joffre River far below, many more metres than I wanted to count**.

I don’t think I’ll EVER get used to being on an overhang …

But weirdly, the scare-factor just added to the attraction of Joffre Falls Karijini – a dramatic corner of the wild and remote Karijini National Park, deep in the heart of the RED Pilbara.

Did I say RED? Make that BEYOND red …

Earlier in the day the staggering view from the Oxer Lookout, at the junction of the Weano, Hancock, Joffre and Red Gorges, certainly gave its claim as Australia’s most spectacular a RED HOT go.

And a further scare-factor with the memorial to a guide killed by flash-flooding in 2004 while rescuing an injured hiker.

No, magnificent though it was, Karijini National Park wasn’t exactly a safe place.

And now we’d made our way upstream to the spectacular amphitheatre of the Joffre Falls crashing over the edge, plummeting down to the Joffre River below and carving the Joffre Gorge through the geometrical red, RED rock of its walls.

I ‘rested’ my hands on the guardrail in the white-knuckled grip of the not-yet-fully-cured acrophobic and tried not to think of the gaping chasm beneath as I gazed across the void to the sheer walls on the other side.

Little Corellas (the white spots in the photos) fluttered in and out of their roosting spots on the rocky ledges high above the ground. Or below the ground, depending on ones viewpoint …

My keen eye detected another movement directly opposite.

There were people on the cliff.

About half-way up, a young woman perched on a rocky ledge sloping towards the edge called out to the – OMIGOD – the people BENEATH!!!

I leaned over the railing to take a photo – possibly proof that acrophobia IS all in the mind – and saw them far below picking their way back along the narrow rocky ledge from the falls.

What were they thinking?

Maybe the steep, sloping rocky platforms looked worse than they really were from this angle.

Maybe climbing up rocks as big as houses tilting towards the ravine was fun.

Maybe to non-acrophobics the Joffre Falls Karijini walk was actually ‘Easy’.

Or maybe the walkers were just plain mad.

That’s what I thought before Pilchard pointed out the trail markers.

That’s what I thought AFTER Pilchard pointed out the trail markers.

And that’s what I still think now!!

Discretion may well be the better part of valour***. But sometimes I’m more inclined to agree that cowardice is the better part of discretion****!

* Acrophobia = fear of heights

** This cutesy phrase really means I couldn’t find the exact depth of the Gorge!

*** William Shakespeare (Henry IV part 1)

**** Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (although some will doubtless attribute it to Douglas Adams)

Want more information?

• Joffre Gorge Karijini and Falls
• Dales Gorge Walk, Karijini
• Karijiini National Park
• Western Australia’s Pilbara region

The post Mind over Madness … Joffre Falls, Karijini National Park appeared first on Australia by Red Nomad OZ.