Pilbara’s national parks: Part 2 –
Karijini National Park
Left Karijini Saturday 11 May 2013
We had over a week here so clearly we
loved it! The national park includes pretty
much the whole of the Hamersley Range and it is spectacular. WA’s two tallest
mountains are found here Mt Meharry and Mt Bruce and nearby Tom Price is the
highest town in the whole of WA.
Karijini is famous for its gorges but
the landscape above them is equally as beautiful and impressive as the gorges
themselves. Each gorge is different from
the next and we loved them all.
Our first day exploring the park we did
a short walk along the rim of Dales Gorge looking down into Circular Pool,
around to the Three Gorges Lookout, and then down to Fortescue Falls. From here there is an unmarked track we’d
been told about that led to the magical Fern Pool. Aptly named as there were
maiden hair ferns growing among the rocks and fig trees and giant paper barks. It was a beautiful clear water hole with a
waterfall over the other side. Isobel
said later that day “It’s the most magical place I’ve ever been to in my life.”
We also learned that Isobel has been dreaming of standing under a
waterfall. A few days later she swam
over with Simon and realized her dream. So special.
Hancock Gorge was possibly Hugo and
Isobel’s favourite gorge and was listed as a Class 5 walk. We had to walk
through water and then swim through some of it.
When we reached a natural ampitheatre Simon went on to see if it was
safe for the kids to follow. Hugo and
Isobel then walked through the ‘Spider Walk’ where you can reach the gorge
walls on both sides and you’re walking through water on somewhat slippery
rocks. This led into Kermit’s Pool which was freezing and from here you could
look down a waterfall to Reagan’s Pool (named after a volunteer SES man who
lost his life while trying to rescue a tourist). It was fun and beautiful.
We went to the lookouts overlooking the
junction of 3 gorges and it was pretty amazing.
We also saw Knox Falls from up above and Joffre Gorge. We didn’t get a
chance to walk down these as we just ran out of time. Next time.
The Kalamina Falls Gorge was one of my
favourite gorges. Not many people go
here as it’s sometimes called Granny’s Gorge as it’s easily accessible and not
so dramatic as some of the others. Isobel led the way and found a way on a
ledge to the falls which were more a beautiful, gentle cascade over rocks. We
then tramped through 100m of swampy grassland which just felt like snake
country. I was relieved to leave that behind and then the gorge walk was lots
and lots of fun. It was so easy the kids
could walk ahead and find our route (it’s not marked) and we did lots and lots
of creek crossings, rock hoppings and walking around little ledges but it was
all easy and safe and just so much fun!
It was fabulous. We found a
little gravel beach with clear water (much of the other water holes were a bit
murky) and we all had a swim. There was
not one complaint or one mention of tired legs so it must’ve been a good
one!
We finally walked the rest of Dales
Gorge which we were camped right alongside a few days later. It was another fabulous walk that was heaps
of fun. We took the short, sharp descent straight down and some oldies were
worried about our kids. But they haven’t seen our mountain goats in action and
it was really pretty easy. It was
another rock hopping adventure and much of it looked like little steps all the
way up or down. Circular Pool, which
we’d seen from a distance up on the rim of the gorge days earlier was so
impressive up close. Again crystal clear
waters but quite chilly as the surround cliffs means it rarely sees much direct
sunlight. This gorge was vegetated all
the way through and much of it was giant paperbarks – not quite as big as the
giants we’d seen at Palm Cove. We
climbed up out of the gorge near Fortescue Falls and were the last ones out –
so nice to have it all to ourselves! We
got see the surrounding cliffs turn a brilliant red with the setting sun. But it was practically dark a wee bit chilly
by the time we walked 15 minutes back to camp.
On our final day we walked Weano Gorge
which the people at the Visitors Centre said was one of the gorges we could do
as a family. But I reckon it was one of
the hardest gorges! We were warned by
our friendly neighbours not to do the upper gorge walk as it was snake country,
so we again took the short, sharp descent straight down and immediately had to
wade through water. The gorge narrowed pretty quickly and Otto and I stopped at
a little rock pool surrounded by tall rocky cliffs while the others went down
to Handrail Pool and beyond. They reported it was FREEZING in that water and
had to find a patch of sun so the kids could warm up to make it back to us.
We’re imagining another family holiday
over this way when the kids are teenagers.
It will involve us flying directly into Exmouth and us spending a week
at Ningaloo Reef snorkeling and swimming with whale sharks and manta rays. Then we’ll head to Karijini for another week
and take one of the tours which is the only way to see more of the gorges that
are Class 6 and beyond where you need to abseil – now that looks like lots of
fun!
While we were here we took a day trip
into Tom Price to fuel up and stock up.
It was raining that day so we couldn’t have gone walking in any of the
gorges as it’s unsafe. It was a really
pretty town but I’m just dumbstruck that they continue to call the peak on the
edge of town ‘Mt Nameless’ since everyone now knows it’s Aborignal name. And to
rub salt into the wound there is a Nameless Valley, and the town celebrates a
Nameless Festival! I’m outraged at the
arrogance.
