18 July to 23 July – Karijini National Park & Tom Price

18 July – rain continued solidly all night but we woke dry & warm thanks to our new tent & slept OK despite road trains hammering by all night. Moved to Karijini National Park via Auski Roadhouse which was a mess due to weeks of dust now turned into mud. Set up camp then walked to Dales Gorge, Fortescue Falls, Fern Pool & Circular Pool – all magnificent, a really pretty gorge. We plan to swim there tomorrow if it warms up a bit.

Fortescue Falls

Fern Pool

Dales Gorge

Dales Gorge

19 July – headed off on a gorgeous day of gorges. First up was Oxer Lookout which protrudes out on a ridge overlooking 4 converging gorges – Weano, Hancock, Joffre & Red Gorges. We then climbed down the steep track into Weano Gorge & walked, waded & swam our way to Handrail Pool (so named for the handrail needed to climb down into the pool). The gorge was very narrow in spots with the river flowing steadily. A fun climb, walk & scramble.

Next was Hancock Gorge, an even narrower walk, including a ladder to get into the gorge – at one point known as the Spider Walk we had our legs & arms straddling the narrow gap with water running below us – quite exciting & spectacular red cliffs with trees growing in every available crevice. A tiring but wonderful day.

Hancock Gorge

Spider Walk

Handrail Pool

20 July – the gorges continue. First, Kalamina Gorge, a very pretty waterfall & gorge walk. Then we tackled the more difficult Class 5 walks (“difficult with a high level of fitness required” – right up our alley!) into the Knox & Joffre Gorges. Both were again spectacular & the walks certainly difficult – steep with big boulders & slippery surfaces, narrow ledges above drops or water holes. Hard work but exhilarating & worth the effort.

Joffre Gorge

Kalamina Gorge

Kalamina Gorge

Knox Gorge

Joffre Gorge

21 July – Rest day. Rained all day & cold. Caught up on reading & played board games in the tent annexe.

22 July – sun’s out, so off to Tom Price after drying the tent. A brief stop at Mt Bruce – 2^nd highest in WA (1,235 m) but resisted the 10km walk to the top. Tom Price is a really nice little town with green lawns around houses – an oasis? Took the 4WD road to the top of Mt Nameless (1,128 m) – a very steep & rough track but worth it for the 360 degree views. Dinner at the local Thai restaurant – excellent.

23 July – after a very windy night we awoke to an icy wind & the sound of bird calls – plus many of their droppings on the tent roof – it seems we set up under a popular roost tree!!!! Off to the Rio Tinto mine tour at Tom Price – what a huge place with 8 open cuts & massive crushing machines, trucks & dredgers etc  The total area covered was 8km by 15 km.

Next to Hammersley Gorge – another spectacular & easily accessible gorge. Multi coloured rocks twisted into strange shapes. Had a dip in the beautiful pool – water cool but very clear.  Anne said best yet but she says that at every gorge?

Then some more unsealed road to Florance Station for the night (unsealed roads here are well maintained due to the mining). We are the only campers at the camp ground other than the camp manager. No wind, no clouds, open fire, peace & quiet – life ain’t bad!

Hammersley Gorge

Hammersley Gorge

Hammersley Gorge

12 July to 17 July – Barn Hill, Port Smith, Eighty Mile Beach, Marble Bar & Port Hedland

12 July – RAIN!!!! Yes we had rain today for the first time since we left Vic 45 days ago & it’s cold! Left Broome for Barn Hill station about 100km south with a lovely beachside setting. When the rain stopped we had a pre-dinner stroll along the beach – more beautiful white sand, rocks & red cliffs.

Cool Barn Hill beach

Barn Hill Beach

Barn Hill Bowls

13 July – woke to a wet tent after a rainy night. Checked out the little market at the caravan park (quaint) then took another stroll down to the beach. Then a walk to the top of Barn Hill – a ten metre high hill but could see for miles in every direction as it’s very flat here.

We then drove to Port Smith & went for a walk along the beach below the white cliffs. The contrast between the white cliffs & sand, the blue water & black rocks in the water was great. Many interesting shells & patterns in the rocks along the beach. The sun re-appeared in the arvo.

Port Smith Beach

14 July – started the day watching the tide come in over the sand flats – a 9.6 metre tide over gently sloping sand moves very quickly & often strands fisherman on sand bars or rises to where they had parked. Fascinating to watch the speed it rose. Anne then naturally jumped in for a swim??

Next stop – Eighty Mile Beach & a drive along the enormous stretch of sand covered with sea shells. Again the tide is huge & people were walking 100’s of metres from the high tide mark out on the sand bars. The water would be well over their heads in a few hours. Yet another beautiful sunset over the water.

Port Smith - low tide

Port Smith - high tide (Anne standing in water)

Suby on 80 mile beach

15 July – the drive from Broome to Port Hedland has been through pretty harsh country – flat, dry tall grass, scrappy little shrubs struggling to survive – these interspersed with sections of burnt scrub & then patches of bright yellow wattle to break the monotony – at least the beaches & camping grounds were good.

We headed east towards Marble Bar – Australia’s hottest town & featuring a Jasper (not marble) Bar across the river (Anne was keen , I was luke warm). More harsh country before reaching the hills approaching the town. The hills are still harsh but colourful – orange, yellow, shades of red, purple, black all contrasting the green trees & spinifex. Did a quick “heritage walk” around the town. A bit of a mish-mash of old & new spread over a wide area with a fascinating history. Dinner at the Ironclad Hotel.

16 July –A visit to Comet gold mine & museum then off to Glen Herring Gorge followed by Marble Bar Pool (the coloured rocks at the bar were stunning (red, yellow, blue, black etc) & Chinaman’s Pool which had masses of birds including a plague of corella’s.  Turns out it was worth the 300km detour – one to Anne. Stopped at a free camp beside the Coongan River at Doolena Gorge for the night – stunning again.

Entry to Marble Bar

Marble (Jasper) Bar Pool

Doolena Gorge

17 July – off to Port Hedland, one of the busiest ports in Australia with up to 45 ships moored offshore waiting to be loaded with iron ore, salt, copper, aluminium & other resources. Has to wait for a train at the crossing – 248 carriages & 4 locomotives, it took over 5 minutes to pass – yes we are in mining territory. Further evidence is the number of 4 trailer road trains – Anne counted 98 wheels.

Had a stroll around the port area & older part of town before taking a tour of the BHP port facility. What a massive facility just to facilitate the transfer of the iron ore from the trains to the ships. Huge machinery is used. Each individual train carriage holds more than an entire 4 trailer road train & each train has 248 carriages – that’s a lot of ore, mostly headed for China. Started to rain as we set up camp.

2 to 11 July – Geicke Gorge, Horizontal Falls, Broome & Dampier Peninsular

2 July – an early morning cruise on the latest gorge – Geikie (soon to be renamed Darngku). This one was much wider with most cliff faces on one side. The rocks showed the high water mark clearly which was quite amazing at more than 5 metres above the current water levels. In big floods like 2011 it’s even higher? Must be truly stunning with many islands forming in a sea of flood waters.

After the cruise we took three strenuous walks (quite flat but through deep soft sand). More speccie views of the gorge, crocs, birds & trees. Another wonderful place.

Geikie Gorge

Geikie Gorge

3 July – less than a week after my first helicopter ride, today I had my first sea plane ride. What a day. First we took the seaplane from Derby airport to Talbot Bay where we landed in the water after banking steeply & flying low between two cliffs. We hopped off at a pontoon in the middle of the bay with 3 houseboats attached. We were shown to our quarters then enjoyed a drink before jumping into the shark feeding cage where we fed about 10 lemon sharks. There were also a few large bat fish, a massive groper & many smaller fish.

Then on to the speed boat powered by three 300hp outboards for a leisurely cruise up Cyclone Creek (so named as it is a good safe anchorage in a storm due to the surrounding cliffs & deep water). We then headed to Horizontal Falls – 2 narrow gaps through the cliffs where the water from the bays flows furiously with the massive 10 metre tides up here. The boat powered up & we sped through the narrow gaps & swirling water which looked like water going down a plug hole with swirling whirlpools all around. A real thrill seeker ride which we repeated several times.

Back to the houseboats for crispy skin barra & salad followed by cheesecake & washed down with wine as the sun set over the bay. Lots of excited conversation before a bush poet performed an impromptu poem – quite special & a great way to celebrate our anniversary!

Horizontal Falls flight

Horizontal Falls

4 July – very early start for another run at the falls which were running much higher this morning – the narrowest gap was deemed too dangerous so we couldn’t go through But the swirling water was dropping 1.5 metres as it surged through the gap – quite spectacular. We then boarded the seaplane & flew low along the coast & past numerous islands surrounded by the turquoise sea, mangroves, mud flats & river inlets. An amazing flight back to Derby. Jumped in the car & headed to Broome – had a quick spin around town after setting up camp.

Horizontal Falls

Horizontal Falls

5 July – did the Broome Sat morning market & shops then headed to the very neat & tidy Japanese cemetery (many Japanese came here to work in the pearling industry), next to this was the Chinese cemetery with some impressive headstones under pergolas. We then headed to Cable Beach for a look & a swim in the turquoise water – nice beach. Next stop, Gantheaume Point (fascinating & colourful rocks), and then took the sandy road to Reddell Beach with white sand, rocky sections & red cliffs. It was so pleasant we took a stroll along the beach & were lucky enough to see 2 whales just 500 metres off shore followed by a beautiful sunset. Finished a great day with barra & threadfin salmon at the Wharf & a stroll on the jetty.

Redell Beach

Boab

At Ganthaume Point

6 July – a nice quiet day. Strolled through the interesting Broome museum – lots of info about the pearling industry & the WW2 Japanese attacks on Broome, Derby, Katherine & Darwin ( there were multiple attacks & many planes & ships lost & quite a few lives – mainly civilians – I hadn’t realised the extent of the damage). Then sampled the brews at the local brewery – not bad but didn’t buy any. After a quiet arvo watching the tide come in opposite the tent we headed to Cable Beach to watch the famous sunset (along with 1,000’s of others & 100’s of 4WD’s & dozens of camels on the sand) – quite specie. Finished off with mussels & duck for dinner.

Cable Beach

7 July – visited the Sisters of St John of God exhibition – the original sisters came to Beagle Bay (north of Broome) from Ireland in 1907 to work with the aboriginals – what a dramatic change of scene for them? They must have had a very difficult time but most stayed many years caring for & teaching the locals. We then stocked the larder & headed for Cape Leveque on the Dampier (Bardi) Peninsular (over 100 kms of red, sandy, corrugated roads). Visited the Beagle Bay church which is a beautiful white-washed building decorated inside with mother of pearl. We will camp 4 nights at Middle Lagoon – “Nature’s Hideaway” (many kms from anywhere?). A beautiful camp site among the trees & within 100 metres of the beach – a fantastic spot.

Beagle Bay church

Our tent site Middle Lagoon

Beach opposite our tent

8 July – an early morning stroll along the beach ending in a bit of a rock scramble before a beautiful swim. We were assured there were no crocs about?? We then drove about 6kms to Whale Song a lovely little café & campsite on the cliff tops overlooking Pender Bay – beautiful white sand surrounded by red cliffs – the water also had a red tinge. Back to camp for steaks in front of a great little camp fire.

Whale Song road

9 July – drove to Lombadina community, a small indigenous community on the west side of the Dampier Peninsular. They do provide cabins for tourists but no camping. Took a stroll out to the beautiful pristine white sand beach & turquoise water where Anne inevitably had a swim.

Next stop the Ardyaloon hatchery at One Arm Point right near the tip of the peninsular. The hatchery is right beside the entrance to King Sound & as the tide was going out the water literally raced by like a raging torrent. The hatchery specialises in Trochus shells but also has display tanks with many of the local reef inhabitants – giant clam shells, barramundi, clown fish, turtles, coral, anemones etc – all passionately shown by the guide. The Trochus shells are carved & polished into beautiful ornaments & jewellery.

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm was our next stop – the only fully Australian owned & run pearl farm. Had a tour of the farm & learned all about pearls & the industry helps you understand why they are so expensive (but no pearls for Anne - I swear she didn’t want one). We did sample some pearl meat at the restaurant – expensive & interesting but not special.

A quick run into Kooljaman & Cape Leveque to see the sunset (again) at the white sandy beach before heading home along the corrugations in the dark – only saw 2 other cars on the main road & none on the 33 kms Middle Lagoon road.

10 July – a quiet day in camp to catch up on domestic chores plus a little snorkelling on the reef out front – not the barrier reef but worth a look.

11 July – Depart Middle Lagoon & head for Broome to buy a new tent (the poor old one had a few rips & busted zips). Gave the car a much needed wash.

25 June to 1 July – Derby and Bungle Bungle National Park

25 June - check the sights of Derby – mostly art galleries, plus some good historical photos at the hospital, a D shaped jetty on very high stilts & expansive mud flats – Anne bought a carved Boab seed. Car fixed so move everything back into our car.

Derby sunset at Marita's

 26 June – goodbye to Marita & Derby for now. An interesting drive with some flat grassy land & scrubby bushes, a few dry creek crossings, some interesting hills, mountains & cliffs, followed by sections of bigger shrubs & trees -  to Mary Pool - Mary River camp ground. This is a free camp with toilets only but heaps of travellers staying in the wonderful tree filled park on the banks of the river.

Mary Pool camp site

27 June – woke early to the raucous calls of crows & cockatoos & other assorted birds. Had a short walk along the river watching the many birds enjoy the waterholes. A longish drive to Purnululu (Bungle Bungle National Park) but all bitumen so easy going. Advised not to drive right into the park as the road is in bad knick so will take a heli tour tomorrow & bus/walking tour after that.

28 June – wow what a great ride – my first helicopter ride & what a beauty. Only 40 mins but travelled the length of the Bungles & along part of the Ord River. Fantastic & spectacular scenery, red & yellow cliffs above green gorges & valleys beside wide open plains as far as the eye can see plus the amazing beehive formations – truly stunning.

Bungles

Ord River

Bungles

29 June – after 1.5 hours of bone rattling corrugations, rocks, creek crossings, floodways & sand our bus reached the Bungles (very glad we didn’t take our Suby on this – there is a bit of a bust up between the owner of the Station through which the road runs & the Gov’t Dep’t running the Park & neither are maintaining the road). Anyway the journey was well worth it. We had 3 walks at the southern end of the Park then another 2 in the north – about 7 kms all up.

The well-known beehive formations were even more impressive from ground level & the termites built mounds in impossible places with mud covered tunnels running down to the base of the cliffs to access their food source – spinifex. Cathedral Gorge in the south was well named – a huge amphitheatre shaped rock face at the end of the gorge with a large waterhole – stunning. Echidna Chasm in the north was also stunning but was a very narrow gorge between two high cliffs – one-way traffic only in some sections – and came to an abrupt end at a vertical cliff. Livistona palms were also a feature of Echidna.

A jarring return trip to base followed by vegie soup & curry washed down with a beer or two as we sat around a huge camp fire with our fellow travellers.

Bungles

Cathedral Gorge - aren't we cute?

Echidna Chasm

30 June – returned to Halls Creek & had a stroll around town before heading out the Old Halls Creek road to find a camp site. Stopped at China Wall – a strange formation of rocks that runs up the side of a hill & looks man-made but is natural (ask a geologist for an explanation). Looked at Caroline Pool, Palm Springs & Sawpit Gorge – all lovely but settled on Palm Springs for the night. We had the picturesque camp site & fire to ourselves & not one car passed between 5.30pm & 6.30am – we felt very remote. We even had a cow munching grass outside our tent during the night.

China Wall

Near Palm Springs

Palm Springs

1 July – headed back to Fitzroy Crossing – we are no longer alone – this is a huge camp site but nice & grassy.