The amazing Karijini National Park

We got up early. The Bremmers slept. The kids and Rich waited patiently for the Bremmers to emerge from their caravan, impatience eventually getting the better of Rich who wandered over to their van, knocked on the door, and impersonated the overzealous camp host telling the Bremmers that it was 7:57am and that they had 3 minutes to pay the camp fees (and then proceeded to count down 5-4-3-2-1). Initially got a great reaction and then a threat of retribution when they realised it was Rich.

While waiting for the Bremmers to get ready, Rich went off in search of and got a briefing by the overzealous camp host about what was around and what order it should all be done in. The briefing was so detailed that it took about 20 mins and by the end of it, Rich didn’t feel like he had to go as he had already experienced it. We motivated the Bremmers to get moving and then we were off – oh no we’re not – John made the mistake of going to see the camp host as we were heading off. After waiting twenty minutes for John to receive the same briefing, we were off, first stop Weano Gorge.

At Weano Gorge we had to hike down into the gorge, scramble over rocks and cross a small pool of water to get to the best bit.  It is still very hot but walking in the gorge was shady and cool.  After a little while we came to 'handrail pool' where you had to climb down a sheer rock face holding onto a handrail to be greeted by a deep round pool at the bottom.  But wait, there's more - we waded through the edge of the pool and found the gorge continued down a narrow channel.  We swam along the channel for about 15 metres - the water was freezing!- before coming to another opening and pool with the towering walls of the gorge twisting and turning overhead.  The rocks slipped down a waterfall into more gorge channel beyond, but you needed ropes to go any further.  The kids were all a bit freaked out by the freezing water, but had a ball. After John went for a second dip after a misstep up the handrail we headed out of the Weano Gorge.

Look carefully - that's Kel heading down the rail.

Next stop was Hancock Gorge where we again had to hike down into the gorge, scramble over rocks and then ‘spider walk’ (hands and feet both shuffling along gorge walls over the water) past the ‘amphitheatre’ through a very narrow section before wading through more cool water. Rich and John enjoyed doing bombs at the end like big kids.  The little boys found themselves a natural waterslide - slipping along the smooth rock face following the water on their bums.  The kids again showed that they were made of tough stuff, walking out the steep sided gorge, clinging to rocky walls and scrambling over boulders.

Wow, the photos really don't do this place justice.  In fact, we ended up buying a book of photos to help us remember.  The red rusty colours, the deep shadows and shafts of bright sunshine, layer-cake textures and greenish hued pools.  Against all odds, considering our reluctance to leave the coast and travel back into the dust and heat, Karijini is easily one of the highlights so far.

Eventually we headed back to camp, talking a late arvo walk into the nearby Fortescue Falls, another remarkable spot where the falls are surrounded by a step like amphitheatre.  Had another swim before heading back to camp for dinner and a few quiet post-dinner drinks.

Next morning, as planned, the Bremmers were off early to make the Tom Price mine tour. We hung around to go and check out the Fern Pool a little further on along the track than Fortescue Falls and we were glad we did as these twin falls were beautiful.  Indulged in some more swimming at Fortescue Falls before reluctantly dragging ourselves away.

We packed up and headed off – oh no we’re not, Kel had to check with the overzealous camp host about what address the kids had given him for their ‘Junior Ranger’ badge. While Rich and the kids waited patiently in the car with caravan in tow, Kel had to wait painfully while the camp host and some other campers that had just arrived discussed in excrutiating detail the park, and dingoes, and snakes, and being a camp host, and the weather, and the meaning of life blah blah blah for twenty minutes or so. Her thirty second request finally dealt with and phew – we were off again.

We drove the scenic drive to Tom Price where we stocked up on alcohol and other necessities, had an icecream, and filled up the caravan water tanks. We pulled out of the servo and headed down the road out of Tom Price – ahhh! Wrong way. Pulled a U-Turn 5kms down the road and came back to the servo, and followed Google maps the correct way out of Tom Price, until we hit a crappy dirt road after 30kms – ahhh Goooogle!!! 3-point-turned and came back again – WILL WE EVER GET OUT OF HERE?!?!?!!! Found the sealed way out of Tom Price and drove 7 hours through some of the most desolate countryside (no reception, no towns, no shops, no toilets, no water, no cars) via Paraburdoo until we got to our planned destination at Barradale Rest Area – to be greeted by a smiling John Bremmer emerging from the dark.



Watch out for really low-flying aircraft! This part of the highway is sometimes used as a Royal Flying Doctor Service runway

After Bec put together a quick dinner for the kids, we put them to bed and settled down for some drinks and a download of the day.