Day 28

Karijini National Park

" I took a breath of fresh air, I took in the view from the top..."

We had a great day of adventure today in the Karijini National Park. The Disco is turning Red thanks to the Pilburra fog (sorry Mum!) We only drove 135 k's today but it was all on the red stuff and was pretty corrugated in some places which made the going slow!

We left our campsite about 9.30 and drove to the Oxer Lookout which is the junction of 4 major gorges in the park - the Red Gorge, Weano Gorge, Hancock Gorge and Joffre Gorge. The scenery here is just spectacular!

We walked the Hancock Gorge which is the hardest Gorge the park has on offer being a Class 5 walk but the kids did it with ease and really enjoyed it. There were 2 ladder sections plus a whole lot of clambering over smooth rock ledges over the river on the gorge floor. The cover pic is the end of the line on our Hancock walk - we'd need to get wet to go further and we had lots more to do!

Leaving Hancock, we walked over to the other side of the carpark and commenced the Weano Gorge walk which was only a leisurely Class 3 walk. We descended the Gorge easily and immediately came across a beautiful pool and waterfall section. Moving on, the poorly signposted trail meant we were making it up as we went along and followed the most worn tracks - and there were lots of misleading ones too! About 3 k's into the walk we needed to cross the river and it was in a stagnant section of the river. Cayden and I were on point and were looking for the best spot to cross - not a lot on offer as it was too wide. Following Mr's instructions of " Dad just step on that rock there" - I ended up both feet in the stinking mud up to my ankles! We turned around and walked back out of the gorge from that point- not before we stopped at the waterfall and the kids video'd me washing my shoes and socks in the clean water!! And having a great laugh!!

We had lunch in the picnic area and then drove to Joffre Gorge which has a spectacular waterfall down the escarpment - it was too late in the day by then to do the 2 hour walk but it would have been great. We walked to the lookout only here. From there were decided to drive further down the road on to Knox Gorge and walked to the lookout there as well which was a sheer 100m plus drop to the gorge floor.

Heading back to our campsite, we stopped at one last Gorge - Kalamina Gorge. It was only a Class 3 walk and even though it was an easy descend to the gorge floor, there was a large aqua coloured pool and a great waterfall that the kids delighted in rock climbing up towards - pretty hairy in some sections where a loss of grip would mean a nice swim in the aqua water - but we all managed it and both Cayden and Cayla took their shoes off for a paddle in the waterfall.

By that time the sun was thinking about clocking off for the day and so it was back onto the red stuff for the 35k trip back to camp. The countryside is just magnificent in these parts - and you do get to see more needing to go slower on the dirt surface - reds and greens combined with cloudless blue skies!

We caught up with our friends from the Tom Price camp who are also staying here too on the way home.

Tomorrow we will hike into Dales Gorge - so no driving tomorrow - just walking and swimming in the Circular Pool and Fern Pool at the bottom of the gorge. Only got to 23• today so may be a bit chilly in the water ??

Everyone pretty knackered tonight after lots of walking today !