Karijini NP 3/6/15

This is the NP we've been hearing lots about. We have booked into Dales Gorge Campground and been allocated a Kangaroo Loop site by the camp hosts. Karijini is the aboriginal word for, as we know it, the Hamersley Ranges. There is a wide selection of mostly gorges to trek, all of varying difficulty. We have been well prepared from our hike in Mt Augustus to tackle just about anything!! This is a refreshing park, plenty of choice, either walk the gorge rim and observe the gorge from lookouts whilst enjoying the views, flora and fauna or also choose to venture down narrow steps on the rock face to the valley of the gorge to the fern framed circular pool, Fortescue Falls and Circular Pool. Which ever way, Dales Gorge has it all, waterfalls, gorges, rock pools and landscapes. Many other gorges and lookouts exist in the park and require some rough corrugation driving to those destinations which adds to excitement of the destination. Kalamina Gorge followed a stream while exhibiting some colourful rock formations, small waterfalls and fern covered rock walls. Joffre, Knox and Weano Gorge lookouts were checked out and offered stunning views deep into the chasms. We were surprised to learn that Wittenoom verges on the edge of Karijini and that many of the rocks we climbed were of blue asbestos, some with noticeable fibres exposed due to erosion and weathering. All is OK apparently if these fibres remain undisturbed. The visitor centre is well appointed and very informative on not just aboriginal history but European settlement, geology, artefacts. Karijini has the largest amount of acacia species of all the NP's, from the softest silvery jade green through to refreshing yellow-greens. It was a little early for all the wildflowers to be blooming, however we were fortunate to see mostly wattles, cassias, mulla mulla and Holly Grevillea flowering. Not too much wildlife about, the odd dingo howl at night which spooked our Swiss neighbours!! Quite a few wedge tail Eagles and large flocks of budgerigars on our drive generally into the Eastern country. Our time spent here has been social as well, sharing camp oven scones with an English couple and home made pizza and drinks with the Swiss couple. Tom Price is a pleasant drive of 90 km from Karijini and presents some wonderful landscapes along the way with the best display of wildflowers we have seen. The town itself is not so appealing offering just the basic essentials. Rio Tinto operate the mine here. Having said that, we ate lunch at the only pub in town, very clean and tidy with a large bar and bistro. We just had to order barramundi again which was cooked to perfection, beautiful thick fillets and the serving sized for mine workers , numerous salads to choose from - not a scrap left on the plates!! Before lunch we negotiated the steep rocky terrain of Mt Nameless, the viewing platform for Tom Price - 360 deg. This road is 4 WD only and 1128mts above sea level, but Oh, what a view! A great time was spent at Karijini, highly recommended destination. Photo - Descent from Mt Nameless, Tom Price