Karijini National Park 05-08 October 2013

Well if we didn't know it already, we are now well and truly in the Pilbra (there is a bumper sticker here that sums a lot of it up - Pilbra: Fly In, Fly Out, Fit In or F**k Off) and EVERYTHING is covered in red dust. Thought the Kimberleys were dusty, but this takes the cake. The dust just sticks to everything. You can see your tan getting darker even when you are not in the sun - just by accumulating layer upon layer of new dust. In fact, I've put on half a kilo while typing this. It will wash off in the shower, but then it will soon be back again. The place is ruggedly beautiful though, and Karijini National Park is simply fantastic.
You can camp at Dales Gorge ($18 a night with nice clean drop toilets and communal BBQs, but no water, power or showers) or at the Eco Retreat which I think is managed by the traditional owners ($38 a night and still no power). Happily we have our own power, water supply and shower, so we stayed at Dales. Set up camp and headed straight to Fern Pool for a well deserved swim. Only problem as usual, is that nature tends to put the swimming holes at the bottom of the gorges, so you climb down the side of the gorge getting hot and sweaty, enjoy a refreshing swim, then get all hot and sweaty again climbing back out. Still worth it though. Next day was same same but different swimming holes. We went to the other end of the gorge and climbed down to Circular Pool. Still can't get over the clarity of the water. Fabulous. Then we walked the bottom of the gorge back to Fortescue Falls where another swimming session ensued before the unavoidable climb out again. Did it all again on Tuesday but this time at Kalamina Falls/Gorge, then on to Weano Gorge. There is just no end to the number of gorges, and everyone different. This is one special place.

Fortescue Falls

Fern Pool

Circular Pool

Mountain Goat track down to Dales Gorge floor

Kalamina Gorge

Kalamina Gorge

Kalamina Gorge

Kalamina Gorge

Plane wreck

We found this wrecked plane just outside the Ranger Station. The story is that a couple of local cockies got too drunk to drive one night, so they stole a plane (as you do) and tried to fly home. To no-one's surprise, they crashed. To cover up their trail, the two farmers then proceeded to break the wreck down into smaller pieces and hide them all over the park. Now as new bits are found, they are being pieced back together at the Ranger Station. That's the story anyway.