Carnarvon to Gladstone

Wedgetail Eagle

One hundred or so kilometres to do today. Down the road to a camping spot on the coast called Gladstone. This is as far south on the Western Australian coast as we will be going. A quick stop for firewood before tackling the incredibly corrugated six kilometre road in. Beautiful spot. Thanks Jugga.

Firewood

Gladstone - Shark Bay

Gladstone Jetty

Gladstone - Shark Bay

Tom Price to Carnarvon

A big driving day today. We took the dirt road option out of Tom Price instead of driving the bitumen through Parabardoo. Hema needs to upgrade their maps as there was a lot more bitumen than marked on the map and the dirt section of the road was in awesome condion for twenty or so kilometres as it lead to a mine. We saved a lot of driving going this way and the driving was easy.
Carnarvon is a decent town. It's town centre is also getting a makeover. It was pretty windy and over cast, so we didn't do a lot.

Train on One Mile Jetty

One Mile Jetty

Carnarvon - view from old water tower

One Mile Jetty - view from old water tower

Karijini to Tom Price

Circular Pool

So this morning before leaving Karijini National Park, we decided to finish the walk that we started our first day at Karijini but were unable to finish because John tripped over and split his head open. Most of the gorges in Karijini have awesome lookouts before you start on the walk, which helps to know what you are walking into. A steep descent and a stroll along very flat rock creek bed and we were at Circular Pool. The water was freezing and there were lots of leeches. The girls climbed the waterfall and we were on our way again.

Circular Pool

Only a short trip in the car to Tom Price. Tom Price appears to be a nice little town. The town centre is currently receiving a face lift and will look pretty good when they are done. Tom Price was a chance to do washing and stock up at Coles. We have come across a lot of Coles Petrol Sations in our travels. There are Coles Petrol Stations in completely out of the way towns in the middle of nowhere when the nearest actual Coles Supermarket is several hundred kilometres away.

Tom Price - view from Mount Nameless

We pulled up behind the goal posts at the football field and tried to work out which house used to be Johnno's and at Johnno's recommendation, drove up the Mount Nameless four wheel drive track to watch the sun go down.

Us at the highest point you can drive to in Western Australia

Tom Price Mine - view from Mount Nameless

Karijini National Park

First bit of water on Handrail Po

LET THE FUN BEGIN!!!                                          Today we tackled the two hardest walks in Karijini National Park. Handrail Pool and Hancock Gorge. We had to wade through water or swim if it was too deep. Walk through cascades and climb over waterfalls. Shimmy along narrow rock ledges and squeeze through some very narrow spaces. It was amazing and the kids were awesome. The water was freezing and John swam on Chris' back some of the way, but we are extremely proud of them all.

Handrail Pool Walk

Handrail Pool Walk


Handrail Pool walk

Handrail Pool walk

Handrail Pool walk

Jade Pool - Handrail walk

 Karijini Camp

More photo's to come soon. I have quite alot from our adventures in Karijini. This blogging thing takes up so much time and the computer and internet aren't always very accommodating.

Hancock Gorge

 Kermits Pool - Hancock Gorge

 Hancock G

Port Hedland to Karijini National Park

Port Hedland Rio Tinto Salt

We left Port Hedland pretty late today. Trying to catch up on the blog and several stops for diesel, engine oil (the Pajero is due for a service) and other things.

One of the many road trains we over took

The Pilbara is an amazing place. The dirt is the deepest red. Huge mountains and ranges rise from the ground out of nowhere. We arrived at Karijin and had fun banging our tent pegs in. We had to come up with some interesting ways to secure the camper awning. The first walk we attempted was the Dales Gorge walk, including Fortescue Falls, Fern Pool and eventually Circular Pool; however forty minutes into the gorge walk, guess who split his head open; John boy. Well he did need another scar.

Fern Pool - Dales Gorge

 Pool at the bottom of Fortescue Falls

Dales Gorge

Dales Gorge walk



Port Smith to Port Hedland

15th April 2012

We reluctantly left Port Smith today. We had such a great time, but it was time to move on to other adventures. Port Hedland was no adventure. Just a place to stock up and pick up other bits and pieces.

Sunset over Port Hedland from the camp kitchen at the caravan park

Port Smith

Launching the boat Port Smith

14th April 2012

Another awesome day on the water. Chris pushed the boat in pretty early this morning and was lucky enough to fish in peace and quiet for three hours. When we spend all day in the boat, the kids and I regularly get dropped off on a beach or a sand bar for a while, which is just fine by me. We all know there is only so much Chris can cope with and it is a wonderful opportunity to collect shells and take photos. There are  so many beautiful shells that we actually just walk past them because we already have so many.

Port Smith Lagoon Sunrise

Helene and a trevaly

There are fish everywhere you look in the water. It is ridiculous. We have never seen anything like it. You could almost get sick of catching fish, it is just non stop. We never touched the meat in the freezer the whole time we were at Port Smith. Fish for dinner every night.

Estuary Cod

Double hook up - Mangrove Jack and Bream