31 July 2019

The Pilbara continued to amaze today. Bill, Dad and I headed off in the Ranger this morning to have a look at Wittenoom – famous for being a blue asbestos mining town back in the days of asbestos mining. Such an interesting place, not least of all because the WA government have been trying for years to kick the remaining three residents out (with compensation for their houses) so that they can completely shut off all access to the town, and it will cease to exist. They cut all services off years ago, and degazetted the town in the early 2000’s. The remaining residents refuse to leave though, so the government now plan to have legislation through by the end of the year to force them to leave. The town will be removed from all maps and it has already been removed from all signposts (although a major road in the area continues to be called the Roebourne-Wittenoom Road). So, needless to say, this all made us very very curious. To see a town that will completely cease to exist. And it was so interesting. We drove past many signs warning us not to stop, until we found a huge pile of asbestos! So we got out of the car of course to have a closer look. It is everywhere. Everywhere! It is very perplexing as it appears so fragile, and yet forms as rigid layers within the rocks. There were a few campers in there, although not in the worst places, and we got a wave from one of the residents as we gawked out the windows whilst driving through the town. It was once quite big, and now there are roads to nowhere, with hardly any houses left. The drive out there was really beautiful, with the Hamersely Ranges on one side of us. All in all, definitely worth the 100 km.

Back at camp, we packed up and drove the 2 km in to Hamersley Gorge. Now, at the risk of repeating myself, INCREDIBLE. The rock formations are like nothing I’ve ever seen. Beautiful colours and patterns. The gorge walls had wave patterns in them. And the swimming holes were stunning, starting with one up the top, and cascading down. We didn’t swim, and we had to keep moving to make some miles. I could have spent at least half a day there swimming and exploring.

We headed down gravel road for 150 km or so to Millstream Chichester National Park. 80 km of the road was the Rio Tinto railway access road, and it was quite interesting driving alongside iron ore trains.

We set up camp at Millstream, had a cuppa and then off to the closest swimming hole. We all felt pretty grubby (Karijini red dust gets in to your pores) so the swim went a small way towards helping us feel a bit cleaner. The swimming hole, called Deep Reach pool was enormous and completely unexpected for the dry season. Millstream Chichester was made a national park to protect the aquifer in the area. It is beautiful clean water that comes up in permanent springs, forming places like Deep Reach. Understandably, these areas were essential for the Aboriginals, and so the national park protects significant cultural heritage as well. The water was the perfect temperature.

Beer and chips followed by dinner and triominos. Another fantastic day in the Pilbara.

The ‘do not stop in this area’ signs all over the place around Wittenoom.

Can you see all the blue asbestos amongst the gravel on the ground?

A closer look at the blue asbestos.

The asbestos pile we found.

One of the buildings remaining in Wittenoom.

The stunning Hamersley Gorge.

Deep Reach Pool.

Swimming in Deep Reach Pool.

30 July 2019

Today was incredible.

Early start for Dad, Bill and I this morning as we wanted to get the Knox Gorge walk in before we had to pack up and leave camp. We piled in to the Ranger and headed to the trail head. We had the gorge all to ourselves, and it was once again, completely stunning. Instead of culminating in a pool of water, we got to a crevice that we weren’t allowed through. We climbed out and headed back to camp via the Joffre Falls lookout (on the opposite side of the gorge to yesterday’s activities). Packed up and out of camp by 10 am. Next stop was Weano Gorge. The 4 of us did most of the walks here, except for the last bit down to Handrail Pool which was pretty steep. Mum opted out and waited in the shade for us.

And next, my favourite – Hancock Gorge. Unbelievable. One of the best things I’ve seen. We got about half way in, and then had to strip down to our bathers and aqua shoes. We waded, and then swam through a narrow section called the Sheep Dip. Then it was a walk in flowing water through a narrow crevice called the Spider Walk. This opened up to a pool called Kermits Pool thanks to the green colour of the water (not actually green – just the light making off it look that way). It was incredible and so much fun. Best gorge of the trip.

After drying off, we headed to Tom Price to fuel up, get some supplies, call my brother Mark for his birthday, and to get a permit to drive on the Rio Tinto rail access road – a much smoother gravel road heading towards the coast than the public road. Then it was back to the fringe of Karijini, where we camped in a great free camp just near Hammersley Gorge. An adventure for tomorrow. As we were outside the national park, we could have a campfire, over which Chef Barry cooked steak and vegies.

One of the best days of the trip. And it’s official – the Pilbara has been my favourite part of this trip so far, and somewhere that I would love to come back to one day.

Dad and I being rebellious at Knox Gorge.

Swimming through the Sheep Dip in Hancock Gorge.

Kermits Pool.

29 July 2019

Packed up camp today and headed towards the Karijini Eco Resort – the second of 2 places that you can camp in the national park. On the way, we went to Kalamina Gorge and the four of us completed the 3 km walk. It was an easier one, as it is one of the shallower gorges in the park. It ended at Rock Arch Pool. We had to swim to get any further, so we decided it was far enough, and turned back. It was very beautiful. We set up camp at the Eco Resort, and then walked to the Joffre Gorge lookout, and then down to the bottom if the gorge. It was a Class 5 walk, so Mum found a nice rock to sit on about halfway down. The rest of the way took some negotiating. Once down there, Bill and I went for a swim. Holy moly it was cold! We swam through to the end of the gorge where it culminated in a amphitheatre. It was spectacular. Karijini is incredible. Really extraordinary and shaping up to be my favourite place of the trip.

Ice creams, beers and then Barry’s burger bar was in swing at the camp bbq’s. A couple of Europeans looked on enviously as Dad melted cheese on the burgers, then stacked eggs, bacon and onion on top. Meanwhile, they boiled their pasta.

Bill has Dad on the Jameisons whiskey on a nightly basis now and it appears to be improving his triomino playing. He won both games tonight!

Kalamina Gorge and Rock Arch Pool.

Joffre Gorge

28 July 2019

This morning we headed off on the Dales Gorge walks. We started by walking to the Circular Pool lookout, and then down into the gorge to Circular Pool. The water looked beautiful, however it was so cold! We didn’t swim, however did snigger at the people who gingerly immersed themselves with involuntary sounds of pain.

We walked along the bottom of the gorge and marvelled at the rock formations. They are stunning. Fortescue Falls at the end, and then Fern Pool just a bit further on were absolutely beautiful. We didn’t swim, as I didn’t have my togs, and lunch was calling. Mum had done a fantastic job with the walk, aided greatly by a set of walking poles that Bill bought for her in Broome.

After lunch and a bit of a spell, Bill and I walked back down to Fortescue Falls for a swim. We timed it perfectly and had it completely to ourselves. It was a lot warmer than Circular Pool and was definitely worth the walk back down all those stairs.

Early tea, and we headed out for the astronomy session held at the campground nightly. We almost missed out as it was a bit cloudy, however the fella taking it decided we’d see how things went. It was amazing! I can’t remember hardly a single statistic he told us (he was quite the showman, but evidently very intelligent) but it was all fascinating. We looked through high powered telescopes at Jupiter (and four of her 76 moons), Saturn and other stars and clusters of stars. Turns out that shooting stars are fragments the size of our little fingernail and it is estimated that there are a million a year. There is a red supernova (a star) we can see that is about to explode. Well, it could happen anytime in the next thousand or so years. But they know it is going to because it is getting so big. However after it explodes, it will take 620 years for us to be able to see it, and it will light up the sky for days! So if we see it tomorrow, it means it exploded 620 years ago! I hope I get to see it in my lifetime. I don’t like my chances though.

An absolutely fantastic day.

The whole crew at the Fortescue Falls lookout.

Circular Pool.

Fortescue Falls.

27 July 2019

After a good night’s sleep by all, we packed up camp and headed into Newman for a tour of the Mt Whaleback Mine.

Newman is a BHP mining town, and was a ‘closed’ town – meaning that you had to work for the company to be able to live there, until sometime in the 1990’s (I think that was when it opened up anyway). Mt Whaleback is the largest open cut iron ore mine in the world at 5.5 km long and 2 km wide. They have literally moved a mountain. Whaleback used to be 805 m above sea level. The bottom of the pit is currently 135 m below sea level and they are still going deeper. The size of this one operation is astounding, and it is just one of many enormous mines in the area, with more to still be developed. Whilst I find the scale of the operations impressive, it leaves me with a greater desire than ever to live as waste free as possible, and not to buy stuff I don’t need. Stuff that is made from sending Australian resources to China, and then having it shipped back here.

The tour content was fantastic, however Bill and I both greatly disliked the tour guide. To add insult to injury, she had made the scones for morning tea and they were absolute rubbish. Just to sound like a truly ungrateful tourist.

We fuelled up, stocked up on food, grabbed some lunch, and then headed out of town, arriving at Dales campground in Karijini National Park mid afternoon. We set up camp and went for a wander around the campground. Dinner was again followed by triominos. Dad was unable to back up his victory though, with Bill taking out both games.

A reclaimer bucket.

Photos of the Mt Whaleback mine pit.

26 July 2019

Bacon and egg sandwhichs for brekkie this morning cooked over the camp fire. Best. Breakfast. Ever.Packed up, and in to Marble Bar just before 9 am. We went to Chinaman Pools and Marble Bar Pool, both on the Coogan River. Then we went fossicking for some jasper, a rock that the town is sort of named for. The person to declare the area as Marble Bar did so after seeing a deposit of jasper, and mistaking it for marble. It is a pretty rock, although almost worthless from a monetary perspective. There was plenty around, however none nice enough for us to take home for shaping and polishing. Then it was off to the old Comet Gold Mine. Well. For our $3 entry fee we got one of the best talks of the trip so far. The caretaker of the mine was great, and knew all there was to know about the history of the mine. There was a great little museum there as well, filled with all sorts of interesting gems, photos and odd and ends.We all thought Marble Bar was a pretty great little town. It was very neat and tidy and has good facilities for visitors. It got even better when Bill and I found the freshly baked pastries in the general store. Custard danishes made on site every day for $2.50! We bought 4 different pastries, and then went back for 3 more. What a lunch.From there we drove on to Nullagine where we stopped for a quick break – another nice little clean town. A ways out of Nullagine we went past the new Roy Hill mine (Gina Reinhardt) where the road changed to excellent bitumen. An FMG mine was just down the road as well. Nothing else out there, however the mines mean that the roads are in great condition all the way to Newman. About 30 km out of Newman we pulled into a free camp on the banks of the dry Sandy Creek. It has been my favourite free camp of the trip. We were a couple of km off the road and had it all to ourselves. Hardly any flies and bugs and a beautiful cool night. Camps like that is what camping is all about.Also a memorable night as Dad won his first ever game of Triominos!

Doleena Gorge campground with Bill giving his best pose.

Marble Bar – Australia’s hottest town with 160 consecutive days where the temp didn’t drop below 30 something.

Marble Pool

Sandy Creek campsite. Best free camp of the trip so far.

25 July 2019

Gym this morning and then we headed back to camp, where Mum and Dad were packed up and ready to go. We headed in to PH for a tour of the Fortescue Metal Group wharf facility. FMG have 5 berths that they load iron ore out of in an area called Herb Elliot Point. We saw the stackers and reclaimers operating and drove right underneath a ship unloader at work. All of that gear is operated remotely out of Perth, so during the hour or so that we were on the site, we only saw about 5 people – 2 of whom were hosing down. Seems like every mine site or smelter, there are the jobs of hosing down, trying to keep all the dust etc off the important pieces of equipment. Bit hard to automate that job I guess.

FMG are the second biggest exporter of iron ore out of PH with their 5 berths. They are planning on building two more, and they have just purchased 4 (I think) large vessels to transport the ore to Asia, and 6 of their own tug boats. They used to rely on the BHP tug boats, however that of course meant that the BHP ships always took precedence. Clearly FMG don’t think the bottom is going to fall out of the iron ore market any time soon. Neither does Gina, as she is also building another two berths.

We grabbed lunch from a bakery after the tour, and then headed towards Marble Bar, arriving at our campsite at Doleena Gorge a bit after 3pm. It is a beautiful spot, with a bit if water in it still. Unfortunately the water meant bugs of an evening, so we were driven in to bed, and lights out quite early as the bugs were small enough to fit through the fly wire of the tent and camper.

One of many conveyor belts at the FMG port.

Ship loading in progress.

A reclaimer. Each one of those buckets on the right hand end holds enough iron ore to make a Landcruiser.

A big pile of salt!

24 July 2019

After a restless night, we were woken up by road trains of course, and to what sounded like a galloping horse. And it was. The empty paddock next to the golf course is used for trackwork.

Bill and I tried out one of Port Hedlands gyms this morning and then the four of us went to the South Hedland shopping centre where Mum and Dad grabbed some groceries whilst Bill and I had pedicures. Yep. Bill had a pedicure. Our feet were in pretty bad nick and I convinced him that it would be good for them. He sat there happily with his massage chair going and his feet in warm water whilst the girl did mine. I’m not sure he will be a regular, but we all got to have a good laugh about it for awhile.

At 1 pm we were back at the Seafarers Centre in Port Hedland (South Hedland and Port Hedland are about 15 minutes apart) where we started our harbour tour.

There are Seafarers Centres in 71 countries and they look out for the welfare of the people that work on the large vessels. For the iron ore ships, they are on 9 month contracts and often need support to deal with conflict situations with crew, and apparently they sometimes won’t be getting paid. The Australian Maritime Security Authority can hold the ship in Port if something like non-payment is happening though, which means that it gets resolved very quickly as it costs tens of thousands of dollars every day that a ship is sitting inactive.

After an introduction talk and presentation on the organisation, and general info on the port, we were taken on to the Seafarers vessel that is a free transfer service to pick up, and drop off seafarers from all of the vessels that are in Port. Port Hedland is the busiest port in Australia for seafarers getting off ships, and the 5th busiest in the world. The seafarers spend 5 million dollars a year in the local shopping centre, and apparently like to stock up on Australian made UGG boots, australian made woolen doonas and australian wine!

We scooted around to every vessel that was in harbour and it was amazing to be travelling through such an environment. The vessels are enormous, and we could see them being loaded, and also saw a fully loaded vessel being taken out with the help of 3 tug boats.

It is mainly iron ore exported from PH, however there is also salt, manganese and lithium. However, it’s really all about the iron ore. There are 3 iron ore companies operating out of PH – BHP, FMG and Gina Reinhardts company. They each have there own railway connecting their mines with the port, and they each have their own berths that they load from. It is all extremely interesting, and industry on such an enormous scale. I find it both impressive and concerning.

Bill played another 9 holes of golf in the afternoon and I enjoyed the walk. After dinner we went to maccas for ice cream cones, and then went for a drive back into PH to see the port lights after dark. We couldn’t see a great deal, however the tidal variation from when we had been there earlier in the day was remarkable.

Bill was super impressed that I’d organised yet another boat trip for him.

Bill and I acting our age on the Port Hedland playground. Those balance thingo’s were tough!

23 July 2019

Another low tide walk followed by packing up and heading further south to Port Hedland. We saw clouds today. Bit depressing really after a month of cloudless skies.

We arrived at Port Hedland around 1130 am, and after some messing around getting to the campsite due to a burn off and closed roads, we arrived, set up camp and had lunch. Port Hedland is as busy as everywhere else. Not a powered site left in the town. We went into the Seafarers Centre after lunch to book tours for the following day, only to find that the tour of the Fortescue Metals shiploading activities was booked out and we couldn’t get on the harbour tour until 1 pm. We decided to stay a second night, as we are here for these tours. I’m not at all sure what we will do in PH for an extra day. Two of the highest rated things to do in town are lookout points – which tells me that people think looking away from this city is the way to go.

It is an interesting place though. It is all about shipping out the iron ore, and the road network is clearly built for very big trucks and road trains. It isn’t a pretty town at all. But it is interesting all the same.

We are camped in overflow camping around the PH golf club. Bill has brought some balls and a couple of clubs with him, so we went out and he played 9 holes whilst I wandered along with him, looking for stray golf balls. It was a nice way to spend the arvo, and he played the last couple of holes with some locals, which always makes for interesting conversation.

We headed into South Hedland for dinner. SH is where most people seem to live, rather than around the port, so there is a bit more activity. Dinner was lovely – really good schnitzels.

Back to camp, and we started to get a bit of an idea of how bad the road noise was going to be. During the day, we just didn’t notice it. We are about a km from the main highway to Newman and there are road trains passing constantly. At night, they sound like they are going right past the camp! A night for ear plugs.

Bill trying to putt on a ‘green’ with his 4 iron.

22 July 2019

Dad was up early this morning walking the kilometre or so of exposed beach at low tide. He came back with an assortment of pretty cool shells to take home. Bill and I headed down a bit later (after coffee of course) for a long walk along the beach. It was a pretty quiet morning all round.

After lunch, Dad and I went fishing. Bill was absent, declaring that they sell fish in shops for a reason – so you don’t have to go fishing. We got a few bites today, but didn’t catch anything. It is a beautiful place to spend a few hours in the sun though.

We went for a swim in the arvo, with the usual beers etc in the evening. It’s a pretty good life really!

No photos again today. Getting a bit slack.