Tom Price (again) to Barn Hill Station...

...or heading to Broome  

After 5 chilly nights, and 4 glorious days in Karijini National Park we decided to backtrack a little (a 160km double up) to Tom Price. It would make for a big drive north to the coast, however the trade off was knowing that Tom Price is a good spot to restock and tidy up.

 Sculptures in Tom Price

Andy booked us in for the mine tour AND the Nissy P in for a service with the local mechanic on our one full day (a Monday) in Tom Price.

As anyone knows, putting your car in for a service is real pain in the butt wherever you are. Putting it in for service in an outback town takes it to the next level. The garage was about 1.5km from the town centre, and 2km from the caravan park. The car could be dropped off from 7am and we needed to be at the visitors centre for 8:45am for our tour. The tour returned to Tom Price at 11am and we needed to wait until the car was ready for pick up. We were prepared to sit the day out in town.

 Dropping the Patrol off for service in Tom Price ~7:30am

We went through all of the iterations of getting the car and all members of our family to the requisite places at the right times and settled on; up early and breakfast at the Cazza park, all pile in and drop the car about 7:30am and then walk to the town centre to kill some time before our tour. We were able to get some great coffee and second breakfasts at a cafe before joining our tour.

The tour itself was a 2 hour bus tour of the Tom Price Rio Tinto operation. The bus driver and guide is a Tom Price local who arrived in the 1990s as a painter-decorator (all dwellings are completely renovated between tenants, leaving only structural walls and roof in tact, replacing all interior fixtures including flooring, and all fittings). 

The mine is in operation 24/7, 365 days per year. Four to five trains containing ore depart this mine alone in every 24 hour period. Each train is about 2.5km long with 250 carriages, 118 tonne of ore per carriage at $80 per tonne. 

There were lots of numbers quoted; the TREX haul truck tyres cost $160,000 each and each truck has 6 of them. (Some figures may be misremembered - all errors my own)

Everything is on a massive scale - the pit, the machines, the costs, the volumes. A new vein of ore had been discovered at this mine, and it was estimated that it will take 5-6 years of excavating the mountain just to get to it!! It was all a bit mind boggling - the enormous haul trucks go back and forth like tireless worker insects - the entire operation has an otherworldly feel. Truck drivers happily waved and tooted to us tourists as they drove past - one way to break up the monotony of a 12 hour shift driving back and forth I guess. 

Hard hats and safety googles required for the mine tour

Jemma - it was cool, I liked learning about the lives of the people who work in the mines. Some people fly in to work - FIFO workers. I also learned that the ore gets from the mine to the port at Port Hedland by huge trains, where its put on a boat and shipped to China where it is turned into products and sold back to Australia. I also like it when the TREX  truck drivers tooted and waved to us.

James - I found it interesting to learn about the whole operation, how it all worked.

 Family photo opp in a bucket

The mine tour provided significant contrast to the national park, and we all came away with our own impressions. I felt quite overwhelmed. And grateful that enough people had the foresight to protect what is now Karijini NP.

Our guide also provided a bit of local history, and gave us all a little insight into this wealthy oasis in the desert, and what it's like to live here. There are fantastic sports facilities and every club you could ever think of. 

After returning to Tom Price township we were delighted to discover that the local Brumbies bakery had reopened. We spent some time in the town mall, with the kids playing in the small play area, and Andy and I making use of some picnic tables to review our forward itinerary.

We mapped out our itinerary ages ago, and booked a lot of the camping back in Jan and Feb but the last few weeks of our trip were never solid. Our original thinking was to head across the middle of NT and into western QLD to have a look at the south-western corner and some more dinosaur stuff. After the catastrophic flooding in this region we realised that we’d likely need to rethink this leg. 

With all that rain draining into channel country Lake Eyre is filling up again for the first time in 15 years (Andy and I were there for our honeymoon in 2010!). With that in mind we are now planning on spending a little more time in the NT before heading down through some of the desert tracks as we head home into SA. 

A good couple of hours passed and it was getting warm, and still no sign of the car being ready so we headed into the Tom Price library. Libraries are a super spot to kill a few hours - free A/C and free WiFi! The kids each found a nook or a couch and read some books.

The Patrol was finally ready in the middle of the afternoon and Andy went off to pick her up, also filling up with diesel as the garage had run out the day before! We needed to make an early getaway the next morning as we had a mega driving day ahead of us, and did not want be faffing around waiting for a fuel fill.

Tom Price to Pardoo Station is a BIG old drive. 530km. Doesn’t sound like that much but it’s big empty driving. The first 100km or so was back through Karijini NP which was beautiful. The next leg on the Great Northern Highway was empty iron ore truck after truck, and caravans. Lots of people on the road. I am glad the trucks we were passing were empty as they created a huge draught as we passed each other - cannot imagine how the full ones would feel. We stopped in quickly at Auski Roadhouse for a wee and some roadhouse fare (soft drinks, fried chicken and hot chips!). It was one of the busiest and most efficiently run service stations I have ever been in, a single line for fuel and food service - incredible!

 Auski Roadhouse truck parking

We arrived at Pardoo station late in the afternoon. It was warm, windy and extremely dusty. And quite busy.  They have a bowling green - much to Andy’s delight and he was able to hire some bowls for a roll up from the office. 

The kids had their sights on the pool and were desperate for a swim. They quickly discovered that the water was pretty cool which I am sure is welcome on a stinking, calm day. It was definitely warm but the wind on wet skin created a chill. 

 Totem tennis fun at Pardoo - only problem was the ball kept flying off

Being school holidays there were a few older kids around (most families we come across are travelling with much younger kids), so they had some fun with them.

 Low, low, low tide at Pardoo.

Pardoo has some lovely coastline accessed via station tracks, as well as some primo fishing.

 

Pardoo heralded the beginning of Croc Country

 Communal fire pit at Pardoo station. Restaurant in the background - we dined in for the Pardoo wagyu barbecue dinner. Another very efficiently run  experience with diners coming through on the quarter hour to a refreshed buffet with wagyu steaks, lamb chops, roast potatoes and a selection of salads plus pavlova for dessert - was very yummy.

 Pardoo wagyu steaks to go

 Mural at Pardoo Station

Pardoo was super windy during the day, but died down at night. It was a great spot to break up our drive north. Next stop Barn Hill.

Via the Sandfire Roadhouse to top up with diesel and the biggest home made sausage rolls I have seen in all my life.

A lot of these outback and remote roadhouses have their own signature thing going on. Sandfire has street and road signs from all over Australia, and some from overseas as well. Numberplates and hats hung from the walls and ceiling. As good a way as any to break up a big drive!

Another 320km up the road to Barn Hill Station - we noticed the vegetation changing from the yellow spinifex and grey-green shrubbery to bigger, greener altogether leafier trees the further we went. The country was changing.

 10km track into Barn Hill - driving on the wrong side of the road hoping for a smoother ride.

 Barn Hill has everything - a really cool playground suitable for all ages - even James could safely play here! 

They have a bowling green, a cafe selling freshly made bread, cakes, coffee, milkshakes, merch, pizzas and hot dinners, ice blocks...

...a shady spot to do some schoolwork...

... goats - they had goats...

They have hot showers, and washing machines. Easy access to a beautiful beach. Everything. And now we were that much closer to Broome.

 Homemade mango and coconut ice blocks under the sprinkler.

 The colours of Barn Hill 

 The amazing rope swing

 Jemma found this 'jam sandwich rock' prompting a game of "beach cafes"

 Plenty of shade for reading a book, or just climbing a tree

 Low tide was perfect for exploring exposed mudflats and rock pools. We found lots of these (new to me) warty slugs,  5-7cm long with a nobbly, leathery shell (?). What an unfortunate name, as if being a slug isn't bad enough!

 Sponge growing in a rock pool

 Full moon setting at Barn Hill the morning we left - was so beautiful.

The last thing we did before we left Barn Hill was the working dog show hosted by Rex, the son of the station owner (Janice). He talked about his process and then demonstrated his methods with his 6 month old kelpie pup, Millie, working a couple of goats. It's interesting to see just how much she wanted to work, and switched from a tail wagging, tongue lolling pup to a (mostly) sensible working kelpie, and back again.

Rex also talked about his weaner education program, taking calves that had no human or dog contact to a calm, workable mob within a few weeks. Using dogs on the cattle stations has changed their operation significantly. 

The short horn cattle they used to raise took about 6 years; the brahman are better suited to the hot, dry conditions and are ready as a 'product' in 18 months.

A muster that used to require 30 horses and 15 cowboys now takes Rex and his four or five dogs - some big savings there. 

Janice, creator of Barn Hill Station stay, is also a campdraft champion and did her own demonstration.

It was a really good, informative show and the kids got to pat the dogs and horses afterwards.

 Jem and Millie the pup

 The pretty, soft colours of Barn Hill

From Barn Hill we had a welcome short leg to Broome, just under 2 hours drive, with the prospect of a 7 night stay at Cable Beach. Next stop; Cable Beach...

Into the Pilbara and five nights at Karijini

Departing Osprey Bay we had a pretty big drive ahead of us, plus we needed to stop in Exmouth. For everything - fuel, water, and a food shop. This all takes an hour or so as we are so tightly packed that to fill water jerries requires an almost entire unpack and repack. Similarly, food needs to be put away properly into our drawers and fridge - one of my least favourite things to have to do in a busy carpark.

 Very quick stop at Nanutarra Roadhouse

 The country changed dramatically as we headed away from the coast. Red dirt at a roadside rest stop - the beginning of the Pilbara

Cheela Plains was our destination, a cattle station 460km from Exmouth. Station stays are a relatively new thing for us, and it seems that lots more stations have diversified into hospitality. Cheela Plains was such an awesome stay. There was green grass! Not for the caravans - for us tent campers. Tents and swags were allowed on the grass but no wheels. I'm really not sure we would have got any tent pegs into the rocky ground anyway.

 Jemma making good use of all that green grass with the communal fire in the background.

They have great facilities, as well as a cafe in the daytime and a restaurant by night. A lookout for sunset, communal campfire where you can cook your dinner if you like, and a couple of scenic self-drive options on the property.

 Sunset lookout spot - can you spot the kids?

 Cheela Plains Station 

We had one full day at Cheela Plains so after a few chores and breakfast we paid a key deposit and set off on a self-drive tour of the property. A friendly camper told us it'd take us about 4 hours to do the 60km ( or so) round trip - we really thought he was kidding. He wasn't. The road was great - there was just lots to see. We took our time and sure enough it took us just over 4 hours. We lunched on the bank of a waterhole. A great way to spend an afternoon.

 Scrambling over rocks at The Wall - Cheela Plains

 Cheela Plains

 While this lot busied themselves making  boats and rafts at the waterhole I walked a little way along to do some quiet birdwatching. I was delighted to see a sacred kingfisher!

Cheela Plains was a delightful stay, and a nice lead in to our next stop - Karijini National Park.

We were lucky enough, or just organised, to score 5 nights in the same site at Dales Campground in Karijini NP. We stayed here all those years ago on our first spin through WA but only stayed 3 nights - geez we were in a hurry back then!

 Dales campground set up - Euro loop site 95

 

After visits to the campground dunnies, and a few words from the camp hosts, it was clear that there are still plenty of dingoes in the park. They play an important part in the ecosystem here, but of course are wild animals and must be treated as such. We chatted with the kids about the dingoes, sending Jemma into a tizzy right before bed time.

After setting up in the red, red dirt (that is now in EVERYTHING we own - bedding, tent mesh, pots and pans, drinks bottles and clothes) we took an afternoon stroll to check out Dales Gorge from the lookouts. The colours are stunning and difficult to justify with words. We made a plan for the next day to walk down into Dales Gorge. I think I will just put lots of photos in :)

Karijini have a great Junior Ranger program fro kids 6-12 years old. Jemma received a booklet that she needed to fill in during our stay and could then bring to the visitors centre and obtain a Karijini Junior Ranger badge.

 Working on her booklet....

 ...a proud little ranger!

Night one was exciting. We had been in bed for a few hours - it’s dark early and cold at night due the elevation (~750m), and the fact that it’s the middle of winter. The first howls started about midnight and they were close. Super close. There was at least one dingo right by our tents and the howling continued for a good while. Keeping Jemma calm was impossible, so I just hugged her until she went back to sleep. She was similarly distressed when I announced that I needed to head out for a wee a few hours later - she begged me not to go. But I had to. The dingoes were still howling, but further away now, and I didn’t see any.

 Early morning shadows

Each day we explored the different gorges of the park, sometimes walking down into the gorges themselves to explore the very different environment at the bottom. 

 Walking track - Dales Gorge rim

 Most of the gorge walks entail lots of scrambling, and crossing the creeks

 Scrambling with a bit of help

 Playing near the Fortescue Falls in Dales Gorge late in the afternoon

 It is a very different world down in the gorge - generally cooler and shady

 Fortescue Falls from above

 Fortescue Falls

 The pool at the top of Fortescue Falls

 Steps make it easy access down into Dales Gorge at the Fortescue Falls end....

 ....coming back up at the other end was a goat track

 We got our feet wet, but it was worth it...

 ...look at that.

 Paperbark tree hanging over the waterhole provides a great photo opp

 

 Drip, drip, drip - a vertical wall of ferns

 Rock wallaby in Dales Gorge

 A lizard we found 

 Honey ants

 On our way to Handrail pool - handrail behind us through the narrow gap...

 down we go

...and safely down at handrail pool...now thinking about how we're going to get back up. It was a sheer couple of metres up shiny, hard rock (mostly metal) with a handrail.

 It's hard to get your head around the scale and beauty of this country

 Razor sharp grass to hold while you cross on wobbly rocks

 Some of the oldest exposed rock on earth

 A quiet moment

 Gorge walking happiness

 Mornings were CHILLY but the days were GLORIOUS and perfect for walking

 Playing at the top of the falls

 Thinking about a swim at Fern Pool above Fortescue Fall. this is an exquisite spot. And the water is COLD. There are warnings about hypothermia at all the pools.

 Jemma still trying to get in, that's me swimming off. Once I was in, and I had my breath back, it was really beautiful...

...not cold, honest.

Each night we had dinner earlier and earlier and were in bed earlier. I think our earliest night was just before 8pm. All the walking and fresh air was making us tired, and we were having great big sleeps each night.

After 4 days of exploring we were all in need (some more than others) of a wash - and we were headed to Tom Price caravan park for a few nights to do just that.

The colours of Karijini

Leaving the coast is always hard, and especially difficult after the phenomenal time we had on the Ningaloo coast. 

Karijini is its own kind of beauty - ancient and rugged and tough, and we loved every second of it. 

We learned some new card games, played the silliest games of charades and did lots of lots of walking. The campground was fully booked while we were there but is really well laid out with lots of space between sites. The nights were clear and cold making for superb night sky viewing.