Letho's Blog

Friday, 13th May 2011

On the third day it was Goodbye early in the morning since the other group was on a schedule and had to be back in Perth the following day. Fortunately, we could stay longer and after having gotten the reassurance from the visitor centre that we could climb into the gorges with a little bit of forecasted rain off we went again to the next gorge.

Kalamina Gorge was quite a relaxing track mostly flat through the gorge to the rock arch and in the other direction towards a little waterfall. The challenge was to find a dry way through the gorge since it was often flooded. But this only makes it more fun!

Joffre Gorge started off over the top of the waterfalls and the class 5 track led about 30 metres down to the bottom of the waterfall.

Here’s a view right from above the falls into the Joffre Gorge:

Interesting enough it just started to drizzle when we were on our way down – imagine how we felt climbing down on Friday the 13th…!! I know you didn’t expect anything else but all went well and we finished the walk being a little bit exhausted and filled with lots of great images of the landscape.

We decided to skip Knox Gorge and went back to Tom Price to get fuel and groceries and thinking we would leave the National Park to head north. After a chat with the information centre we decided to make the quite heavy detour and drive the dirt road to the Hamersley Gorge and it was the right decision! This gorge impressed us with its colours and shapes as well as having everything the heart desires – a gorge filled with water, small waterfalls, a pool to swim in and rocks to climb over – simply amazing.

Conclusion: I have to say this was the most amazing and fascinating National Park in terms of the beautiful scenery and challenging tracks that I have seen in Australia and (and in my life), I am already working on the plan to take it home to Germany! Awesome!

PS: Interesting enough one factor was incredibly bad – the camp spots. Actually not worth to be named camp spot; camping was hardly possible since the hard iron ore soil sabotaged all attemps to put pegs into it. A very frustrating experience and very much in contrast with the other experiences in the park.

Thursday, 12th May 2011

Track number two into Weano Gorge followed the next day and consisted of a little longer part of class 4 walk through Weano gorge that was quite easy and pleasant and again avoided swimming through the water by climbing the rocks.

The class 5 track led through a small and a little slippery gorge sideways down a waterfall (fortunately, somebody had mounted a handrail) down to Handrail Pool where some of us took a bath.

This was followed by a rather adventurous trip on extremely slippery rocks that were along the rock walls in the water. Some of us had left some clothes at the pool because everybody expected to fall into the water since the track was so difficult but everybody made it back safe, sound and dry (except for the legs).

And back we went from Handrail Pool to the normal track:

We needed to cross the water part again when I thought why not take the other way and started climbing along the rock walls on the left followed by Sebastian:

After Weano Gorge we stepped onto one of the Lookout platforms and tried to figure out where we had been before:

A slightly less exercising but quite longer track was done in the afternoon in the Dales Gorge where we went down to the Circular Pool, through the beautiful Dales Gorge to the Fortescue Falls, further on to the Fern Pool and finally along the rim of the gorge back to the car park. What a great adventure and another successful day!

Wednesday, 11th May 2011

Having started our trip Tuesday afternoon from Exmouth with one overnight stop we finally arrived at the little town Tom Price close to the Karijini National Park Wednesday afternoon after some exhausting 550 kilometres. Shopping and filling up petrol was quickly done and after a good lunch we drove the last 90 kilometres to the National Park.

Track number one was into Hancock Gorge – at the beginning with a quite easy class 3 walk and then down the ladder into the Gorge onto the class 5 walk / hike.

Up and down to the beautiful Amphitheatre with a little waterfall where we climbed along the rockwalls instead of wading / swimming through the water.

Through the Spider walk, a quite narrow part of the gorge to Kermits Pool, the end of the walk. Only well equipped and professionally guided tours have access to the part that lies beyond that point. Regans Pool that followed after Kermits Pool in the restricted area was named in honour of the rescuer Jim Reagan who was swept away by a flash flood being on a rescue mission in 2004.

On our way back it happened – somebody fell into the water.  But the camera was safe… : )

Größere Kartenansicht