The next day was one hell of an adventure, starting with a bath in Hamersley Gorge, which I had to myself. A lovely place to start the day. The water was cool and the rocks slippery so at one point I didn’t have a choice on getting wet.
You cant beat these places 
The iron ore forms some neat designs
Before i knew it I was back on the road looking for an old track the led into Karijini from the north. I drove past it about 3 times before finding the entrance.
This isn’t it, this is the main road
Ahh.. there we go, this is more like it. I figure the trial hadn’t been used in about 10 years by the look of the trees growing in the middle, but I pushed on for another 16kms trying to find my way. And it was hard going. Down embankments, following creek beds, driving through bonnet high grass. I found myself standing on the roof with my binoculars and gps trying to scout out the best way and stay within reason of the old road that had perished.
The old creek bed 
I know the way…
Then it happened, I found a rather large rock the did some under body damage, just bent bash plates. But that was enough, I was already a 16km walk to a dirt road, which had basically no traffic. Sometimes you gotta weigh the pros and cons of an adventure.
Thats enough, turn around time 
Backtracking my way out
I did do about 3kms on foot trying to find an old mine again, but once again came up empty handed and full of spinifex cuts I am also starting to find more and more asbestos as I got along. Iron ore naturally turns into this fiber as it ages. interesting stuff. The hike ends when i can actually see my turn around point from the last valley.
Asbestos in its natural form 
On foot
Back at camp, its time for beer and some writing to relax with.
Previous I Next
