Karjini National Park - takes your breath away

This NP is one of the highlights of our trip. The gorges, the pools and the waterfalls are all superb and full of the rich red earth that is so typical of the Pilbara. Not only are the cliffs a deep, deep red but so is the path underfoot.

This red soil, while so beautiful to look at, is a damned nuisance in the way it stains everything it touches. My feet are permanently dusty and red, the camper floor, table, benches and blinds are full of red dust. Hands and consequently one’s clothes are always streaked with red dirt marks. We are thinly covered by a miasma of red dust. But we enjoy it all, nevertheless.

The gorges in Karijini NP have to be seen to be believed. No amount of photography can do them justice. The gorges are hidden in rolling hillsides. Then suddenly, the terrain plunges down a 100 metre chasms. The high plateau is dissected by breathtaking gorges and stony, tree lined watercourses. Some of the gorges are wider and their sides vary from sheer cliffs to merely steep slopes. In some of the narrower gorges, craggy, ochre coloured cliff faces surround one. High gorge walls cast deep shadows over the clear rock pools. Some of the gorge pools are shaded and very cold, while others, exposed to the sun are lovely places for a quick dip. The permanently cascading waterfalls keep all the rock pools filled. We sampled all the pools one by one, not deterred by the cold waters of some.

Both the first and second photos are of Red Gorge. Red Gorge is the only one of the gorges one can't actually go into only take in its beauty from above.

The photo above is at Junction lookout which shows the four big gorges: Weano, Hancock, Joffre and Red meeting.

Hamersley Gorge which has fantastic colours and tectonic rocks - layers. Bloody hard to scale!