A Western Swing – Wildflowers, Gorges, Coast

[JohnM]

And yet another load of ammonium nitrate to make things go bang at a mine.

 

[JohnM]

As an aside, a few Google Earth images close to Newman (BHP Mt Whaleback mine) (Mount Whaleback mine - Wikipedia) and Tom Price (Rio Tinto Mt Tom Price mine) (Mount Tom Price mine - Wikipedia). Rio’s Marandoo mine (Marandoo mine - Wikipedia), about 45km E of Tom Price is interesting from an agricultural point of view.

They have to de-water the mine and the offtake is used in the mine camp, town and a large centre-pivot irrigation system to grow stock fodder (The Hamersley Agricultural Project), plus re-injection into an aquifer.

The drive from the main section of Karijini NP around the W side to reach Hamersley Gorge goes past the Hamersley Agricultural Project. Although close to the road, it is largely obscured by trees.

 

[StevoQFtraveller]

Wonderful photos! I am currently doing the urban version of your trip - I have been jogging in Kings Park everyday, and the flowers are beginning to look quite spectacular! Will have to take some pics....

 

[JohnM]

Back into time sequence.

Into Karijini NP late morning and a brief stop at the Visitor Centre before going to Dales Gorge nearby for lunch and some exploration.

 

[JohnM]

Moving along to Fortescue Falls lookout.



A set of good steel stairs leads down into the gorge to Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool a short walk beyond at the base.



If you can’t hold ‘em, fold ‘em.

 

[JohnM]

Three Ficus species occur naturally in the cool, damp microclimate on the N side of the gorge.



On to Fern Pool.



A colony of bats inhabits the gorge. The Ficus species fruit at different times and the bats exploit that.



Back up we go and the viewpoint at the top of the stairs.

 

[craven morehead]

Moving along to Fortescue Falls lookout.

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A set of good steel stairs leads down into the gorge to Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool a short walk beyond at the base.

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If you can’t hold ‘em, fold ‘em.

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Some ripper photos in that lot

 

[JohnM]

Kalamina Gorge.

 

[JohnM]

Final stop before heading into our accommodation at the Karijini Eco Retreat was Joffre Falls on the other side of the gorge from the retreat. No falling water, though.



And around to our digs for two nights. Brother and SIL couldn’t get in, so they stayed in Tom Price (WA’s highest town, BTW - Tom Price, Western Australia - Wikipedia).

Google Erath view, with our tent marked.



Sunset G&T time for PJM; white wine for me.



There is a café/restaurant and bar at the Retreat. I didn’t see a menu but it seemed to be pub-style burgers, steaks etc and it was busy. I took my camping stove and set it up on the deck and we did our own thing, taking in the serenity. It was great under a full moon.

 

[JohnM]

Next morning, we chilled around the camp and took a walk to the gorge. The falls wall and pool are not visible from the Eco Retreat side and we didn’t do the steep climb to the bottom.



The pods on this plant are very sticky.

 

[JohnM]

Brother and SIL rocked up and we had a coffee at the café before heading around to Hamersley Gorge – noted for its spectacular folds.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hamersley Gorge – noted for its spectacular folds.

Nice redemption of the thread. I really must have a look one day, all looks wonderfull ... I have a lot in QF credits now, so a possiblity Hmmmm .. two cruises off WA next year, separated by a month in September .... could be the window.

 

[JohnM]

Nice redemption of the thread. I really must have a look one day, all looks wonderfull ... I have a lot in QF credits now, so a possiblity Hmmmm .. two cruises off WA next year, separated by a month in September .... could be the window.

September is a good time to go.

 

[JohnM]

Next day it was on to Coral Bay. On the way, we noticed signs and bunting for Cheela Plains Station Stay Café just on mid-morning. A pleasant morning tea break at what is a very well-run place (Home - Cheela Plains Station Stay).



Coral Bay is at the S end of Ningaloo Reef, essentially part of the greater NW Cape region, famed for the close-to-shore fringing coral reef and swimming with whale sharks and manta rays. The township is not much more than a couple of large caravan parks that have grown like topsy over the years.

It is a straight-up beach holiday place. Except for the cars and caravans, it has a very similar vibe to Rottnest Island.



A sundowner is mandatory.



Next morning, a walk to the viewpoint at the S end and then along the S beach.



Back along the foreshore of the bay.

 

[JohnM]

In the afternoon, a walk N to the shark sanctuary. There were plenty of sharks close to shore but the strong sea breeze was ruffling the water too much to get a clear view. We probably should have gone in that direction in the morning.

 

[Daver6]

Can you share details of your accommodation with pics if possible? I'm assuming it wasn't a tent given PJM was with you.

 

[JohnM]

Next day was on to Denham (Shark Bay).



Shark Bay is World Heritage listed. It’s a fsacinating and unique place (Shark Bay - Wikipedia).

First stop, the Hamelin Pool stromatolites. Unfortunately, the boradwalk was a casualty of TC Seroja in April and is closed.



Here, from 2017, is what it was like, and what the stromatolites are like close-up.



There is a walk trail through the old quarry where the concreted shells (coquina) characteristic of the hyper-saline bays were cut as building blocks.

 

[JohnM]

Moving on to Shell Beach on the north side of the narrow isthmus. Nearby, running across the isthmus and into the shallow sea, is the vermin-proof fence of Project Eden (Project Eden - Shark Bay) which has removed feral animals from the Peron Peninsula to facilitate recovery of native animals, plus re-stocking the area with native animals once endemic (https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/about/science/cswa/articles/105.pdf).

 

[JohnM]

Can you share details of your accommodation with pics if possible? I'm assuming it wasn't a tent given PJM was with you.

Well, Karijini Eco Retreat was a tent of sorts.

Karijini Eco Retreat

We had a Deluxe King.

Mellenbye (Station Stay at Mellenbye) was in the homestead where there are only two rooms, but there are several other options. Main thing there is self-catering.

Newman was just a staging point, so we just stayed at the Newman Hotel right in the middle of town. The accommodation is old 60s-70s motel style, but clean enough. There are better, newer options.

For Coral Bay and Denham, I just used Booking.com. We wanted places where we could do our own cooking. One thing to be wary of given the current disruptions to normal life is restaurants being booked out or having to book further ahead than your time in the place might allow, short-staffed, slow service, generally overwhelmed. We didn't want to bother with that risk.

At Coral Bay, we were at Ningaloo Coral Bay Bayview. It's the main caravan park, but has perfectly good units and villas. We had a Bay Lodge Balcony Room: https://www.ningaloocoralbay.com/accommodation-type/bay-lodge/

The others stayed at Ningaloo Reef Resort: Ningaloo Reef Resort | RAC Parks & Resorts WA. It was more costly, and rather similar to ours. It's RAC, so notoriously expensive IME, but member discount should apply.

In Denham, I used Booking.com and we stayed at Wildsights Villas (Wildsights Villas). Perfectly good.

With the exception of the Karijini Eco Retreat, which I knew would be costly, but unique, and Mellenbye which was a target near the wildflowers (and greatly exceeded expectations), I was just looking for best bangs for the buck at the other places.

 

[kookaburra75]

Now, its not very often that I say good things about the weeds, but the wreath flowers were great .

It's about time you reciprocated, given all the nice things I am forever saying about boondies.

In theory, a weed is an unwanted plant. And as you know, a gee-wologist will complain if there are any plants obscuring the view of their beloved stones.

But, great photos. I haven't been to that part of the world in too many years, having traipsed around there in the 80's in my surveying days. Including, going in to survey the set up for the first caravan park at Coral Bay. It's certainly come along. MrsK is also very interested not having been to that part of WA, and we'll get across when we can.