80 Mile Beach and fantastic Karijini National Park!!

Hello friends and family- back online after about 5 days without any phone/internet service...so here's our latest news!:

Sep 18

We are now about 350 kms south of Broome, at 80 mile beach caravan park- it’s a wild stretch of coastline (there are no towns between broome and port headland) and the beach has so many wonderful shells! Plus the tides are huge. Not a great swimming beach though,as it is very shallow for a long way out, especially at low tide.

Last night we watched a great sunset at the beach at Barn Hill- it was made great because we had the whole strip of beach to ourselves- it was an amazing feeling to be sitting on a truly empty beach, in the middle of WA coastal wilderness, as the blood red sun sank from view behind the ocean. A really great memory. We jumped in for a swim as the sun disappeared.

22 sep

We have just spent a terrific few days at Karijini National Park- inland, near Tom Price. After leaving 80 mile beach we traveled south, with a stop for lunch at Port Headland- we then diverted inland and traveled another 300kms or so to Karijini.

We’d heard really good reports about this park being one of WA’s most impressive and it hasn’t disappointed. The park is fantastic- one of the best we have seen on our trip so far, if not the best. Amazing red gorges, swimming holes and narrow chasms you can climb through, or swim through in places, so that the walks are quite adventurous and involve a far bit of climbing. The landscape is really impressive. Arid and yet not as harsh as some sections of bush we have traveled through. There is green spinnifex, beautiful snappy gums, and acacias on rolling hills above the gorges themselves. Plus the WA wildflowers are out- we’ve seen quite a few different kinds, perhaps the most beautiful the red and black Sturts Desert Pea and larges splashes of purple mulla mulla.

We’ve done lots of walks since we arrived here- Dales Gorge, which had a beautiful swimming hole called Circular Pool- it was covered in maiden hair fern…(thought of you mum!) and another lovely swimming spot- Fortescue Falls, where we had lunch.

Yesterday we walked through Joffre Gorge to another impressive waterfall and also through Knox Gorge, which had plenty of swimming spots – I floated in a narrow section looking up at the sheer gorge walls. We didn’t see any other walkers in that gorge either so it was great to have it all to ourselves.

Today we walked through Hancock and Weano Gorges…more climbing through narrow sections, or swimming in some parts, to get to deep and very cold pools within the gorges. Lots of fun!

We are staying at a campground in the park, which has no water and no power. We towed Molly in as the road to the campground was sealed. It’s been good staying in here, and we have used our solar shower which we were given before we left- today when we got back from our walks the water in that shower was almost too hot! Noone was around so we were able to strip off and shower in the nude in the broad daylight, in the middle of the bush- a liberating feeling.

Today we also got our first flat tyre of the trip. The park roads are unsealed and it was bound to happen sooner or later given all the rough roads we’ve been on so far. I watched while Adam tended to the Boy Job.
We plan getting a replacement tyre tomorrow at Tom Price.
Then it’s back to the coast for us- to Coral Bay. Looking forward to the snorkelling and diving there.

Oh and one other thing- we have played a lot of scrabble recently. I am sorry to say that I have been on a rather bad losing streak! This evening however, I redeemed myself with a solid win. Adam is still well ahead in the running tally though.


Sep 23

In the mining town of Tom Price now…got that spare tyre and today visited our final gorge in Karijini- Hammersley…another spectacular spot- with a fern lined grotto, hidden in the side of the gorge.
We also drove to the top of Mt Nameless- the highest peak in WA- top views.

We are now set to return to the beach tomorrow.

Love and hugs to all…sending you our best.
Emma & Adam