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Hamersley Ranges, WA



Knox Gorge


Hancock Gorge


View from Oxers Lookout


Descending the Knox Gorge slide


The Chute into Hancock Gorge


Hancock Gorge


Tributary Gorge


Handrail Pool


Joffre Gorge


Hamersley Gorge


Joffre Gorge


Kermit's Pool


Kermit's Pool spider walk


Fortescue Falls


Circular Pool, Dales Gorge

Millstream

For sheer rugged beauty and a diversity of gorges, waterfalls, rockpools and canyons, few areas of Australia come near this region. International tourists are unanimous in naming their visit to Karijini National Park as a highlight of their trip to Australia.

Stretching for more than 400km through the Pilbara region of Western Australia , the Hamersley Ranges contain many spectacular gorges have been carved by the waters of the Fortescue and other rivers. Sheer walls of rock are layered in colours from red to green and blue to pink in the changing sunlight, forming wild and magnificent panoramas. The gorges are up to 100m deep, with the water flow at their bases sometimes only one metre wide. Others have wide crystal-clear pools reflecting the blue skies. Lush green vegetation thrives and the gorges are cool oases to swim in and escape the brilliant sunshine.
Karijini National Park protects the many different wildlife habitats, landscapes, plants and animals of the Ranges. Wildflowers vary with the seasons. In the cooler months the land is covered with yellow-flowering cassias and wattles, northern bluebells and purple mulla-mullas. After rain many plants bloom profusely. It is also home to a variety of birds, red kangaroos and euros, rock-wallabies, echidnas and several bat species. Geckos, goannas, dragons, legless lizards, pythons and other snakes are abundant. Huge termite mounds are a feature of the landscape and the rock piles of the rare pebble mound mouse may be found in spinifex country.
In the north of Karijini National Park, small creeks hidden in the rolling hillsides - dry for most of the year - suddenly plunge into sheer-sided chasms up to 100 metres deep. These are the Park's famous gorges. They are spectacular but can be extremely dangerous. Further downstream, the gorges widen and their sides change from sheer cliffs to steep slopes of loose rock. Rocks exposed at the gorges originated as fine grained sediment which accumulated on an ancient sea floor 2,500 million years ago.
Every gorge is different, and each one is worth a visit but to explore these gorges in detail it helps be fit and prepared at times to submerge in near-freezing water, follow narrow paths and cling to rock ledges. If you'd rather play it safe, a visit to Oxer Lookout at the junction of Weano, Red, Hancock and Joffre Gorges is a must. Tiers of banded rock tower over a pool at the bottom of the gorge. Wow. It's nearly impossible to describe how overpowering these gorges are, and the view from Oxer Lookout is quite staggering. Photos just don't do it justice; staring down to the water some 100 metres below as it meanders past giant vertical, red cliff walls. Stunning stuff.

Dales Gorge: a stream, pools, waterfalls, and ferns contrast with the red, terraced cliffs weathered by centuries of exposure. The occasional snappy gum can be seen perched on rocky ledges. A 4-kilometre return trail runs along the bottom of the gorge. Allow 3 hours for the return walk. After a loose, steep descent, another track leads to the hidden gardens of picturesque Circular Pool (800m return). This is an arduous walk, so you allow at least 2 hours return. A 1.2-kilometre return trail runs along the rim of Dales Gorge to Circular Pool Lookout.


Mt. Robinson near the mining town of Newman

Fortescue Falls and Fern Pool: Walk down through the changing vegetation of the iron-rich gorge walls to the park's only permanent waterfall. (800 metres, 2-hour return walk.)

Hancock Gorge: Journey to the 'centre of the Earth' down this steep, narrow gorge. After climbing down a ladder you wander into the gorge which narrows into a huge chamber and an attractive setting of small rock pools and marbled walls. Feel the highly polished rock on the way down to Kermit's Pool. Simply stunning, but best appreciated with a guide. (1.5 kilometres, 3-hour return walk.)

Joffre Gorge: A short track runs from the carpark to the lookout overlooking the falls (right), which are often dry, and the plunge pool at their base. (100 metres, 10 minutes return.) Follow the marked route into the bottom of this picturesque gorge to the first pool downstream of the waterfall. (3 kilometres, 3-hour return walk.) Peer deep into the Gorge from Joffre Lookout at the unusual curved wall which forms a natural amphitheatre. It's particularly spectacular after a rain when a 100 metre waterfall cascades down its face.

Red Gorge and Knox Gorge: Whether you're above the gorge peering down or deep within it looking up, both these gorges provide a dramatic insight into the forces of nature which have shaped the earth. Within the gorges flow streams of crystal clear water and sand bars, warmed only by the midday sun. Red Gorge is one of the deepest gorges in the park, there are said to be parts of this gorge which never see sunshine. Access into this gorge is via Knox, Joffre or Hancock Gorges. Rangers must be notified before entering it.

Kalamina Gorge (right): There is a 30-minute return walk into the gorge's lush, shaded pool. Alternatively, walk within the gorge along a stream and small ponds (3 hours return).

Weano Gorge: This picturesque gorge is possibly the best introduction to the walks of Karijini. It has a little bit of everything and it's not too difficult. You have a relatively easy walk down steps to the base of the gorge and then a short meander between the layered rock walls and paperbark pools to Handrail Pool which is great for swimming. For the intrepid explorer, the adventure continues beyond the pool, though particular care needs to be taken. (300m return).

Cathedral Gorge: Situated approximately 12 kilometres west north west of Newman, an iron ore mining town on the Great Northern Highway. Although not large, its spectacular layers of iron banded shale and rugged, craggy rock formations that are forever changing colour, make a beautiful backdrop for the leafy foliage of the trees and shrubs in that area.

Yampire Gorge:  A gorge you can drive through, passing by the white/grey trunks of the ghost gums which stand out majestically into the night like sentinels keeping guard. A great place to experience the 'Sound of Silence'. Driving through the gorge you can see blue flecks of asbestos within the rock. Remember that the dust from asbestos is deadly so do not disturb these rocks and avoid breathing in the dust.

Wittenoom Gorge: This gorge, with its Blue Asbestos Mine (right) once owned by Hancock and Wright and operated by CSR and the town of Wittenoom it was associated with, helped put the Hamersely Ranges on the map. The mine has been closed since 1966 and Wittenoom is now close to being a ghost town, but the magnificent gorge is still there to drive up and enjoy. As a safety precaution against the fine asbestos dust found in the gorge, it is advisable to keep windows of your vehicle closed when passing through the gorge.

Hamersley Gorge: Features a dramatic wave of tectonic rock which forms a spectacular, angular backdrop to a pleasant swimming hole and natural spa.

The Park is the traditional homeland of the Banyjima, Kurrama and Innawonga Aboriginal people. The Banyjima name for the Hamersley Range is Karijini. Evidence of their early occupation dates back more than 20,000 years. During that period, Aboriginal land management practices such as 'fire stick farming', resulting in a diversity of vegetation types and stages of succession, have helped determine the nature of the plants and animals found in the park today.

Millstream: an enchanting tropical oasis amongst the red dust of the Pilbara, on the road between the Hamersley Ranges and the coast. Thousands of birds flock to this delightful spot, where ferns, palms and rushes grow in abundance. Clear, soft water from an underground aquifer creates a lush freshwater swimming spot at Chinderwarriner Pool, with over 36 million litres of water produced daily. The adjacent Chichester Ranges contain sediment-capped basalt ranges. It has rolling hills, hummocks of spinifex, white barked snappy gums on the uplands, and pale coolabahs along the water course.

The Best Time to Visit: Being situated just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, the climate here can best be described as tropical semi-desert. A highly variable, mainly summer rainfall of 250-350 mm, often associated with thunderstorms and cyclones, is accompanied by temperatures frequently topping 40 degrees Celsius. Winter days are warm and clear, but nights are cold and sometimes frosty. The ideal times to visit the park is between July and October.

Related feature: Waterfalls of Karijini National Park

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Karijini National Park
Karijini National Park
Detailed visitors map
Millstream
Canyoning in Karijini NP

Where Is It?: Western Australia: North West/Pilbara