From Tom Price to Karijini NP: Exploring the Majestic Landscapes of the Pilbara Region

The Warlu Way, a series of touring routes through the stunning Pilbara region of mid west WA, led me inland 500km towards what some claim to be the jewel in the crown of the Pilbara, Karijini NP. These routes ( four in total ) are an insight towards the local Indigenous peoples ways, responsibilities and connection to country, it also acknowledges our respect to their areas and culture.

My journey was along the inland route that started at Nanutarra Roadhouse off the NW coastal highway and headed 350km east towards Tom Price. It’s a beautiful drive across to the huge mining area of Tom Price with spinifex-covered hills and weathered-down mesa plateaus. I wasn’t expecting much at Tom Price but was pleasantly surprised with its tree-lined streets and modern shopping area. Purposely built in the late 1960s by Hammersley Iron as a mining town after huge amounts of Iron Ore was discovered, it is now owned and run by the Ashburton shire.

It’s a modern town with up-to-date facilities for the FIFO miners, local families and the hundreds of tourists that stop in year to year. The best place in town to get a heads up is the tourist info centre that can help with mine tours, passes for the railway access roads and the National Parks that surround the area.

Owned by Rio Tinto, The Mount Tom Price mine produces 28 million tonnes of ore per year and is one of the largest open-cut mines in the world. The 1400km rail system that connects the mines to the port of Dampier where the ore is processed is the largest privately owned rail system in the world. These massive trains are 2.5km long and can weigh up to 30,000 tonnes, and alongside them are rail access roads that are open to the public who hold a permit. These are available online and from the visitor centre.

Armed with a handful of information I headed 4km south from town for an epic 4wd drive. Mount Nameless ( or Jarndunmunha ) is the highest drivable peak in WA at 1128 metres above sea level. Not recommended for trailers it’s a bit of a complex 4WD track, where it’s steep, off-camber, rocky and loose, making it a great challenge to the top of the summit.

This flat-topped mass of rock is around 500 million years old and is said to be part of one of the oldest landscapes in the world. The combination of wind and rain has eroded the surrounding areas down to where it is today, ending with some of the most dramatic and stunning landscapes in the country. But don’t be fooled, the Pilbara is also a harsh and demanding landscape, especially during the warmer months.

From the top, it has the best overall view of the massive mine workings, rail system and township of Tom Price. The vast Pilbara landscape seems to go forever when you are viewing it from the highest point in WA. Endless spinifex plateaus with weathered gorges cut through them after generations of rain and wind, this is one special place to visit when near Tom Price.

A short 45-minute drive to the east is the second largest NP in WA, claimed to be 2.5 billion years old and is the world heritage-listed Karijini National Park. Part of the massive Hamersley Range that was discovered in 1861, Karijini sits midway just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. This tropical semi-desert area experiences yearly rainfalls of 300mm but cyclones from the coast can move across making for dramatic waterfalls cascading over 100m high gorge walls and changing the present landscape.

The Cambridge Dictionary describes the Wow Factor as “ a quality or feature of something that makes people feel great with excitement or admiration”, Karijini has all this and more. Most of Karijini is off-limits to the public, but there are 5 gorge areas to explore, a multitude of walks, swimming holes and lookouts.

Hammersley Gorge to the north has a steep walk to the base of the gorge where there are several pools to swim in when the weather is warm. Hammersley is the lone gorge 60km away from the park's main entrance, but it's worth the short drive to see the pools and twisted iron-banded rock that was once part of an ancient sea bed.

In fact, that’s what makes Karijini so special, as when Iron and Silica-rich sediments fell on the sea floor they were transformed by pressure and eventually turned into tough bedrock. Volcanic activity in the area compressed horizontally causing the rock to buckle and forcing it through the surface.

Heading up Banjima Road to the Karijini Eco Resort area, you can explore several more of the gorges, lookouts and walking trails plus stay at the resort. Joffre and Weano gorges are simply stunning where hikers crisscross the creeks, often walking in the water to access the path, some of these gorges have raw blue asbestos fibres exposed in the rock wall and it wouldn’t be a good day if you touched them.

Not far away at Wittenoom, a large asbestos mine was in operation for many years. The mine has since shut, and works are underway to rehabilitate the mine and township.

One of the most spectacular gorges in the area is Hancock Gorge which leads to Kermit Pool. This is known for its narrow-cut gorge where hikers need to spider walk along the wet and slippery rocks, entailing both hands on opposite rock walls and using your feet to grab traction. The reward at the end is a 3-metre deep and very cold plunge into the Kermit pool.

The sun only shines into these chasms for a short time during the day and with the constant running water, it just never gets a chance to warm up. When the rains come, the water flows across the dry arid plains, into Karijini chasms and eventually into the massive Fortescue water system.

On the far eastern side of Karijini is the Dales camping area which is a great place to set up as a base for a few days and explore the surrounding walks, waterfalls and pools. Heading deep into the gorges they provide a cool refreshing retreat from the midday sun and where any time of the day the sun reflects different light off the red cliff walls.

Karijini is the traditional home for the Banyjima, Innawonga and Kurrama Aboriginal people with the Banyjima name for Hamersley Range being Karijini. Local Aboriginal people are deeply involved with Karijini land practices and management, protecting the drivers range of plants and animals in the park.

Scratching the surface of Karijini National Park and Tom Price, there’s so much more to see and do with many more lookouts and hikes, driving the rail access roads, star gazing and so much more. This is one special part of our country where mining operations, Aboriginal history and tourism walk a fine line to exist.

WHERE

Tom Price and Karijini NP are 1400 km north of Perth. Dubbed 'Top Town in Western Australia’ Tom Price is 747 m above sea level, making it the highest town in WA. Karijini’s landscape is estimated to be 2.5 billion years old with its deep red-cut gorges and is the second largest park in WA where it covers 627,440 ha.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO

Karijini is a place where you can journey back in time to discover deep ruggered and ancient gorges that have been eroded over time. There are stunning walking trails to secluded waterholes surrounded by lush ferns, and also through crystal clear streams into deep ravines where layered red rock lines the walls.

After rains, Pilbara grasses come to life, yellow wattle and purple wildflowers bloom alongside the iconic Sturt desert pea. Across at Tom Price, there’s a mine tour to gauge the massive operations in place, 4wd to the highest point in WA and explore the mining history in town. Karijini closes during the summer period due to excessive heat and the possibility of rain storms and potential cyclones. Winter is the ideal time to hit the hiking trails and explore, with warm days and cool nights but be prepared for cold swimming.

OTHER INFO

Karijini Visitor Centre is the best place to start where staff can advise you of the top places to visit, whether it be adventuring or accommodation options. Contactable on 0891898121 and also online www.exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/site/karijini-visitor-centre.

Tom Price has a comprehensive visitor info centre right in the heart of town where they can advise you on the National Parks surrounding the town, mine tour bookings and also rail access passes to travel on the rail access roads. Online at www.westernaustralia.com/au/visitorcentre/tom-price-visitor-centre and also by phone at  08 9188 5488