Fri, 30th Sept, 2022 Info Centre carpark, Newman to Rest area near Hamersley Gorge, Karijini National Park, WA

Light rain through the night but sun shining through the clouds this morning.

Packed up and headed out to the highway that heads to Port Hedland.

Saw on the Hema we were approaching Cathedral Gorge but when we got there it was just the cutting through the hills!

Through spinifex and red rock hills with only a few trees. Then onto flat ground with red dirt and scrub with the hills in the distance on each side.

Stopped at Mt Robinson (part of Hamersley Range) for morning tea. We camped here on a previous visit. Nice spot well back from the road and there is a small creek and gorge to wander up which we did back then but it wasn’t very exciting!

A couple pulled in and put their bonnet up so Steve went to investigate. The car has gone into limp mode so he got out the scan tool and it didn’t show any fault but it reset and they were good to go again.

Still cool and grey with lots of low clouds. Not quite the weather for gorges and beaches but the forecast is for sunny skies in a day or two.

Continued on enjoying all the different hill shapes.

Turned off onto Karijini Drive. Passed the turn off to Dales Gorge etc that we enjoyed exploring on our last visit. This section of road we haven’t been on so I can mark it off on my map!

Mt Bruce stands out, 2^nd highest mountain in WA at 1235m. The tallest is Mt Meharry at 1250m which was near Mt Robinson but I missed it.

We turned onto a dirt track for 3.2km to the carpark for the Mt Bruce walk up the other side of the mountain. It is in the National Park and there is a small sign by the road saying, No Camping, rangers check! Corrugated of course and we had put more air in the tyres for the bitumen so it was a bumpy little ride in.

Parked up and had lunch then put on our sandshoes for the short walk to the lookout. Only 600m, will have to skip the others - what a shame! Some nice pictures of the views on the sign.

Up the path. Nice view across to another hill - no name and the others in the Hamersley Range.

Lots of flowers everywhere.

The two signs at the lookout are old and you can’t see the pictures.

View over the Marandoo Mine site which was excised from the national park in 1991. Looks like a shower of rain is coming.

We continued along the track to the top of the rise. Following the man in the ‘flanny’ - the wind is a bit cool but it didn’t take long to warm up going straight up the hill!

Better view of the mine.

Others are on the trail further along.

Zoomed in on the hills on the other side in the range as the sun shines on them.

Nice photo opportunity with the flowers and the hill.

Back down to the camper as spits of rain fall but only a few. Drove back out to the main road then along a bit to the turn off to Hamersley Gorge. Dirt again but a smoother road.

On our left is large areas of green pasture and huge water irrigators then piles of hay bales. Obviously plenty of water from the bore field near the mine.

Lots of vans passing us then a bus pulls us up and says that the gorge is closed due to a fire. Steve decided to continue on and check it out as we were nearly there. No fires or smoke as we turn into the unofficial camping area which I think was a truck set down area as there are big tyres and drums lying about. We spotted a couple of caravans so obviously the fire isn’t really a problem. Pulled in between some trees away from the spinifex, just in case.

Had a cuppa, bit cool outside with the overcast sky though there is a patch of blue to the west.

Rick rang for a chat which was great. The NP ranger drove around informing all the campers that the gorge will be closed tomorrow due to the fire. I said we didn’t see any smoke but he wouldn’t comment. At least there is no threat here.

Scuds of rain drops go over now and then.

Tom and Sandy rang as I liked a photo he posted on Facebook of a lightning strike in Meeka. Looking forward to seeing them in December.

Steve flogged me at Skipbo again while we had drinks inside. Might have to partner with him again Tom and Sandy since he is winning all the time. Normally its the girls versus the boys - who usually win!

Kept the windows closed from last night and it is cool again. I had folded the blanket up but will pull it out again! Started another DVD series on Chernobyl that Virginia gave us.