An Avoidable Disaster in the Karijini National Park

Mt Whaleback, so named for obvious reasons, passed us by soon after we left Newman. We were looking forward to Dales Gorge in Karijini NP and hoped to camp there, although we knew the demand on their sites would be great and as they encouraged on line advance booking we were prepared to be unlucky.

Unfortunate was an event that happened close by here just a few weeks ago when, as you will have heard, Rio Tinto blew up a site of immense Aboriginal and anthropological importance in the name of iron ore extraction. Two caves containing the pictorial history of the earliest known human activity blasted off the face of the red earth. In 2008 a law was passed that the mining of such sites was to be done only with the agreement of the land title holders, but the law did not mention any subsequent sites that might be discovered. Juukan Gorge in the Hamersley Range of Mountains near Mt Meharry was discovered in 2013 so the management of Rio Tinto allegedly knew there was no legal reason why they should not go ahead.

The boss apologised, not for the wilful destruction but instead for any upset it might have caused. There are many young engineers and scientists who would like a career in mining but are put off by the ruthless, arrogant and culturally bereft mind-set of the old school directors.

We were outnumbered by 4x4s at the Dales Gorge car park. I thought you’d like to know that the Mingkiri Sandy Inland Mouse smells better than the common house mouse.

The Gorge itself and its pools were a delightful place to spend a couple of hours. The first, Circular Pool  was inaccessible from the rim where we stood looking down on the cold water. But a short walk and a new metal stairway took us down to Fortescue pool and falls where many folk were cooling of in the water and shady spots and some walked the entire trail along to Circular Pool. We had in our minds the need to find a campsite by four o’clock to give us time to pitch the tent at a leisurely pace since the Dales Gorge Campsite was indeed fully booked; frustrating when you think an unknown number of those who had booked would not turn up anyway.

We walked the opposite direction along the Gorge floor to Jubura, The Fern Pool along a rugged level pathway that has been trod since the dawn of man, and woman of course. To one side was the rocky wall of the gorge formed when two continents, the Pilbara and the Yilgarn, collided forming the Hamersley Range. Above us black fruit bats rested upside down in the euclip trees and a sign politely requested we treated this sacred place with a little respect keeping noise to a minimum and using the stainless steel ladder for a gentle entry into the refreshing water. We hadn’t expected such a beautiful place and didn’t have our swimmers with us; so we sat on a friendly trunk and enjoyed the lovely ancient atmosphere of the place.

Back on the road we passed more of the Flooding signs that tell us this vast area can see water levels rise from zilch to two metres when a monsoon rainstorm hits, imagine that, we’d float away!

We arrived at the Auski Roadhouse, (of perpetual light) where a young man showed us where to camp on grass. That was quite an experience, behind us mine workers, men and women used rows of ensuite cabins when they came off their day or night shift. The road trains also stopped for rest and recuperation well into the night. Floodlights lit the area all night and a very loud, ear plug busting generator ran 24/7 near us and just behind a massive pile of used tyres snazzily hidden behind a beautiful bougainvillea. We were totally comfortable and near the loo and shower block but could I sleep through the generator noise even with ear plugs. I did dream the oddest dreams about being entrapped, but they were uneasy and I was relieved it was Rob’s turn to drive the next day. Bless him.