Mt. Meherry & Karijini, Pilbara

Having left Port Hedland, driving 3 hours, we find Auski Roadhouse on the right hand side – the only place to fuel the car, get some news, have a trucker’s dinner and a local meat up (max. 30 habitants here). Auski R. is housing mine workers (iron), coming from all over Australia and guys like us, occasionaly driving by, in need for a place to park the car and ourselves for the night. Wonderful to ”dress up” (meaning a bit of water under the arms, a comb through the hair, changing the sweaty top) and go to the ”restaurant” to have a real western roast.

Turning right 40 k’ south, a sign ”road closed - no unauthorized entrance permitted” (no worries: we HAD called the Visitor Center and wasn’t told not to force that gate) mets us, who puts the focus on an exhilerating challenge for the next day, climbing Mount Meharry by 4WD on a rugged and steep path to the top, makes your blood flow a little faster and your heart beat for sure. What an experience, we nearly got stocked half the way up. Miss Brizie hang on some stones, and we have to use the jack and a shovel, lifting the car, digging red gravel and throwing stones under, getting her clear of the rocks. One hours work in the midday sun (43 degrees) – water, patience, water, hope and finally YES: Water and a kiss – we succeeded. Mount Meherry is the highest point in WA (1249 metres), and from the top the view is absolute breathtaking.

Entering Karijini National Park at the end of the day, staying at Dales Camp together with 1 billion flies, cooking  and enjoying the sunset we go asleep under the stars, looking forward to Floresque Falls the next morning at Dales Gorge.  The falls are reached by following a path from the car park, negotiating steps and a narrow trail down – stunning view of cliffs and splashing drops. Nice. Another short walk into a cute little rainforest, descending the steps down a steep slope to the bottom at the gorge,  we have a morning swim in a fern pool. Very refreshing and beautiful.

Walking back to the car, we pass a joyfull group of travellers exited of what to come. But just about to leave Dales, a girl from the group comes running, looking very scared and confused as if she’s searching for help. Sorrowly she whisperes: ”Please help, we’ve got someone drowned and we can’t dive that deep to get him up. The tour guide is totally shocked, and we can’t get through to the authorities”.

Thank God, we have the satellite telephone, working properly, and we manage to keep focused on the practical issues, getting the rangers and the police involved, offering the group of mainly young people  a drink, some shadow and shoulders to cry on.

2 hours later we’ve reported the facts to the managing ranger and our assistance is no longer needed, so we silently head on to the west coast. The police hasn’t yet arrived from Tom Price, 100 kilometres away.  We meet the rescue team coming towards us ten minutes later without,  emergency lights on and no high speed, leaving us in a sad sad mood the rest of the day.

We still enjoy our travelling – Life is beautiful, but we feel very sorry for the man who died, his relatives and his travelmates.  

As we went safely through the deserted areas we have delievered our satellite phone.

If you need to contact us, then try our mobiles or our australian number:

+61 0429982831.

Cheers from Peter and Charlotte, now travelling down the Ningaloo Reef