Saturday 30 July – Newman
After a very quiet night's sleep I
worke to dawn on the harbour – beautiful colours! Apparently there
are 17 loading docks for the huge ships waiting off shore and we
watched 3 of them coming in by the time we left. The iron ore is
delivered in trains more than 200 carriages long with multiple pairs
of engines to move them. Whilst loading the bus we watched schools of
flying fish darting about in the bay.
From Port Headland we drove south
towards Newman. Our first stop was just a parking bay (no toilets)
for morning tea where we found some unfamiliar flowers.
Then on the Auski Roadhouse in the NE
corner of Karijini National Park for lunch. It was amazing to watch
the huge trucks with 4 trailers moving the iron ore to port. There
were not so many grey nomads on this stretch of road.
After lunch we pulled off at the Albert
Tognolini Lookout. Lots more wildflowers and fantastic views. The
scenery is different to any we have seen so far with hills and gorges
and very different vegetation.
On then to Newman by 5 ish. Joan and I
went straight to the laundry and now have clothes lines strung all
over the room again as we are here for 2 nights so there is time to
dry it all.
Sunday 31 July
Up with the alarm at 6:30 am and after
breakfast we all headed to church in Newman. The BCA couple who had
come to dinner last night led the service. The people were all very
friendly and quite a cultural mix. They were very happy to have so
many visitors and put on a huge spread for lunch. It was a really
happy gathering with kids everywhere. Because it is a mining town the
population is quite young so there are not many grandparents around.
We then had an hour or so off until it
was time to board the bus for a drive up to Radio Hill lookout and
then to the Mt Whaleback mine visitor centre. There we donned our
hard hats, safety glasses and high-viz vests and boarded another bus
to be taken up to the mine lookout. The open cut mine is the largest
in the world at 5.5 km long and 2 km wide. It is so huge that no
photo can do it justice.
Just as we were leaving they blasted a
new section so we were quite lucky to actually see the plume of red
dust and soon after hear the boom that shook the bus and apparently
also the windows in the visitor centre below.
Back down to the motel to have a bit of
free time before dinner and some packing ready to leave tomorrow.
Monday 1 August
We woke to a cold wind this morning and
people were all rugged up in jackets for the day. We first travelled
south 9 km to the Tropic of Capricorn for a photo in the freezing
wind and for the first time we were eager to get back on the bus as
it was more pleasant than outside. It is usually too hot until the
air con kicks in.
We then headed north again stopping at
Mt Robinson picnic area for morning tea. We found a lovely sheltered
walk up into the gorge where there were a group of tiny Redthroat
birds feeding in the low trees.
Our next destination was Karijini
National Park visitor centre which had some great displays about the
area, its history and natural history.
At Dales Gorge there was a good (but
windy) picnic area and time to walk down to Circular Pool lookout and
Fortesque Falls lookout. The depth of the gorge from the lookouts was
so breathtaking it was quite scary.
While having lunch two Spinifex Doves
came in for crumbs then two Pied Butcherbirds came in (probably for
Spinifex Doves or bbq left overs).
We then headed west through some very
stunning scenery, getting to Tom Price in time for Allan to get a
permit for tomorrow's drive north along the railway line to
Karratha.
The rooms at the motel are good and I
got onto wifi at the visitor centre to learn a little more about
downloading maps to my phone for use offline. Next time I am on wifi
I'll know more about what to do.
Tuesday 2 August
We woke early to a cool wind and I had
time before breakfast to walk to the visitor centre, access their
wifi and download a map of the area. One was too large and I had to
get back for breakfast but I'm learning more each day.
Today's drive through the Hammersley
Range was along the railway line towards Karratha. 155 km of this was
on a private road for which a permit is required and is all dirt.
All the way along we “played tag” with an ore train that had 3
front egines and 240 carriages. He even stopped for morning tea when
we did. This part of the trip has very much a rusty theme – huge
rusty mountain ranges, wide rusty plains and lots of very large rusty
trains and trucks.
After this road we headed into the
Millstream Chichester National Park and had lunch at Python Pool.
What a very special place! Carol, Gill and I walked in to the pool
before the others finished their lunch and just sat in silence. It
was quite awe inspiring.
The whole of the National Park was
basically treeless and we had some fantastic views of the wide open
plains. The countryside is in fact very green (well grey-green) and
lush after good rains.
Eventually we got onto Highway 1 and
headed west again for a quick look at Roebourne and then to Karratha
and straight to hospital to get an xray on Ralph's wrist before
closing time. He had fallen a few days ago and the wirst was quite
swollen. Apparently he has 2 breaks and it is now securely strapped.
On then to the motel to settle in
before dinner and our talk by the local BCA workers. This meant that
we were a bit later to bed but I did get some hand-washing done.
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