We got picked up at 12.30pm from our camp site to go on a 4WD tour up into the Hamersley Gorge. About an hours drive out from Tom Price. As you see below we couldn’t do a self drive in the van on the rough roads. We were very lucky as the roads were still closed today after all the rain they have had in this area over the last week. But the company ‘Go West’ had permission to use the roads per favour of Rio Tinto, the owners of the land and railway lines. But private traffic wasn’t allowed. We soon left the sealed road and hit the dirt red rock outback roads. The bus was very comfortable and handled it well. Finally arrived and we were taken to a lookout extending a little looking straight down into the gorge. Wow what a site it looked amazing. But I was thinking we had to walk all the way down there which meant we had to walk all the way back. I was told that it was all quite an easy walk but found out it was level four on the steps and level five over the rocks below. The scale of walking levels in this area graded on a 1 to 5, five being the hardest. Anyway got to the bottom of the gorge. Beautiful all the different colours in the rock. The area was divided up into separate pool levels the lower pool then another pool up a level then another which ended up into what they call the spa bath which had a waterfall flowing into it. After three hours down in the bottom of the gorge we climbed out up to the top again. Got into the bus and we were taken along the road to a picnic area for coffee/tea/hot chocolate whatever you preferred. Back into the bus for our journey back to camp. Arriving back about five and straight in to have a hot shower. Pretty tired muscles by now. It was really enjoyable. So pleased we did it.
These parrots were hanging around our van while we were having breakfast. They were so tame they just walked right up to me probably hoping for some crumbs. So then they just sat up on the top of this post looking down on us.
As you can see it’s a beautiful day for our tour. Just pottered around all morning cleaning and tiding up the van.
On the van and on our way. You can see why we couldn’t do this in our van.
Zoomed in on the above photo looking down on the lower pool
This is a close up of the top photo on the left.
These next few photos are close ups of the side of the gorge walls
Where the lower pond flows out above and below
Top end of the lower pool
A close up of the rocks above
Second level pool at the top of the rocks above.
Our team walking up the stairs in the background to the third level pool. Above people sitting around the second level pool.
Looking through the rocks to the second level.
I was sitting on the rocks looking back over the first level pool.
Still looking over lower pool
It was a lot harder climbing up these rocks than it looks. Had to hang onto the higher rocks and pull yourself up. Hard work.
Another angle of the second level pool
Now at the third level pool at bottom left. The hole in the rock at the top is what they call the ‘spa’ which has a waterfall flowing into it.
Close up looking into the spa above and below. Notice the difference in the colour of the stone at top spa pool
We made it back up to the top lots of steps. The driver organised afternoon tea for us tea/coffee or hot chocolate and biscuits.
Our team on the tour.
Above and below we have one of Rio Tinto’s trains. Interesting as our driver explained that the trains (2 engines) pulled 250 trucks down to Port Hedland. Each complete train is worth five million dollars which works out at at $20,000 per truck of iron ore. There are several complete trains every day. Rio Tinto owns the engines and carriages and all the railway lines. What an amazing set up.
Back on the sealed road and were dropped of at camp about 5.00pm
. Straight in to have a hot shower after a wonderful trip to the Hamersley Gorge.
We may be out of range tomorrow (Thursday) so possibly won’t get a blog away tomorrow.
The red earth and the rock layers really are amazing! When you think of the millions of years they have been there and the people that have crawled all over them, they would have a fair few stories to tell. Its all just so different to anything we see in NZ. I initially thought those parrots were carvings!. Even the parrots are red bellied like the earth and rocks around them. :) So PT wasn't up for a swim I take it. I must admit those pools didn't look overly inviting.
ReplyDeleteHi Guys good to hear from you. Yes I love all the red rocks, iron ore, I think I over do the photos on them but find them interesting. No the water didn’t look inviting but people come from miles to swim there and they did look worst than normal with all the rain they had before we arrived. Those Parrot’s were so tame and very pretty.
ReplyDelete