Saturday 1st June – Karijini National Park

Big breakfast (we needed to use the bacon), then off to the Visitors Centre (which was still closed at 8:30 am.  It’s quite cool this morning (11 degrees C and an icy wind).  To warm up we decided to do the Kalamina Gorge walk instead of waiting.  We’re back on gravel in this part of the park and the road is quite corrugated in places

Kalimana Gorge

Kalamina Gorge is another lovely walk.  As you climb into the gorge there’s a pool being fed by a small waterfall.  The walk then heads downstream alongside and crossing the stream.  A bit of rock hopping required but quite an easy walk.

Junction Lookout

Next was Junction Lookout, a spot where 4 gorges meet – an amazing view.  Large columns left by the erosion – slices of shale packed up sitting on one another.  Oxer lookout a short distance away gives another view of this amazing spot.

Weano Gorge

Desert Rose

After lunch in the car park (no dilly dallying as it was too cold) we climbed to the valley floor in Weano Gorge.  To go further downstream you would need to wade – not something anyone was keen to do today.  We walked a few hundred metres upstream, past a lovely pool and waterfall.  There’s much more vegetation on the floor of this gorge.

Heading back towards Dale’s we had a quick look at the Eco Retreat but it didn’t jump out at us and say you must stay here ($38 per night compared to $6 at Dale’s but you do get showers for that price.)

Joffrey Falls

Joffrey Falls were very spectacular.  From the lookout you look up the gorge towards the falls.  The cliffs and the falls are amazing as they are shale layers – something quite different.

The last lookout was at Knox Falls – another beautiful spot looking down on the red gorge walls.  By this time of day we probably didn’t do it justice as we were a bit keen to get back to the visitors centre before it closed at 4 pm.

And what an amazing spot this is.  The visitors centre is built from rusty steel to blend in with the natural environment – and it does.  Bought a book a few post cards and a T shirt.

Back to camp for an Italian night – Pizzas cooked on the barbecue, pasta and red wine.  What more could you want.