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East Pilbara Diversion

Difficulty: Trek rating 3 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 3 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 3 of 5 - Click for details   Suitable for: 4WD 
A great alternative trip avoiding the highways that is both a shortcut and very scenic. Shay Gap to Marble Bar and then along the Ripon Hills and Skull Springs loop around Carrawine Gorge and Eel Pool.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesEighty Mile Beach Caravan Park
FinishNewman
Distance793.87 kmMinimum Days3
Average Speed70.18 km/hrDriving Time11 hours 18 mins
Article By: ExplorOz Team   Updated: 13 Mar 2008
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 Description

The Pilbara region is one of the oldest landscapes on earth. It covers a vast area of magnificent ranges, gorges and deserts. The Pilbara is generally accessed by two major road arteries - the North West Coastal Highway, which is best for accessing the west of the region and the fringing coastline of the Gascoyne or the Great Northern Highway, which passes through Newman in the east of the region.

This Trek Note however, explores the east side of the Pilbara via the Shay Gap offroad track departing the North West Coastal Highway near Eighty Mile Beach (east of Port Hedland). The route then traverses through abandoned mining settlements, remote gorges, and remote tracks to the east of Marble Bar, Nullagine and Newman. This has long been an area with idyllic campsites, however Cyclone Faye in early 2004 has made a devastating effect on Eel Pool (Running Waters) and the campsites at Carrawine Gorge.

(Note - further east of the Telfer Road you can access Australia's most remote National Park - Rudall River and even further east along the Wapet Track pick up the Canning Stock Route trek note near Well 33 and the Kunawarritji Aboriginal Community (fuel, supplies).

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East Pilbara Diversion Help

From: Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park
To: Newman

Distance: 793.87 km
Direction: 193 °
Average Speed: 70.18 km/hr
Travel Time: 11 hours 18 mins

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 Permits

None - unless you wish to fossick around the Nullagine area.

 Things to See & Do

Nullagine - WA   RatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Point of Interest
Nullagine is a former goldming town located on the Great Northern Highway. It is 1186 km north of Perth and 189km north of Newman. Nullagine is the local Aboriginal name for the river that runs through the centre of the town. Nullagine was caught up in the Pilbara Goldrush in the 1880s and 1890s. In 1902 Nullagine was the site of Australia's first discovery of diamonds.
Eel Pool - WA   
Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Free Point of Interest
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Carawine Gorge - WA   
Gorge Camp Free Point of Interest
Located on the Oakover River and not far from Woodie Woodie. Bitumen road to within 15 kilometres and then an easy gravel track in. Once there it is a sand bed to get close to the water hole. Best camping down to the right now that the trees are gone.
Tumbinna Pool - WA   
Water Body,River,Stream,Falls 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Two Sisters - WA   
Mountain,Peak,Hill 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Easily accessible gorges, great camping, good views, mining ruins, fossicking.

 Preparation

Fuel Supplies & Usage

Fuel SymbolMarble Bar, Nullagine, Newman Diesel4cyl 111 litres ULP4cyl 128 litres LPG4cyl 159 litres
6cyl 122 litres6cyl 181 litres *6cyl 140 litres
8cyl 124 litres8cyl 132 litres
Usage is averaged from TrekFuel (* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.
There is also fuel available at 80 Mile Beach Caravan Park.

Best Time To Visit

Closest Climatic Station

Pardoo Station
Distance from Trek Mid Point 173.79km N
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 36.435.436.135.3 31.628.327.930.0 32.635.336.636.0
Mean Min. °C 25.825.824.421.5 17.314.812.813.6 16.019.621.924.9
Mean Rain mm 59.674.864.020.0 25.227.19.75.1 2.80.83.323.1
    Best time to travel      Ok time to travel      Travel NOT recommended

Services & Supplies

The following locations have various services and supplies: Marble Bar, Nullagine, Newman
80 Mile Beach Caravan Park sell a good range of food supplies, Marble Bar has a small store (not open Sundays) and Nullagine has a small supermarket.

 Camp Sites & Accommodation

Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park - WA   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Caravan Park 
Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park is located on the beachfront between Port Hedland and Broome, and is an ideal stopover on this long stretch of road. Eighty Mile Beach is famous for it's fishing and shell collecting. Experience the magnificent sunsets, sunrises and re-charge your batteries by enjoying peace and solitude!
Marble Bar - WA   RatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park River Crossing Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Mine Food,Shopping Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Marble Bar, is a town and rock formation in the Pilbara region of north-western Western Australia. It is well known for its extremely hot weather.The town was officially gazetted in 1893 following the discovery of gold in the area in 1890. The name Marble Bar was derived from a nearby jasper bar, known as Marble Bar, which runs across the bed of the Coongan River.
Nullagine - WA   RatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Point of Interest
Nullagine is a former goldming town located on the Great Northern Highway. It is 1186 km north of Perth and 189km north of Newman. Nullagine is the local Aboriginal name for the river that runs through the centre of the town. Nullagine was caught up in the Pilbara Goldrush in the 1880s and 1890s. In 1902 Nullagine was the site of Australia's first discovery of diamonds.
Eel Pool - WA   
Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Free Point of Interest
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Newman - WA   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Mine Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Carawine Gorge - WA   
Gorge Camp Free Point of Interest
Located on the Oakover River and not far from Woodie Woodie. Bitumen road to within 15 kilometres and then an easy gravel track in. Once there it is a sand bed to get close to the water hole. Best camping down to the right now that the trees are gone.

 Environment

The Pilbara region can be divided into 3 distinct areas: a large coastal plain, inland ranges and an arid desert region extending into Australia’s dry centre (which on ExplorOz we categorise as the Western Deserts).

The Pilbara is predominantly arid, with high temperatures, low and variable rainfall and high evaporation. The temperate averages 25°C in winter to 32°C in summer. The north-west of the region is influenced by the summer monsoon, bringing cyclones. The town of Marble Bar in the eastern Pilbara actually holds the record for the longest hot spell in the world with 160 days over 30°C. It is commonly referred to as "Australia's hottest town".

The Pilbara is one of a handful of locations in the world where rocks older than 3.2 billion years are preserved at the surface of the Earth. Geologists call the period they were formed the "Early Archaean". No-one knows for sure when life first began on Earth, but looking at the rocks of the Pilbara, scientists have found signs that life may have been present when the rocks were deposited - 3.2 billion years ago. The best signs currently available include structures known as stromatolites or "layered rocks" of which there are numerous sites in the Pilbara.

 History

Based on archaeological evidence, it is believed that thirty distinct socio-linguistic Aboriginal groups lived in the Pilbara region prior to European settlement.

Although Dutch explorers visited the Pilbara coastline in the early 1600s, settlement of the Pilbara region did not occur until the 1860s, some 30 years after the colonisation of Perth. Pastoralism and prospecting dominated the region’s economy for about 100 years. The Pilbara was declared a "Goldfield" in 1888 with prospectors flocking to Bamboo Creek, Marble Bar and the Nullagine fields.

In 1968 the introduction of a pastoral award meant farmers could not afford to pay full wages to the station workers. This resulted in a massive movement of Aboriginal people away from the inland stations to the coastal towns.

Almost every imaginable mineral has been found and mined in the Pilbara region, peaking with the nickel and iron boom times of the 1960s and 70s which resulted in the establishment of nine new towns - Dampier, Tom Price, Paraburdoo, South Hedland, Newman, Wickham, Pannawonica, Goldsworthy (now closed) and Shay Gap (now closed).

In the 1960s and 1970s, discoveries of oil and natural gas off the north west shelf were also made, and in the 70’s and 80’s the development of these resources expanded the region’s economy and population enormously.

Today, tourism is playing an ever-increasing role in the regions economy.

 Driving Directions

Time
Direction
Distance
Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park to Great Northern Hwy & Boreline Rd 60.01 km SW 243° 41 min
Great Northern Hwy & Boreline Rd to Marble Bar 170.22 km S 200° 2 hr 6 min
Marble Bar to Marble Bar Pool 3.69 km W 256° 3 min
Marble Bar Pool to Marble Bar 3.69 km E 76° 3 min
Marble Bar to Tumbinna Pool 83.14 km E 95° 1 hr 3 min
Tumbinna Pool to Nullagine River Camping 0.52 km NE 62°
Nullagine River Camping to Carawine Gorge 89.39 km SE 117° 1 hr 8 min
Carawine Gorge to Two Sisters 25.46 km E 96° 26 min
Two Sisters to Eel Pool 28.84 km S 180° 28 min
Eel Pool to Nullagine 138.21 km W 258° 2 hr 40 min
Nullagine to Jimblebar Junction 173.44 km S 189° 1 hr 56 min
Jimblebar Junction to Newman 17.26 km SW 247° 13 min
Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park to Newman 793.87 km     11 hr 18 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.

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