pilbara travel recommendations

So many questions,

Here are some answers

Not much of Franscis PEron Nat park is accessible by car,

Carnarvon to Mt Augustus is possible by car. The road from Mt Augustus north to Tom Price is through some desolate area and doesnt see much traffic. Being a hire car (they are made in better factories than normal cars) it might be okay if dry. I travelled it last year and it was okay but conditions can change.

It might be better to go from Mt Augustus over to Meekatharra nd then up to Newman, this road is okay for a car. Alternative the woodlands road from Mt Auustus runs east and meets the Highway between Meeka and Newman. I have no idea what this road is like however it is the wet weather access road for Mt Augustus so it should be okay.

The Tom Price railway rd is not recommended for Cars, last year the old dirt main road was in better condition.

Karijini, you can see the main sights in one day, but why? You have come so far spend at least 2 days and 1 night.

Tyres- If you stay on roads, keep the speed down, check and adjust pressures, should n't be to much of a problem. But being hire cars you wont have any idead of what abuse they have already had.

There are probably other people here who can help with other questions.

Alan

How many weeks have you set aside for this? How old are the kids? Allow 12hrs Perth - Newman. Set aside 1 day for sightseeing around Newman - mine tour etc. Allow 2 days (minimum) for the Newman - Karajini bit. Newman to Marble Bar not a problem - coruugated but what road isn't in WA. You will need to spend a night in Marble Bar anyway (remember the kids?). Marble Bar to Port Hedland sealed and easy - to Broome allow 5hrs. 4 days in Broome should be sufficient. 80mile good for 2 days of absolute relaxation (you will wish you had a 4wd). Down the coast drop into Onslow (forget Port Hedland/Dampier/Karratha - they are nice but not the same nice you appear to be after). Allow 2 days Broome to Onslow - 1 night in Onslow should suffice. Onslow to Exmouth 5hrs and if going to do the tourist bit then allow 4days between Exmouth and Coral Bay (you will see why Coral Bay really is a sh$t hole of a place to stay). Pity you don't have the 4wd as the coast is magnificent in a way no-one will believe - best beach diving anywhere in the North of WA. Monkey Mia - to say you've been - nothing else. Shell beach is pretty good for a stop and walk and 'dig'. Keep the kids amused. If you want to 'interact' with dolphind wait until you get back to Perth and go to either Bunbury or Rockingham - not the nazi atmosphere that is at Monkey Mia. You're coming from Melbourne in June - ha ha - anywhere is warm to swim - try and keep the kids out of the water. Enjoy it but take a big look at the distances and be realistic - many tourists come to grief trying to cram WA into 2 weeks. Anyway you want the kids to remember a good time on holidays not the backseat of a car. Also be very careful because some hire cars stipulate daylight travel only and that makes it even harder to cover some of the distances. rgds

Agree with Alan 100%.

If you do take the Mt Augustus to Meeka road you'll pass Buringurrah(?) settlement. Always amused me that you could buy frozen kangaroo tails from the ice cream freezer. "I'll have a choc-mint drumstick, can of coke and a couple of roo tails for the kids please" Has been a while since I've been there though - hope they still do it.

I believe the Seventh Day Adventists have moved from Cobra Station which might mean the pub is open again - don't know.

There was also very strangely located public phone box near Belele Station or Landor from memory. A 'what the' doubletake moment when you pass it.

If you do end up going to Newman, check out 'Opthalmia Dam', it's quite a surprise. Kalgan Pool is worth a look too, don't know if it's signposted now, but it can be easy to get lost. Walk any river crossings first and stick to your line, there is a deep hole in one of them which is mid Landcruiser 60 series door height;-) There's some nice countryside here and Kalgan Pool is good for a picnic and swim. You can either cross the railway at 'The Hi-Rise' if there's no trains, or travel further up the road and cross on the Yandi Rd from memory then double back. Do your research first. Homestead Pool or Wanna Munna are much easier to get to, but not as 'speccy'.

Big open cut mines are always worth a look. If it's a small personalised tour, see if they'll take you to see the machinery 'graveyard'. I think the HI one at Tom Price is a beauty. A bit like that plane yard in Arizona. Big earthmoving gear just parked up in rows at the end of their scheduled service life. Try and go when there is a blast on too, (I never get tired of watching explosives go off).

When you're at Munjina (Karijini), go to the Auski roadhouse and take a joyflight in the helicopter over the ranges (about $80 from memory). Try and do it at sunset if you can. Worth every cent. It's a little open sided Kawasaki copy of a Bell 47 (M.A.S.H. or 'Skippy' chopper if you know what I mean) and just the ride itself is an experience. The road beside the ranges on the way to the abandoned asbestos town of Wittenoom has great views and you can follow this to an access road which'll take you all the way to Karratha, but it can be rough depending on when it was last graded. May need a pass too.

Definately go to 'Millstream National Park' on the way down. It's become a bit heavily regulated and popular with tourists now, but it is still one of my favourite spots in the Pilbara - no WA...make that Australia. Swim in Python Pool and see who can first spot 'Tit Hill' - you'll know it when you see it.

Cossack is worth a look, Point Samson is good for fish and chips and a beer or two and watch out for yourself in Roebourne (especially if it's pension day).

In Karratha, drive out to the Burrup (better at night) and take a photo of the sign to 'Intercourse Island' on the way - makes me laugh. Go to Dampier for a swim at the beach and a beer at the Mermaid after. Karratha is also a good place to do your shopping and you can get most everything you need at a reasonable price (for the Pilbara that is) There's also a few OK restaurants if you need a bit of 'flash' night out for a change of pace too.

Enjoy the space, distance and solitude, but most of all have fun. Good luck!

1) not much - francis pron is nearly all 4wd except for the homestead and hot spring (wasnt working when I was there)
2) just a guess but I would say no worries - except I am fairly sure hire cars are not to be taken off sealed roads
3) probably not if you are pushed for time
4) dunno never been to Marble bar
5) yes you can but probably need 2 days if you want to check out Millstream chichester as well
6) yes the tp railway is ok for cars I did it in a camper in 98
7) safe compared to what? any dip in the brine has some risk crocs do make it down that far but are rare. As for sea shell collecting it is illegal in WA
8) dunno about campgrounds in broome
9) never toured the saltworks but 25$ sounds rich
10) water is nice and warm although a bit cooler than broome

Tour over the Mt Whaleback mine at Newman well worth it.
At Marble Bar visit the Comet mine - the tour explains the full processes of gold mining and processing in a disused mine. The also have a collection of gem stones.
Karajini can be done in 1 day just to have a look, or two days with and 1 overnight you could climb into all the major gorges.
Davoe mentions the Millstream/Chichester - another "don't miss".
At Karratha you can arrange visits to the Woodside Natural Gas Plant.
The water is always warm enough to swim (I can't vouch for safety - ask the locals).
Can you take a hire car (4wd or other) off bitumen? You see heaps of them out there, but i have heard it breaches the contract (OK if nothing happens!)
I take it you will have camping facilities - a bit limiting if you have to find hotels.
Enjoy some of the most scenic and fascinating region in Australia. You will return.

Hi Ian,

You've had some good answers so far but I'll add my two boobs worth anyway. Definitely consider hiring a 4WD instead of a 2WD. Much of the country and routes you have mentioned would be a bit iffy in a 2WD (even a hire one).

1) Agree with above comments re Francois Peron - really need a 4WD beyond the homestead/artesean bore precinct. However, if you're going past between Monkey Mia and Denham worth calling in just to see these anyway.

2) Could go from Carnarvon to Mt Augustus by 2wd BUT...we were at Mt Augustus last June and never saw another vehicle between Gascoyne Junction and Mt Augustus, road was quite rough/corregated and lots of stones. We commented as we travelled that you could take a 2wd but it would never be the same after such a trip. Can't comment heading east from Mt Augustus as we returned west along another route.

3) Tom Price would be my preference over Newman, they have a great mine tour and also the view (particularly at sunset) from the top of Mt Nameless over the mine, town and surrounding countryside is superb. You can drive to the top in a 4WD, otherwise you need to walk up. Also at Tom Price you'll get to see the longest ore trains in the world.

4 & 5) Can't comment

6) Really need 2 days minimum at Karajini as you'll want to walk down into some of the gorges and you can easily spend several hours at the excellent visitors centre. Also quite a bit of driving between sites.

7) Did the Tom Price railway line in 2001 and it was in quite good condition between TP and as far as Millstream. The routes seems pretty well maintained by Hamersely Iron. However, whilst there we met another couple in a 2wd who had tyre trouble on the way in and were very concerned about getting back out without a spare. Luckily the camp host at MS was able to plug their tyre for them. From MS to Karratha there are some very rough patches, particularly the last 40 km's or so to the highway were the track is VERY rocky, as testified by the hundreds of ruined tyres littering the roadside. An alternative to this stretch would be to leave the railway a short way NW of MS and go out to the highway via Chichester and Python Pool (highly recommended as the scenery here is spectacular). This route comes out just north of Roebourne (and about 50km north of Karratha) and right in the vicinity to visit the ghost town of Cossack and Point Sampson.

8) Re 80 mile beach - not sure about swimming but we found the shell collecting awesome (of course we lobbed straight after a cyclone and spring tides so a bit out of the ordinary). Whilst I scoured the beach, hubby leap frogged ahead of me in the 4WD. Nice camping there but very busy during peak season.

9) Broome CVP's are much of a much. We prefer to stay out at Cable Beach although I have heard Roebuck Bay CVP and the associated Mango Camping Ground is very good. Rang the Broome visitors centre only last week about booking in somewhere as we will be up that way in June also. We were advised that in June we'd be right to lob into town without a CVP booking - July and August different story unless you're happy to end up in the overflow facilities.

10) Can't comment. Definitely worth a drive out to Dampier anyway as scale of the salt works are very extensive and quite impressive to look at, especially if you haven't seen similiar before.

11) Swimming fine - just try to stay out of the water!

Have you considered hiring a Britz type 4wd camper? Just need a small tent for the kids. This would give you 4wd capabilities as well as the flexibility to camp anywhere you like. Have a great trip.

:o) Melissa

Hi

When through from Broome to Carnarvon last July via Karajini, Millstream, Coral bay and down to Leonara and back across the central road. My advice, halve the number of things you want to see and enjoy yourself. We have already picked up one couple who rolled on the Gibb River rd a couple of years ago, trying to pack too much into a short time, lost it on a sweeping bend. Karajini 3 days to be worth going there. Coral bay expensive camping spot but well worth a few days R&R.

Hard to get into any parks in Broome, all booked out in southern winter and esp hard for short stays. Best option is to contact the Broome visitos centre, they will know where any vacencies are. Also, there are several overflow camps around the town.

Can't swim at 80 ml beach but still a great spot to stay for a couple of days. Not supposed to pick up the shells but they are feet thick so no one worries (though don't try selling them)

Car tyres will be a problem on any of these roads, sharp rocks can appear anywhere. At least carry 2 spares. Also point about insurance cover on gravel is important. Could be an expensive trip if you have a mishap without insurance.

Exmouth whale trip was excellent, camping along the Cape range park good but can get very windy.

Weather at that time is very agreeable to a victorian. Gorges inland can be cold. By the way, no fires are allowed at Karajini or Millstream and the frost at night is savage. Take plenty of warm clothes to wear at night. Days are fine and warm.

Have a good trip but save some things for the next trip