Wednesday, Mar 09, 2005 at 20:50
brumac, check out post # 20744 which waqs on a similar topic
This was my reply......
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!
AnswerID:
101827
Follow Up By: Willem - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 09:02
Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 09:02
Thanks for posting all this info. We are going to be east and south of the
Pilbara around the end of April and might find some extra time to take in more sights.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - bushfix - Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 09:38
Thursday, Mar 10, 2005 at 09:38
Python Pool is just about the most beautiful swimming waterhole I've come across. I remember doing Python,
Millstream, Deep Reach, Kermit's etc. one hot couple of days, what luxury.
FollowupID:
359737