Karijini Eco Retreat

A bit over 700 ks 8 or 9 hours driving according to my GPS.

3 nights is OK, maybe another day or so would be better, heaps to see in the area,

Far better to stay at the Tom Price Van park.

We were in Karajini in July last year and went into the ECO resort to pick up some tourists on a day trip.

It looked terrible and at the prices they charge I wouldnt contemplate staying there.

The camping part looked really scruffy and was full of wizzbangs and their scruffy occupants.

Would be a pretty big days drive from 80 mile beach I would think.

Ater 80m we stayed at Hedland and went to Auski Roadhouse then Newman and then Tom Price.

Hi Maggie,
Karijini is a magic spot. 3 nights will give you time to see the majority of it at a relaxed pace.

Give yourself about 6 hours for the drive if your not stopping much, maybe a little longer if towing.

It might be worth stopping in Hedland for bit, even if its just to stock up on food. You won't pass any other supermarkets between 80 mile and Karijini. If your towing, and stopping in Hedland, it could easily turn into an 8 hour trip.

Also.....I beleive DEC have been on a pest erradication program which involved closing Karijini temporarily. I think the park was supposed to reopen before the long weekend that has just passed but recent rains may have delayed everything. A quick call to the freindly bunch at Tom Price visitor centre will be your best bet to confirm if the park is open again.

Enjoy your trip

Not sure about your drive time - as for camping in that area.....we stayed at the Dales campground, down the eastern end - a sealed road all the way in (BTW - all of the unsealed roads in the park are pulverised iron oxide !! - you'll be eating it by days end :-o) ..... Dales will be very busy, but there is an overflow area not far from the main visitor centre. There is plenty to see near Dales - we did a day trip down to the Knox / Eco Village end of the park - as mentioned, I recall the Eco Hut prices as very high, while the camp area there looked very ordinary. Maybe one night Eco and more nights at Dales ? Whatever, trekking the gorges is great and the geology in that area is amazing.

Stayed at ECO a couple years ago in a camper van. We thought the park was nice even tho i little priccey. Had a fantastic time trekking the gorges. We stayed 3 nights but did find it wasn't enough time. No power and solar showers that were cold most of the time. You can run a genny between a specified time.
Have fun

wizzer

Hi Maggie,

Once you get away from the coast there is a lot of pretty special country between 80 mile and Karajini, so you may want to allow enough time to admire it. Perhaps spend a night at Pt Hedland, the CP out at Cookes Point is good. The PH supermarkets are OK whereas those at Tom Price are a bit more limited.

Suggest camp at Dales campground rather than the Eco retreat. Dales should not be too busy at this time of the year. Dont overlook a visit to Hancock Gorge while in the area, good for a swim and spectacular rock formations.

There are a number of walks/rock scrambles in the Karajini gorges, so if you want to do some or all of them you may need more than 3 days.

Cheers,

Val.

Hi Maggie,

I went Karijini in 2009. I spent 1 night at Dales campground in the swag and 3 nights at the Eco Resort in one of the "tents".

6 nights would have been better, didn't quite see all that I wanted with 4.

Cheers
Alan

A video I made of the place (have a cuppa and a bikkie ready if you're going to watch it)

Maggie,

Pity u aren't travelling there now!!! The last week or so there has been heaps of ran. The gorges will be flushed and right now the Hammersley's and Chichester's are green and the cattle are fattening up!

It is absolutely beautiful up there now!!

Matthew

Gooday,
I would definitely go to Dales as others have recommended, walk to Gorges there from campground, was there last Sept, no power or water but really good spacious sites with or without generators. We drove to Hancock & Kalamina Gorges, well worth the drive, just watch the sharp stones on the road. Spent 3 nights and could have used more.
Have seen lots of gorges but these were "just the best"
Cheers,
Boroma604

We too camped at Dales. We spent around three days there and walked into all the gorges that were open that side, but did not doing any swim and climb (due to cameras) or any walks/climbs marked hard. We went into Hamersley Gorge on the way out - very different. Karijini is a must see destination. We did not go to Wittenoom due to publicity discouraging visitors.

Motherhen

The wife and i did the Kimberley trip late last year. 15,000km in 6 weeks.

Karijini was absolutely fantastic, one of the highlights for sure!

The ECO retreat was terrible, we spent one night there and it was one night to many. Dales is ok, ECO made it look 5 star...

Highly recommend you loop round to Hamersley and Wittenoom, the ranges viewed from 'the back' there are truly amasing.

Continuing South we then made our way to Mt Augustus and could have dropped anchors and stayed there for a long long time. If you are in the 'area' it is simply a must see. The hike to the top is well well worth it if you are able.

Some photos from our trip:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/461762-australian-photos.html

Travis.