Pilbara Bound

[Cruisn]

Where shall we begin, Basically it starts with me sitting having a few beers on a Saturday night with my mate Simon, who made the comment that 40L of diesel wont be enough for my trip, well will be cutting it close. Next thing I know I’m at his place loading up a 100L fuel cell. Which was a good call for where I ended up.

Lets get this story started now, smashing it from Perth to Canarvon in a day was a good drive, no photos, as all highway and just trying to reach the Pilbara as quick as possible.

Waking up on day 2 of my trip I am off and running into the mid west, Gascoyne Junction is my first stop for fuel, and…. No diesel available, instantly happy about the 100L pod. Motoring on my first stop for the day is the Kennedy Ranges, top notch area, bit of 4wding, about 10km of hiking, and some stunning views from the range that juts out of the surrounding flat plains.

Arriving in style:


Did a bit of driving that took me out to an old bore pump:




A short hike found me at pyramid mountain, where I teed off to two different locations:


A lopnger hike found me looking out over the area, stunning, love it here:


A solid sleep and away we go for day 3. A trip planned to reach Mt. Agustus about 200kms to the east, but of course on route I go hunting for old mines, which lead to a field of quartz but no old pits sadly, and an old shearing shed on cobra stration.

Making my way the hard way:


It was a good 45km side track, but always worth it to get the red dirt on the car:


Had to stop for a refuel:


Motoring on I actually ended up at Minnie Creek station and asked permission to continue through there station back to the main road, a short 21km side track and a couple of gates later.


I quickly found myself in the bulldust again:


Then found myself at a water crossing….welcome to Western Straya


Down the road I ended up at cobra station and had a peek in the old shearing shed:


After I was satisfied with my exploring it was time to head for a quick dip near the Mount.


Then a hike around the area:

And from the ground:


A good nights sleep on some grass and a warm shower had me on route and heading to nanutara due to road closures from rain. Either way it was gravel so I was happy.



Found an old grader on the way:

And an old water tank:


Quickly reached my destination.. about 5 hours later. Then found myself following an old track to get to camp for the night. The track didn’t look to well used and I quickly found out why:


And were stuck, dropped the tyres to 8psi, dug out all 4, then packed spinnafex under the wheels to gain traction and out I came.




Travelling alone you quickly learn how to get out of sticky situations.

Waking up on day 4 to a stunning sunrise and a cup of coffee I began heading to paniwonica hoping the rain hadn’t closed the roads:

We were good and I found myself quickly back in the dust headed to Millstream national park



Where I quickly went for a dip in deep pool, which I had to myself.

 

[Cruisn]

I spent the night camped near the old homestead which has been turned into a cool museum and a nice oasis out back




Packing up in the morning found me following the pipeline out that the water corp uses to supply the nearby town… 100km away



The white gum trees love the water:


The area opened up into grassy plains:


Then I found a great spot to stop and have my morning coffee and make brekky:


And what do you need after eating? Well a shower of course:


My goal for the night was to find a campsite deep in the park. The track wasn’t listed well on any map. So away I went
Wrong turn led me here:

Right turn led me here:


Which led me here about 15 or so kms later, well you can see the pajero parked, this was froma small hike I did


Camp, also laundry day

Always eat good:


My sunset:


My nightly visitors:


Great night out under the stars, went swimming and just enjoyed the area. Since I was nearing my time limit for ice and cold beer and food in general as I was only packing for 4 days at a time I ran into Tom Price to restock,
Motoring along:


Found an old camp, well didn’t look to old, then got a flat in the same spot. ************************, cue wolf creek music.


But I always do some exploring, and found some exploration tracks and headed up:




Camped for the night I had a few repairs, hood liner had broken free, seeds were starting to clog rad and a loose bold on the rear ball joint:


The next day was one hell of an adventure, starting with a bath in Hamersley Gorge, which I had to myself:


We were back on the road looking for an old track the led into Karijini the back way:
This isn’t it, this is the main road:


Ahh.. there we go:


I figure the trial hadn’t been used in about 10 years by the look of the trees growing in the middle, but I pushed on for another 16kms trying to find my way. And it was hard going. Down embankments, following creek beds, driving through bonnet high grass.

 

[Cruisn]

Then it happened, I found a rather large rock the did some underbody damage, just bent bash plates. But that was enough, I was already a 16km walk to a dirt road, which had basically no traffic.


Heading back out:


I did do about 3kms on foot trying to find an old mine again, but once again came up empty handed and full of spinifex cuts:


Camp for the night, one of the few without my own waterhole:


WRNGTRN


Asbestos is showing up a bit more now:


Day 9 seen me following the well worn track out of the valley and onto Whitnoon, and abandoned town left from Asbestos


The signs warn:


The old town site, or whats left anyways:




It was weird having paved roads to head out on, but they didn't last long:


But it was alright cause I was met by waterhole after waterhole


Even a couple of river crossings for good measure:


The old girl posed up at camp:


Not a bad view for a bush camp, there was swimming…


And even some of the worst on foot hiking through the thickest spinnafex ever… it was horrid. But worth it:




Clear skies every night:


The next day on my way out I swung through the old asbestos mine for a quick peek, you can see the massive tailings piles:


What is left of the loading areas:


The area sees a lot of rain, here is a piece of solid concrete it flipped:


As usual with me, I found a side track and went a couple kms down, till I could go no more.






Leaving the area behind I headed for Yamprire gorge, and what a great area that was, a nice river to camp by, a giant 5 cly national engine left behind. Cool stuff. But the track deteriorated at about the 18km mark and had me turn around to find camp:

 

[Cruisn]

Where I chose to turn around:




Spiders all over, golden orbs. The webs look amazing:


Camp for the night:


The next morning I went for a quick hike to get a better view from the top of the ranges:


Then back into it, here are a few photos of washouts, coming this way they were easily spotted, but the other direction the steep drop offs are a surprise and can clearly do a heap of damage, I hit a small washout about 4 days back and knocked my steering out.




Found some more exploration tracks:




Then had to wait for the iron ore trains to pass.


We have had a lot of rain here:


And my final camp of my trip before arrive near the town of Nullagine to begin my 2 week swing on site:






I am not sure on figures, but I figure about 2800kms or so. Pajero ran great.

 

[Lucky j]

This is so nice, I am very jealous!
'Thank you for letting me dream! ��

 

[Wyuna]

nice write up, great pics