Camper Capers: Itchy & Scratchy

Port Hedland. Australia’s biggest port by tonnage and infact one of the biggest in the world. As you drive into Port Hedland large scale construction and stock piles of iron ore and salt dominate the skyline. Yet the main street is only about 100 metres long. The sun beats down with an intensity we had not experienced elsewhere. This is possibly due to the lack of trees and flat open spaces reflecting the heat. However, there is serious money to be made here, for those who wish to brave the harsh Pilbara summer. Temperatures reach 49 degrees and the only respite is inside your air conditioned home with the blinds closed. BHP is currently looking to employ unskilled workers and at a starting salary of $105,000 it is tempting. Lucky they also subsidise your rent, as a modest townhouse goes for $800 per week!
With mining such a huge part of this town, we joined the BHP iron ore plant tour, and learnt how with about $7 billion we could start our own plant- the process is fairly basic. Iron Ore is not the only commodity to pass through town. Amongst other metals, salt is also produced and exported. Tthe Asian market is the main customer for ‘Dampier Salt’, which is used in plastics.

Big machines, big piles of iron ore, BHP Mine tour

Supplying 34% of the world’s iron ore, it is a busy harbour. Watching tugs navigate ships in and out of the port, mostly bound for Asia, you get an idea of how big an industry this is. Out to sea huge ships are lined up waiting for high tide to allow ease of entry and to have their fill of iron ore.
With the tides varying by metres, we got the opportunity to once again witness the ‘Staircase to the Moon’ phenomenon. As the moon rose, rays of moonlight hit the pools of water left by the receding tide, and created the illusion of a staircase to the moon. The moon rising is in itself a pretty picture and we sat on the beach at Cooke Point, watching the show before us.

Moon rising, Staircase to the moon, Port Hedland

Having been attacked by midgies (sandflies) and suffering the resulting, relentless itchiness we headed inland, away from the mangroves of the coast. Heading out of town the countryside was desolate. The red, dusty plains sparse, save a few tufts of Spinifex and many, many dead cows. We passed the turn off to the town of Wittenoom. In its heyday in the 1950’s Wittenoom was the region’s biggest mining town. Blue asbestos was mined here- the most deadly form. It was not until hundreds of workers started dying of lung cancer that the mine was closed. However, can you believe they knew of the dangers back in the 1920’s, but were told to keep quiet!!! Since 1979 the West Australian government has tried to shut Wittenoom down. Empty buildings have been bulldozed; the water supply has been cut off, as has the power recently. However, some long term residents refuse to leave- they are dying anyway. Curious tourists are told to keep all windows closed to avoid inhaling the asbestos fibres, potentially stirred by the movement of your car. We were certainly curious but opted to stay well away, the fibres are too small to be seen, but it only takes a small amount to produce a slow, painful death up to 40 years later.
Instead we amused ourselves by listening to Dracula (having downloaded some audio books), until the vista finally got a little more mountainous. A hint of wildflowers began to poke out from the rocky ground- something pretty in this harsh Pilbara country and a taste of what we are to see in abundance down south. As we drove up and down over the mountains, the Spinifex tufts were still present and dotted the slopes looking like fluffy pom poms.
We were now in the Hamersley Range, in the heart of the Pilbara, and home to Karijini National Park. Massive mountains and escarpments rise out of the valleys, dissected by gorges.

Circular Pool, Dales Gorge, Karijini NP

We have seen many, many gorges however Karijini is home to some of the most spectacular and unique specimens. Gorge walks protected from the beating sun above, end at a rock pool for a cool swim, or shower under the cascading waterfall. However, be sure to check for the presence of blue, green algae during the dry season.
We camped at Dales Gorge, near Fortescue Falls, a popular place to swim. We did notice some algae on the surrounding rocks, but this is common in fresh water pools and many other people where cooling off here. However, this was blue green algae and resulted in rashes and itchiness worse than our midgie bites. We were also plagued with hay fever type symptoms, nausea, hot and cold flushes and a general unwell feeling.

Leisa at Fortescue Falls, Karijini NP

Further on from Fortescue Falls a path through huge paperbarks and fig trees led us to Fern Pool. Flowing year round the pool is filled with clear fresh water and no algae. We managed to wash ourselves, but the damage had been done.

Fern Pool, Karijini NP

The walks to most of the other gorges are a harder grade and we were not feeling the best, but lookouts provided some of the most amazing views we have seen to date. Oxer Lookout, the parks signature attraction, makes you gasp at the sheer beauty and size. This is where four of the gorges- the Red, Weano, Joffre and Handcock meet, having been created when forces split apart the rocky terrain some 2,500 million years ago.

Oxer Lookout, Karijini NP

We certainly enjoyed our time at Karijini, with some of WA’s most spectacular sights, and enjoyed getting back into the swing of bushwalking once more. However, the blue green algae made us not feel the best, so it was off to Tom Price, for some recuperation.

Knox Gorge, Karijini NP

Another mining town, Tom Price is the highest town in Western Australia at 747 metres above sea level.

Big toys at the Rio Tinto Mine, Tom Price

We took the opportunity to tour the Rio Tinto mine, one of the biggest in the world, to view the iron ore process before it makes it way to port, bound for Asia.