Tom Price

Day 9 5^th May

Tom Price

Odometer Total 18243kms  Temp 22-31

Our plans today included returning to Karinjini NP to view the gorges at the western end of the park. Unfortunately my knee injury put the kybosh on any hiking. The first thing on the agenda was securing new accommodation as the caravan park was unable to provide us with an ensuite room the 2^nd night. Even though they advised us they would be charging us for the 2^nd night we  decided to cut our losses and look for alternative accommodation as there was no way I could possibly walk to the outside facilities overnight. We booked into the Tom Price Hotel Motel($215), a no frills affair but at least it had a bathroom. Mark went to Coles and did the shopping to restock the fridge whilst I waited at the visitor information centre. Whilst we were at the information centre we decided to watch the compulsary 20min. video necessary prior to driving to Millstream Chichester NP via the private unsealed  road the next day. The price of the permit $10 and a donation to the RFDS for watching the video.

It was midday before we left Tom Price and 1pm before we arrived at Weano Gorge in Karijini NP. I prepared ham & salad rolls which we ate in the cool of the car. Thankfully the walk to Oxer and Junction Pool Lookout was described as only 300m & 30 mins return. Even with my right knee giving me holy hell I managed to hobble to the two lookouts and it only took us 20mins. I didn’t find the view as impressive as Dale Gorge.

The sun obscured our view

The bottom of the gorge

I am not sure why we decided to drive out to Hammersley Gorge instead of driving out to Joffre and Knox Gorges. The drive to Hammersley took us almost an hour with most of it on unsealed road. The sign to the turnoff to the gorge was just after the actual road. On the drive in were some unusual rock formations.

The road into Hammersley Gorge

The lookout was under construction which made it tricky to see down into the gorge. There were two hikes down to the pools which were very steep and so not possible for me since I was incapacitated.

The path down to the gorge

Got to love those dirt roads

Looking down into the gorge from where the new lookout was being constructed

We returned to Tom Price via the Nanutarra Road(unsealed). When we arrived in back in town at 4.45 we decided to head up to Mt Nameless. Once again there was poor signage so Mark turned round after 10mins.

Dinner that night was at the Hotel. I had the fillet steak with Dianne sauce and Mark had the Fillet with Bugs and prawns in a garlic sauce, including the bugs & prawns I was so supposed to have ($39 each). Drinks were $14 for a cruiser and a schooner.

Mileage 274kms
Total Mileage 5572kms