Urban Areas, Mines and National Parks of The Pilbara Region
Karijini National Park, best-known for its spectacular backpacking paths, diverse fauna and red dust, is 150 kms west of the town of Newman
Seasoned backpackers will find a wide range of walking grades, with two grade 6 (guide restricted) paths, one grade 5 in addition to a number of grades 4 and 3. You’ll encounter spectacular gorges stretching out many miles. You might abseil straight down a 40 metre waterfall, observe the powerful wedgetailed eagles, osprey together with red kangaroos.
Because of its narrow gorges, Karijini National Park is a substantial risk of flash floods. A few hikers have been killed when the flood levels rose dramatically and swept them onto the sides of the gorges. Recently a SES volunteer was also drowned attempting a rescue. Stay safe and never put your own life or the lives of people rescuing you at risk. You should always let the ranger know where you are going and walk in pairs or groups.
If you decide to stay in Karijini, you’ll find an eco-retreat that has solar heating systems and platforms with big camping tents on them. If sleeping in tents is not really your personal style, it’s wise to stay in the Auzcorp Mia Mia resort in the town of Newman.
A few hours north of Karijini National Park you’ll find the mining town of Port Hedland. It is the largest town in the local area and approximately 15,000 people stay there. Each month, roughly 20 million tonnes of iron ore move through the port, headed for China, Japan and USA. A few other major exports include salt (make sure you see the salt mine just outside Port Hedland), manganese, sheep and cattle.
If you should spend some time in Port Hedland, you’ll feel differently dressed unless you have on a flurescent shirt. Just about everybody in Port Hedland is working on the mines. The people that don’t usually either support the miners with meals and shelter, or they may be travelers.
You will discover lodgings slightly challenging to come across in Port Hedland. Ones that are accessible can be expensive. The best place to sleep in could possibly be the Auzcorp Beachside Village. It once was the Port Hedland Detention Centre, but it was redeveloped as a resort several years ago. When security is important to you, this is the ideal hotel. The majority of the safety measures which were put in place to keep detainees in now are implemented to keep vacationers safer. Don’t fret, it does not seem like a detention centre. It looks much more like a secure resort.
Other holiday attractions in the area are the phenomenal Whaleback Mountain mine operated by BHP Billiton. It’s the largest open cut mine on the planet. Marble Bar is also full of mining heritage. If National Parks are more to your taste, make sure you go to Cape Kerandren and Rudal River National Parks. Case: auz48376