Graham and Chris on tour 2014 – Update #15 – Wittenoom, Karratha, Mill Stream, Cape Range NP, Carnarvon.

We had heard from a couple of mates that Wittenoom Gorge was worth a look and that it offered some excellent bush camping with the likelihood that there would not be many others in the gorge due to the dire warnings of blue asbestos being present in the rocks around the gorge.

So, 4^th Sept 2014,

From Tom Price we headed north and dropped into Hammersley Gorge. Great spot for a day visit and a swim with some great geology. During our stay there were a number of like travellers who visited the gorge for a swim. Unfortunately the walk out of the gorge dissipates very quickly the effects of the refreshingly cool swim in the waterhole.

Hammersley Gorge

Pushing on from Hammersley Gorge we arrived in the ghost (well almost a ghost town) mining town of Wittenoom. We followed another car into the gorge and after a short distance the car started to surge. “Hmmm!” I thought, should have changed my after market pre fuel filter element before now. “We will set up camp and I will set about changing the filter” thinks I. Well that was not possible as at one stage after stopping the motor, I was unable to get the engine started again. “Oh well!, guess I will change it where it sits”. Unable to unscrew the old filter (stupid me forgot to include a filter removal tool in the tool box), I was about to cut the fuel line and by pass the pre fuel filter when a good samaritan came along and suggested punching a screw driver through the old filter and using it to unscrew the element.

Doh! Now why the hell didn’t I think of that. Replaced the filter, primed the fuel system, but the engine still refused to start. With some fiddling we eventually got it going and it seemed to restart on demand. We set up camp in a great spot that we felt would be great for a 2 night stay. Chris said, “are you going to try the car engine again in the morning”. I said, “yep but I also intend to try it later this afternoon when we have had lunch”. So then after lunch “Bugger, something is still wrong”. After some more investigation, I noticed that when I primed the fuel system with the manual priming pump, fuel was spurting out of the bottom of the main fuel filter assembly. I removed the assembly from the car to find that at some stage the nylon water trap and tap at the bottom of the filter assembly had been subjected to some flame, obviously when the car had been having some work done on it by the auto electrician when installing the auxiliary battery. The pressure caused by the manual priming had caused the threaded section of the water trap to split and leak fuel, and drain the fuel from the filter.

Blue asbestos ore from Wittenoom Gorge

So with some judicious cleaning, and the application of some poly-bond and rescue tape, I was able to get the fuel system primed and start the engine.

Our Camp at Wittenoom Gorge

The following morning, to make sure my rough repair had succeeded I tried the engine again and it eventually started but with somw difficulty. Obviously my repair had not been completely successful so we decided that we would pack up and head out to the Great Northern Highway and the Auski Roadhouse, a distance of about 50km. Very disappointed that we had to leave such a great camp spot. We arrived at the Auski Roadhouse without incident but we discovered that they had no means to help with any further repairs. Now that we had mobile phone coverage, we rang Pilbara Toyota in Karratha and with some great help from their spare parts department, we had a new filter cannister on order with a promise that it would arrive in Karratha around lunch time Monday. Initially I though I would replace the cartridge myself (a 20 minute job) then decided that it would be best for Toyota to do it and let them do a complete check on the fuel system. The service department guy promised me that when the part arrived he would fit me in “somehow” on the Monday to do the job.

The whole bloody place is made of Iron

 There is a constant procession of mining equipment being hauled along the highway. More than likely Roy Hill being the destination but could be one of a number of new mines.

Stopped for a break at a roadside stop we saw these rigs. The first one has a prime mover pushing and pulling.

So off we headed to Karratha. Stopped for lunch on the way beside a river, another heart stopping moment when the engine was reluctant to start, eventually limping in to Karratha mid afternoon on Friday. We were not looking forward to filling in the weekend with a dodgy car and not relishing hanging around the caravan park all weekend so I decided to try a more successful, albeit, temporary repair to the fuel system. The motor was becoming more and more difficult to start as the previous repair gradually disintegrated. The Poly-bond would not stick to the nylon case. Consequently with the use of some wet area silicone that I found in my “emergency repair items” box and also some more rescue tape I ended up with a much more promising repair. Waited till the morning for the silicone to dry, primed the fuel system and presto, engine started instantly.

Now confident that we were not going to have any more problems we set about using the weekend to explore Dampier, Burrup Peninsula, Point Sampson, Cossack and Roebourne. Of corse a must see was the statue of “Red Dog” in Dampier.

Chis gives Red Dog a pat in Dampier. A great movie!

Karratha district selection of photos

Around 11am on Monday we dropped into Pilbara Toyota to check on the status of our parts order, to be advised that it had arrived already, so we went around to the service manager and he fitted us into his tight schedule while we walked across the road to the shopping centre and had an early lunch. Soon after lunch we received word that the car was ready, we did our shopping and headed back to the caravan park armed with spare filter elements and a brand new filter element removal tool and food supplies for a week or more in the bush.

Full marks to Pilbara Toyota, they were efficient, helpful and friendly. The filter replacement took 18 minutes and that’s exactly what they charged us for – amazing. Nunawading Toyota, please take note.

In addition to fixing the car I was called upon to tune a TV for the bloke next to us in the Park and fix their friends Laptop that would not boot up, and stupidly turned down the offer of some beers for my trouble. They were very happy, TV and Laptop up and running. Can’t fathom wanting to watch TV while travelling. We hardly watch it at home. We prefer the real life theater of the Australian outback to what is on offer on television.

Next morning we were headed for Millstream, Chichester National Park.

On arrival we checked out the “Stargazers” camp ground that is generator free. It was very uninspiring so headed for the main camp ground which was still uninteresting but far better. So taking the risk that there would be generators about, we decided to set up camp. The Fortesque river runs through the park and beneath the area is an abundant aquifer. All of the water for Karratha, Dampier and Robourne is pumped from bores adjacent to the park and the pumps are situated near the camp-ground, and boy, are they ever noisy.

Crystal clear water – Homestead Pond – Millstream NP

The best camp ground in the park has now been closed permanently due to some flooding earlier this year. In my opinion it was an over reaction and cow towing to the OH and S and/or insurance companies. The camp ground was deemed as dangerous due to the uprooting of trees from the floods. We snuck into the camp ground by foot and from our observation there was only one tree that could be deemed as being anything like dangerous and that is a stretch. It would not have taken a lot of effort to render it 100% safe. Bureaucracy gone mad again. They have also closed the camp ground near the Python Pool (which we by passed). So all in all my advise would be to give this NP a big miss. The worse NP that we have been to in some time.

Damsel Fly – Milstream NP

After 2 nights we headed for Exmouth but in our normal style we did not see the need to make a big day of it so popped into Emu Creek Station for a night or two. It ended up being 2 nights. The station stay hosts are Joyce and Daryl. What a great spot. Fabulous water hole for great swimming, firewood supplied (unless Daryl forgets), a great place to chill out for a couple of days.

One day when working out in one of the vast paddocks, Daryl came across an Emu chick that had been abandoned by the rest of it’s family. Knowing that it would have perished, what does one do but take it home. Well the chick has hence adopted Daryl as it’s parent and has decided that it is now human. Along with the working station dogs, we were joined for breakfast each morning by Ollie the Emu chick. It was wonderful to be greeted as we alighted from our camper each morning to be greeted by the happy faces of two dogs and an Emu chick

Emu Creek Station

While tempted to stay longer we headed for Exmouth and the Cape Range National Park, arriving at Exmouth at around midday. Went to the visitors centre to be informed that all camp spots in the park are usually taken by 10am each morning. “Your best bet is to overnight in the Yardie Creek Station Caravan Park and line up at 6:30am to try and get a camp spot in the National Park” we are informed by the lass in the information center. So after getting some supplies and having lunch in Exmouth that is what we did. As it turned out the season is into decline and while we did line up at 6:30 am the following morning (we were first in the cue) we need not have as there were plenty of camp spots available. We were able to get a spot in the camp ground of our choice (generator free of course) and were allocated a great camp spot in which we were set up before 9 am.

The Cape Range NP is all about beaches, coral, swimming and most importantly snorkelling inside the Ningaloo Reef Lagoon plus a couple of gorges. It is a world heritage area and is quite stunning. A wonderful place to spend a few days. In fact many people spend weeks there. The limit for camping is 28 days and some people we discovered will spend 28days in one camp ground and then move to another camp ground for another 28 days. When there is such a heavy demand for camp spots this seems to us very selfish and people should be limited to a couple of weeks at the most in the park so that everybody who wants to can have the opportunity to camp in the NP. We are told that in July and August it is almost impossible to get a camp spot.

Cape Range National Park

Each camp ground has a community area set up with benches and tables which is utilised each evening for “sundowners”. On the second such occasion we met a young couple from Germany (Dominic and Kathryn) who are in Australia for 12 months and hope to get jobs in Melbourne. We consequently asked them to make contact with us when they arrive in Melbourne and we will get the over for a BBQ so they can get a feel for suburban life in Australia.

We were contemplating  driving down the coast from Cape Range to Coral Bay, but a look at the crossing at Yardie Creek at the southern end of the NP convinced us that it would be more trouble that it was worth. We did the crossing way back in 1984 but with recent record breaking floods the crossing was quite a challenge for the car and 2 tonne camper. Also we needed to get a few supplies and fill up the water tanks in Exmouth and doing that then heading down the coastal track would have added about 150km to the drive. So we stuck to the bitumen and arrived in Coral Bay in the early afternoon. We had heard a number of fellow travellers talking about Coral Bay and so idle curiosity attracted us there.

Coral Bay

We only stayed for one night in a very pleasant caravan park that was very oriented to high volumes of holiday makers in the high season. The park was huge and the sites quite small but were fit for purpose. Not our normal “cup of tea” though. We were able to witness the snapper feeding at the beach. Coral bay had a distinct holiday feel about it with lots of kids and beach goers.

The following morning we headed for Carnarvon.

Carnarvon has five caravan parks. Why it needs five is beyond comprehension as it is not a town I would rush back to.

We stayed at the Coral Coast Caravan Park. No un-powered sites so you have to pay for power whether you use it or not. I was forward enough to ask if the huge buses with 2 air conditioners, microwave, washing machine, clothes dryer, 42” LCD, electric toaster, electric hot water etc. etc. paid the same rate as me who only charges a 12 volt battery and a laptop. “We only have one flat rate” was the curt reply. Rip Off!!

We did the shopping and the laundry and restocked the wine cellar. During the night we had a visit from some locals prowling around in the we hours of the morning trying to get into our outside fridge. Obviously looking for booze. Luckily I had happened to stir (read “Needed to take a leek”) and watched them approach our camp through my window. I yell from me which would have woken the whole camp ground, and they were off like a shot. Apparently it is not uncommon for this particular park to have trouble from the local youth. They have security cameras everywhere.

Historic Carnarvon Jetty

The following morning we had to make a dash to the medical clinic to see a GP before setting off for the Kennedy Ranges NP. Chris had brushed against a bush that caused a severe allergy reaction to her shoulder when we had walked the Yardie Gorge Ridge. It was so bad that heading into the bush before getting some medical attention was not on.

Fantastic medical services in the bush. We made an appointment with the GP and had the consultation over and done by 9:15am. We went back to the Camp Ground packed up and were on our way by 10am having to pick up a script from the chemist on the way.

Next Post – Kennedy Ranges and beyond.