Our plan had been to camp at the overflow camp at the Golf Club in Port Hedland, but when we arrived there it was full. The caretaker said we could probably get in the next day and suggested the free camp at the race course instead.  We got in there no problem and decided that since it was very central and handy for the shops etc we'd just stay there instead of heading back to the golf club the next day.  

It was just a big gravel park but we weren't spending that much time in the van anyway.  One of my priorities here was to get my second Covid jab and I'd found out there was a chemist over in South Hedland who did walk ins.  So after we were set up we drove over there.  What I did discover was that my first jab which I had in Katherine in the NT hasn't been entered in the Australian Immunisation Register so I'm busy following that up.  We had a visit to Kmart - such a treat after lots of country/bush camping and a general walk around the shopping centre in South Hedland and then headed back to the van.  We'd all intended to go out for tea somewhere but in the end we stayed in and all shared some pizzas and garlic bread.  I'm happy to say the once again I had absolutely no reaction or even pain in my arm from my jab. The next day was spent restocking the cupboards etc as well as a few hardware jobs and a visit to the tyre repairers to book in a slow leak on one of our tyres for repair.  

We'd arranged to meet Andy and Jean at the Yacht Club for dinner so got ourselves dressed up - a bit of a treat! and headed into meet them at 5.  It was great to see them both again and hear what they've been up to since they left Tannum.  We'd a delicious meal there and a few drinks - an enjoyable night!  On Sunday we four decided to head out to see Dooleena Gorge.  The pharmacist who gave me my jab had told me how pretty it was and shown me a photo.  We'd a nice drive out and though it was pretty we were probably a bit late in the season as the water was pretty stagnant and the level low.  We then headed to another spot nearby called Coongan Pool which is a popular free camping spot and checked it out before carrying on to Marble Bar which lays claim to being not only the hottest place in Australia but also the largest shire.  

The pub there was just opening at 12 so we stopped in and had a couple of drinks and lunch.  The decor was really quite different as  you can see from the pic.  We had a little drive around the town calling in at the Visitor Centre and then out to Chinaman Pool and Marble Bar pool where jasper can be seen.  Then it was back to Port Hedland again and since we'd had a big lunch we just had nibbles for tea.  Next morning we headed to Dome which overlooks the Port Hedland harbour.  Andy had told us it was a good place for breakfast and to watch the ships coming in and out of the harbour.  But we must have picked the wrong day as there was no action at all.  We then went our separate ways as we went to grab a couple more things at the shopping centre then out to the tyre repairer where we discovered it wasn't repairable so had to get a new one.  Jean is a fabulous artist and spends much of her spare time creating beautiful paintings in all different styles and was insistent that both Carol and I should have a painting.  Andy had also lent us a rivet gun to repair a broken part of Nudge and Carol's awning so we had that to return.  So we waited till after 4 when both Andy and Jean were home from work and popped round to their house for a couple of drinks and Carol and I got our two beautiful paintings.  You can see the pic of it and I've found just the right spot for it in the van.  A fabulous reminder of our time in the Pilbara.

We'd by now overstayed our time in the Race course camp as its limited to 72 hours. But Carol had to be involved in a conference call from Sydney on Tuesday morning and we needed to be somewhere where she had reception.  After speaking to the caretaker, Carol made email application to the Council for a one night extension for us both and it was granted - saving a lot of worry and hassle.

After Carols call which was at 7.30am we packed up and headed down towards Karijini National Park.  It was incredibly foggy as we left Hedland but once down the road a bit cleared to a beautiful sunny day.  We went down the Great Northern Highway which has a constant stream of quad road trains going to and from the mines.  We always talk to them on the UHF radio telling them to let us know when they want to go "out and about".  We had some lovely little conversations with a couple of them asking where in Queensland we were from, how we'd got on crossing the border into WA then wishing us a great holiday.

Our camp for that night was a free camp known as Albert Tognolini rest area (no idea why) and we got a spot side by side on the top of an escarpment with fantastic views.  After a night there, next day we carried on down towards Karijini and our camp for the night was listed as a gravel pit. But that makes it sound terrible - and the first level wasn't that exciting but managed to perch both our vans right up at the top of the area and we had the most wonderful view over towards the hills and the sunsets were spectacular.  After we'd set up we drove into the National Park and went to the Visitors Centre then to the look out for the gorge and walked down to Fortescue Falls and then onwards to Fern Pool.  These gorges have to be seen to be believed.  Just magnificent.  Carol and I hadn't worn our bathers and there were an awful lot of steep steps to go back to get them.  But Nudge was in his so he had a dunk in both Fern Pool and Fortescue Falls.  We then went over to the Dale Gorge lookout and had a look down to Circular Pool though because it was late in the afternoon the light wasn't on the pool so the pictures don't show how pretty it is.  Then it was back to camp for the sunset and a campfire and tea.

There was a sudden change in the weather and it was really quite cool the next morning as well as being quite overcast.  We pottered around for a while then around early afternoon we took a run into the Dales camp ground to empty our cassettes.  We got a real shock when we saw that campground - we'd tried to book there but it was full but it was really not nice at all - a fire had gone through and there was all these black stumps sticking up and no shade and no green to be seen.  Another nice night around the campfire for drinks and tea and yet another beautiful sunset.

Time to move on the following morning to the west side of Karijini - its about 70 km from one side of the park to the other.  Our camp tonight wasn't quite so pretty and the red dust was wicked.  But we did have Telstra reception - the first for about 5 days.  We did a quick set up then headed off in the cars to explore this side the park.  We checked out Joffre Gorge, then drove a very corrugated and rough 30km or so to Weano Gorge.  Unfortunately this road was the straw which caused the final crack in Nudge's nudge bar so some running repairs had to be effected before we could carry on.  Once there we checked out a couple of the lookouts then Carol and I decided to head down the steps to the bottom of the gorge - again so so pretty.  

We stopped at a couple of places to get some pics of the wildflowers - they are so pretty at this time of year.  When we got back to our camp there was another van just over from us and when that couple - from Ayr in Queensland, came back they came over for a beer with us.  Meanwhile we'd been reconsidering out itinerary outline to make sure we could arrange somewhere to get the nudge bar fixed.  We were planning to come to Tom Price and wanted to do the mine tour.  So Craig called his brother Scott who used to live in Tom Price and still has many friends up here to see if he knew anyone with a welder that Nudge could borrow to do the repair.  So here we both are parked up on Scott's friend Tony's front lawn.  We did the mine tour first thing this morning.  It was interesting but disappointing as there was virtually no haul truck movement anywhere so really not a lot to see other than a massive hole in the ground.  But we did get lots of very interesting facts.  No scones and cream though which Ken and Susie got on their mine tour at Newman!

Tony is at work and will be home after 6 so Nudge can get the bar fixed and Tony can have a bite to eat with us and then we'll probably do one more night in Tom Price especially since tomorrow is Fathers Day so the boys will have reception to talk to their families.  See you again soon!