Karijini NP first month June 2022

We arrive 2 days early as things have changed from our last volunteer here . We no longer take the money , a lot campsites , its now all booked on line.

There are 6 loops with a total of 144 camp sites, but now there is an added area for the overflow campers . This is used for when they only need a couple of nights and when people go to book online all the campground is fully booked , it allows them to book in the overflow.

We have problems at the moment as its an Optus area and their repeater is not working because of flat batteries. Optus has sent more big batteries but they sent them to Perth and the man who has to install them is way up north in the Pilbara working. When he finishes what he is doing he has to drive to Perth pick them up and bring them back to fit them . This is now months without and reception here in the campground so we can not check bookings or vacancies. We have to wait each day for the Rangers to print off the arrivals for the day with their particulars and for them to bring to us. Some times they get held up and we do not get the days sheets until nearly 11am , we open at 9am. Its a bit of a mess at the moment.

We still work 2 days on 2 days off with another couple. We take the first shift, the first 2 days of the month as we have done this before and the other couple have not. We know more about the gorges.

A couple of gorge things have changed , like the walk to the cold circular pool in Dales gorge has closed because of rock slides . Some of these exposed some natural asbestos so its a health risk both from rock slides and from the dust. At the other end of the gorge at Fern pool there is work going on to put a new deck and entry ladders into the water. This will be good as you had to get in the water across the red dirt and down one small 3 run ladder. It was hard to get out as you could not stand up in the deep water to get onto the ladder. The ladders now go deeper into the water. Work will be completed by the 7 of june.

A couple of other old lookouts have been closed as are getting unstable. New ones have and will replace them.

Our first week brings more rain so most of the gorges are closed because the chance of flash flooding or the dirt roads to them are closed due to them being under water.

Our first 2 days off we did get to walk Dales gorge rim walk and part of the gorge itself. Fern pool was still closed but we could have swam at Fortisque falls but it was a little cold .

To get to Fortisque falls and into the gorge is 287steel steps. We were here in 2019 when they opened them.

To get phone reception we drive 9 km to close to the visitor centre to get some optus and we drive out of the park 40klm to get some telstra . But for good telstra and internet we have to go 100km into Tom Price , so we do that and combine with our shopping day.

When the weather improved and the gorges were open we got the use of a ranger car and visited some of them. There are too many for just one day especially if you are going to walk them and swim.

The first one was Kalamina gorge its a family friendly class 4 with about 20 km of 4 wheel drive high clearance road. This took a couple of hours and we did not swim maybe next time. We then went a few more dirt road kms to Joffre falls and then to the class 5 Knox gorge. I started down put it gets very steep on loose rocks so I decided to return as I thought I would not make it up from the bottom. Larry did the whole walk and was a bit stiff and sore latter. We have walked and swam these gorges in other years. We then went to Weano gorge area but it was getting to mid afternoon so we only went to the Oxer lookout. It overlooks the main gorges at their junction. So Hancock, Joffre, Weano gorges meets the closed Red gorge.

We drive out of the park at the west entrance and go up to the lookout at mount Bruce. This is WA's 2^ndhighest mountain. We only go to lookout so I can send photos out to everybody. You can walk to the top but its a 3-4 hour walk and climb.

We get back to camp about 5pm after leaving before 8 am.

We have Dingos in the campground. They come in incase people do not do the right thing and leave rubbish or food outside , Everybody is asked to do the right thing because if the Dingoes learn bad habits they could end up being put down.

Well we have swam and snorkelled in Fern pool in Dale gorge and had our dead cells nibbled off by the little fish.

Well its close to the end of the first month here in Karijini. And I went and broke my tooth. Well there is not a resident dentist in Tom Price the closest place , one comes from port Hedland 260km away every 2^ndweek . Well I was lucky they came down the day I broke it and they pulled the remains out the next day. I had to leave camp before 7am to be into TomPrice Hospital before 8.30. The 2 dentists are good and they are going to make me a plate for my broken teeth and fit it while we are still here. Thats service for you and because we volunteer I get it all cheaper.