Mail Garp

Hi Folks,

we plan to make a tour in West Australia including Tom Price / Karijini
National Park in November. We would like to spend a whole day in the
park visiting "normal attractions" like Oxers Lookout, Joffre Falls and
Knox Lookout ...

Now the question: can we do this with a conventional vehicle? I know
that the roads are unsealed but is 4WD a must or are there gravel roads
that are suitable for "slow driving" conventional vehicles...

Any advice on this is really appreciated.

Thanks in advance !

Gerrit 't Hart

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] oups.com...
    > Hi Folks,
    > we plan to make a tour in West Australia including Tom Price / Karijini
    > National Park in November. We would like to spend a whole day in the
    > park visiting "normal attractions" like Oxers Lookout, Joffre Falls and
    > Knox Lookout ...
    > Now the question: can we do this with a conventional vehicle? I know
    > that the roads are unsealed but is 4WD a must or are there gravel roads
    > that are suitable for "slow driving" conventional vehicles...
    > Any advice on this is really appreciated.
    > Thanks in advance !

We have been there a number of times with a conventional vehicle. Provised
you don't try to drive too fast (and consequently get a flat tyre from the
very sharp stones on the road in some parts of the park) it will not be a
problem.

But there is really too much to see to squeeze it all into one day. You can
camp in the park (primitive facilities) or at Auski Roadhouse.

Enjoy.

Gerrit

The Aussie Viking

Hi All,

We have done Karajini May this year and last, and it's getting better all
the time. As of this year, there is bitumen all the way in to Dales
Campground, which is at the Eastern End of the Park. There has even been
recent press releases about improving access to some of the gorges
(Fortescue Falls/Fern Pool) which is expected to be finished soon .
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/stor...005410,00.html You
can travel the gravel to the other Gorges on the Western End of the park,
near Savanna's campground, and provided it's not been raining heavy (boggy),
and you drive at a sedate pace, you will be fine. The tourist office at the
park has hot showers, and Savanna's have Solar showers. And the one gorge on
it's own in the middle (Kalamina) is one of the prettiest, and easiest to
get in and out of. Well worth the extra about 30K's detour to go in and see
it. The reflections off the rock bounce on the underside of the shale type
rocks jutting out, and is simply a must for the video camera. The most West
one is Hammersley Gorge, and it is the only one with "wavy" rock
http://www.hdenis.com/95ham3.jpg

I would reccommend you go via Exmouth, as for the few extra Kilometres, it
is worth every bit of it. And try to carry enough fuel to do Exmouth -
Paraburdoo stretch (711Km's) with taking on as little as possible fuel at
Nanutarra Roadhouse, as the last 2 years, they have been 10Cents/litre more
expensive than anything else nearby (Fortescue Roadhouse is 200K's further
on, but was 10cents a litre cheaper, go figure!) and seem to make the most
of thier strategic location.
http://www.abc.net.au/flashshow/nort...deshowprev.swf A
slideshow of what to expect.
Coordinates: 22�40'22?S, 118�12'53?E if you want to check it out in Google
Earth.

Some links that we found helpful.
http://www.holiday-wa.net/
http://www.walkabout.com.au/AtoZ/A.shtml
http://www.west-oz.com/ (good info, but a pain to navigate sometimes)
http://www.westernaustralia.com/en/s...htm?ID=9001606
http://www.discoverwest.com.au/pilbara.html
http://www.drivewa.com/features/wato...inationalpark/
http://www.nowwhereroute.com/touring/ractravel.htm (excellent, can even give
you maps and distances, and attractions along the way.)
http://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel...-national-park
http://goaustralia.about.com/od/nati...a/karijini.htm
http://www.exploroz.com/TrekNotes/Pi...stream_NPs.asp
http://www.hdenis.com/WA3.html Nice pic's.
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Oce...hoto215143.htm
http://www.freundfactory.com/wa.htm Some more good pic's.
http://www.photographersdirect.com/s...ional_park.asp
http://www.naturebase.net/national_p...p_may_2004.pdf
(A Map no less, print it out, and use it to plan)
http://www.naturebase.net/national_p.../karijini.html
(It mentions Rio Tinto Gorge, which is not marked on any map. It's about 5
Km's North of Hammersley Gorge, and you DRIVE THROUGH IT!. It's the
Nanutarra-Munjina Road, where Rio Tinto pushed through the creek of a Gorge
in the 50's-60's to make the Road to Wittenoom. Is only 1 car wide at
points, so go through slow, and take care, looking out for oncoming traffic.
There are pull-over points for people to pass. Enjoy, but be safe, that's
why it's not marked on maps.)

Enjoy, You'll never regret the visit!

The Aussie Viking.

Frank Slootweg

[email protected] wrote:
    > Hi Folks,
    >
    > we plan to make a tour in West Australia including Tom Price / Karijini
    > National Park in November. We would like to spend a whole day in the
    > park visiting "normal attractions" like Oxers Lookout, Joffre Falls and
    > Knox Lookout ...
    >
    > Now the question: can we do this with a conventional vehicle? I know
    > that the roads are unsealed but is 4WD a must or are there gravel roads
    > that are suitable for "slow driving" conventional vehicles...
    >
    > Any advice on this is really appreciated.
    >
    > Thanks in advance !

As others have mentioned, when the road conditions are normal, you
*can* drive these unsealed roads with a non-4WD vehicle, but since you
post with a .de, i.e. German, e-mail address, I assume you will be
driving a *rental* vehicle. If so, you will not be *allowed* (by the
rental company) to drive on unsealed roads.