Karijini National Park Situated in the dynamic Pilbara region of WA, the Karijini National Park is located approximately 1400km north of Perth and around 80km’s north-east of Tom Price. Karijini (formerly Hamersley Range) National Park is the 2nd largest national park in WA and is ranked in the top 5 visitor experiences for the state.
Karijini National Park is an iconic, unspoiled nature-based destination offering a unique and diverse landscape and an unforgettable West Australian outback experience. Karijini is famous for its dramatic creeks, spectacular gorges and towering sheer sided chasms up to 100 metres deep.
A party led by explorer F.T. Gregory explored the area in 1861. He named the Hamersley Range, on which the park is centred, after his good friend Edward Hamersley.
Circular Pool, Karijini National Park
Flora and Fauna
Karijini National Park protects many different wildlife habitats, landscapes, plants and animals of the Pilbara. Wildflowers vary with the seasons. In the cooler months the land is covered with yellow-flowering cassias and wattles, northern bluebells and purple mulla-mullas. After rain many plants bloom profusely.
It is also home to a variety of birds, red kangaroos and euros, rock-wallabies, echidnas and several bat species. Geckos, goannas, dragons, legless lizards, pythons and other snakes are abundant. Huge termite mounds are a feature of the landscape and the rock piles of the rare pebble mound mouse may be found in spinifex country.
In the north of Karijini National Park, small creeks hidden in the rolling hillsides – dry for most of the year – suddenly plunge into sheer-sided chasms up to 100 metres deep. These are the Park’s famous gorges. They are spectacular but can be extremely dangerous. Further downstream the gorges widen and their sides change from sheer cliffs to steep slopes of loose rock.
Karijini National Park, Australia
Formation of the land
Rocks exposed at the gorges originated as fine grained sediment which accumulated on an ancient sea floor 2,500 million years ago. At this time, the atmosphere contained much less oxygen and the only forms of life were simple bacteria and algae. Many of these sediments laid down in the oceans were rich in iron and silica.
Over hundreds of millions of years, the iron-rich deposits were transformed by the pressure of further sediments laid down over them, and they gradually turned into tough well-bedded rock. The gorges were eroded when a sharp drop in sea level caused the rivers to down cut rapidly – a process enhanced by the onset of a more arid climate, which depleted the protective vegetation cover on the valley sides.
In Dales Gorge, a stream, pools, waterfalls and ferns contrast with the red, terraced cliffs weathered by centuries of exposure. The occasional snappy gum can be seen perched on rocky ledges. But every gorge is different, and each one is worth a visit. At Oxer Lookout, the junction of Weano, Red, Hancock and Joffre Gorges, tiers of banded rock tower over a pool at the bottom of the gorge. To explore these gorges you must be fit and prepared to submerge in near-freezing water, follow narrow paths and cling to rock ledges.
Karijini National Park, Australia
The Park is the traditional home of the Banyjima, Kurrama and Innawonga Aboriginal people. The Banyjima name for the Hamersley Range is Karijini. Evidence of their early occupation dates back more than 20,000 years. During that period, Aboriginal land management practices such as ‘fire stick farming’, resulting in a diversity of vegetation types and stages of succession, have helped determine the nature of the plants and animals found in the park today.
Getting to Karijini National Park
Karijini National Park, WA is 1400km from Perth (or a 2-3 days drive)
Driving:
Access to Karijini National Park can be from Tom Price, via Marandoo Road or from the east via Karijini Drive. Alternatively if you are travelling from Port Hedland of Newman turn west on Karijini Drive from Great Northern Highway.
If you are travelling from Dampier or Karratha you can travel through Millstream-Chichester National Park, on the Tom Price Railway Road. Please note that you will need a permit to travel along this road. You can obtain a permit from either the Karratha or Tom Price Visitors Centre.
For turn by turn driving directions please visit www.DriveWA.com.
Fly/Drive:
Paraburdoo is the closest airport to the Karijini Eco Retreat with flights available from QANTAS daily. Car hire is also available at Paraburdoo through a number of different companies; Avis, Hertz, Budget and Thrifty.
Newman is the next closet airport after Paraburdoo, with flights available from both QANTAS and Skywest. Car Hire is available in Newman through Avis.
Karratha: QANTAS is the only airline that flies into Karratha and car hire is available from Avis, Thrifty, Budget and Hertz.
Port Hedland: Flights are available into Port Hedland from both QANTAS and Skywest airlines. Car hire is available in Port Hedland from Avis, Budget and Thrifty.
Please note: Getting to Karijini Eco Retreat will require some driving on unsealed roads. While these roads are graded regularly, it is still recommended that you drive at a slow, safe speed.
It is recommended that you take a 4WD on these roads, however 2WD vehicles are also able to drive on them, at a slower speed. Caravans or camper vans can be towed on these roads but much care is needed and at a much slower speed than on sealed roads. It is recommended that you always carry a spare tyre with you.
If you are hiring a car please check the policy with the provider as some companies do not allow 2WD vehicles to be taken off sealed roads.
About Karijini Eco Retreat
The Karijini Eco Retreat is located within the spectacular Karijini National Park (formerly known as the Hamersley Range National Park). It has been developed by the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation and Gumala Enterprises Pty Ltd on land leased from the WA Department of Environment and Conservation.
GUMALA ABORIGINAL CORPORATION
Karijini Eco Retreat is 100% owned by the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) representing the collective interests of the Traditional Owners.
Gumala represents the interests of the Niapiali, Bunjima and Innawonga Peoples of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Gumala is the Aboriginal word in the Bunjima Language meaning “all together.”
Gumala Enterprises Pty Ltd (GEPL) being the commercial arm of GAC have the responsibility of overseeing the operation of the retreat.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT
Karijini Eco Retreat operates within Karijini National Park in collaboration with the Department of Environment and Conservation and the Traditional Owners to contribute to the management of the environmental, geographical and cultural values of this world class park. A portion of your tariff goes towards the management and conservation of the park for your next visit and future generations.
National Park fees to apply to Karijini National Park to find out more about these please visit our Park Passes section of the website.
ECOMODATION
The Karijini Eco Retreat is managed by the Eco Company Pty Ltd and presented in it’s new brand “Ecomodation”.
Both the Eco Company and Pty Ltd and the “Ecomodation” brand are owned by Hospitality Inns one of Australia’s largest and most experienced hospitality and accommodation companies who have been operating motels since they built WA’s first motel in 1961.