Karijini National Park

Brrrrrrrrrr, it's cold here at night. 40F, maybe? And in our fairweather tent? This kidney stone is threatening to rattle again. Are you sure you inflated this air mattress properly? What, do they only have two grills in the park? And no water supply at all? It's a full moon casting those eery shadows of tree limbs. Are those dingoes howling out there?

Karijini National Park, unlike so many other "national" parks in WA which would barely qualify as metro parks back home, is worthy of the designation. And, by day, a fabulous place to be. And a reminder of where you are in the country: no fresh water, no trash cans, no picnic tables, no full service ranger center. A few outhouses, a couple of gas grills (found in EVERY park as open flames and their forest fire potential are resoundingly banned) and a pair of old pensioners functioning as volunteer guest hosts (another common fixture) are there to abate trouble and maintain order. You bring it all in, you pack it all out.

But the gorges are gorgeous. Geological forces on grand display in a most glorious way. Kevin took them all on and swam in each pool with great, goosepimply gusto. I descended into only the narrow gorges I knew I could get myself out of again. These weren't wide, mawling canyons at the bottom of all the striated rock. God has to only spit once and the marked hike trail is the bottom of some serious white water rafting course. The daytime temps were perfect for these hikes.

I found a magical place at Millstream Chichester National Park. It's a former cattle station (ranch) which suffered land loss to the state to supply fresh water to the burgeoning mining port of Karratha with eminent domain claiming the rest for a national park. The homestead remains as an interpretive center. The out kitchen is roped off (to all but pooping kangaroo) but is still interesting. But follow the path of ancient paperbark trees and date palms to a magical place, beautifully lit in early morning sunlight. Recent rains have made the streams flowing out of the lily pond swell. The water is warm and everything it touches is a color of green that would induce jealousy in a leprechaun and not found anywhere else in Western Australia, I am sure. The date palms and the lilies were planted by the pioneers but add beautifully to the ethereal beauty of the place. I have to use a tourism office photo to sort of convey the scene I witnessed. I was too busy drinking it all in to tinker with cameras. No swimming though. This spot is/was considered an important corrobee site for a wide arc of aboriginal communities.

These primitive but premier parks are a magnet for gray nomads. [see Gray Nomads, 3-10-09] The price is right, $6.50 pp/night, regardless of the acreage they take up parking the caravan, extending the wide canvas annex, popping open the shower tent, adjusting the satellite dish and splaying the solar panels. Doubtless, many are disappointed that there is a 28-day limit in the parks. I did the math and figure these folks are paying less than $400 a month "rent", precious little in "utilities" as the sun powers/heats everything (those solar panels were bought with a government go-green subsidy)and a bit for groceries- all of which should be covered by their pensions. Charge $1,500 or so a month in rent for the home they left behind and presto! instant pension-stretcher-strategy. I call it a hog-all-the-spots-in-the-park-so-no-one-else-can-get-in conspiracy. Shoot, we saw someone park/sleep in their truck first in line at the ranger station (no reservations taken) at night to be sure to get an open spot at eight the next morning.

Move along, buffalo.