Day 63 - Tuesday 4 September - On to Tom Price

Day 63

Tuesday

4 September 

Karijini – Tom Price

The wild dogs were howling last night. They woke us at different points as the night wore on. I woke not feeling particularly rested, my body ached from all the extra expectations, guess I need to work on my fitness. 

We were up and 7.30am, keen to get the day underway. After breakfast, we began the pack up and before long, we were loading the car on the trailer and making our way out of Karijini. 

I got busy on the computer, as we drove along the road. I also had in charging, as the power had been drained yesterday and we needed the 12v system to boost the Waeco. We drove through hilly country, hiding the treasures that laid beyond and below the earth. It surely was spectacular country. 

Tom Price was only 110 km down the road and its close proximity to Tom Price explains why Paul spent every other weekend in the park. We followed a large semi trailing 10 haul pack size tyres and all we could think of as we climbed a steep grade hill, was we hope the straps don’t give. They didn’t and we continued to follow him all the way to the turn off of the caravan park, arriving at 9.45am. 

We booked in for a couple of nights, drove into our spot and settled ourselves in. I was off for a shower, which was a wonderful luxury I have missed over the last few days. I soaked and scrubbed, lapping up the warm water massage. 

When we were both clean, we took our washing to the laundry and put in the first load, returning to the van to just take it easy. I worked on the photos from last night, before we hung out the first load and put through the second. During our wait, we returned to the office to raid the book exchange, swapping novels for ones already read. 

We returned to the van, to wait out the final 30min, before hanging out the washing, bringing in what was already dry and then jumping in the car to head into Tom Price. Our first stop was the pub, for lunch. We ate, as we watched the channel 9 broadcast and when we were done, we were ready to explore. We wandered across to the tourist bureau to find out about getting out to Millstream National Park. We were given the ok for the Getz, but had to sit through a 20min safety briefing, before being given a permit allowing us to use the Rio Tinto rail access road. 

We then went across to Coles and picked up a few supplies, before returning to the car and doing a drive by sight see of the transplanted suburb. Paul pointed out various places, before we drove down Tamarind Street, finding his old home at the end. We then continued to follow the road out to North Top Price, completing the loop road, before stopping at the rail overpass bridge, so that I could take a photo of the tracks leading back to the mine, past Mount Nameless. 

We finished our tour, with a drive by Tom Price Primary where Paul taught and his original quarters in the nurses’ single quarters. From here we returned to the caravan park and spent the afternoon lazing about. 

At 5pm we went for a walk to Kings Lake, a man-made lake that you can’t swim, wade or boat in. To us is looked lie the run off from the effluent pits further up the road. The walk to the lake allowed us to take in some of the wildflowers that are now blooming. It was the best thing about heading to the lake. 

We completed the round trip, returning to the van just as dark was setting in. We weren’t feeling hungry, so we just sat about enjoying the quiet of the park.