What Tradies Want — August-September 2017

50 WHAT TRADIES WANT.

Crossing the De Grey River.

highway crossing of the De Grey River (a ‘free
camp’, but not our scene at all!) and followed
the De Grey upstream, finding a couple of
spots all to ourselves along its verdant banks.
We checked out Doolena Gap, an uncrowded
spot where the Coongan River cuts through
the rocky Gorge Range, but it was early in the
day so we pushed on, crossing the Coongan
on the Bamboo Creek Road.
It was while travelling from there to Coppin
Gap I had my inglorious and naked meeting
with a couple of other travellers, but I soon
forgot my discomfort when we got to Coppin
Gap. A relatively small creek has cut its way
north through the rocky range there, leaving
an idyllic permanent pool that entices wildlife
and people to its cliff-lined shore. We propped

for a couple of nights, enjoying the tranquillity

and doing a bit of exploring. The recent rain

had knocked the 4WD tracks around and all

were badly eroded.

WE’LL BE BACK

From Coppin Gap we headed north along the

Shay Gap Road, passing more small mining

operations, before again coming to the De

Grey River. The wide, shallow crossing was

busy with trucks and excavators as Telstra

engineers were working on re-establishing

the optical cable connection across the

river, a recent flood having washed away the

previous cable. So much for being in wild,

remote country!

North of the river, on a small but obvious

outcrop of rock, we found an older form of

communication – ancient Aboriginal rock

engravings or petroglyphs – that have

withstood the onslaught of time and weather,

their exact meanings though, are lost in time.

Our time in the Pilbara drew to a close but

we’ll be back – if for nothing else but to see

the spots we missed because of weather and

changed entry conditions!

For general travel and camping info

on the region as well as info/permits

on the Rio Tinto Railway Access Road

and the Burrup Peninsula, start at:

http://www.karrathavisitorcentre.com.au.

TRAVEL

PLANNER

‘Explore the Pilbara

in your 4WD’, is a

great little book

for discovering the

region, published by

Westate Publishers;

find it on the web for

around $20.

50 WHAT TRADIES WANT.

Hamersley Gorge.

A great camp at Coppin Gap.

HIDDEN GEMS AND COASTAL MAGIC