Karijini National Park is an Australian national park located in the Hamersley Ranges of the Pilbara region in northwestern Western Australia. It is north of the Tropic of Capricorn and 1,055 kilometers (656 miles) from Perth, the state's capital city. The park was previously called Hamersley Range National Park but was officially renamed Karijini in 1991.
Karijini covers an area of 627,422 hectares (1,550,390 acres), making it the second-largest national park in Western Australia, after Karlamilyi National Park. The park's rock formations are estimated to be about 2.5 billion years old. The best time to visit is between May and September, during late autumn, winter, and early spring. During these months, days are warm, but nights are cold. Summer temperatures often exceed 38°C (100°F), making it less suitable for visitors and increasing the risk of bushfires.
The park is divided into two parts by a corridor that includes the Hamersley and Robe River railway and the Marandoo iron ore mine. Tourist attractions such as gorges and waterfalls are found in the northern part of the park, which is accessible via paved and gravel roads. The southern part of the park has no paved roads.
The park has access to two airports: Paraburdoo Airport (PBO), located 100 kilometers (62 miles) away, and Newman Airport (ZNE), located 263 kilometers (163 miles) away. Rental cars are available at both airports. Solomon Airport, 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) to the west, serves nearby iron ore mines.
History
The park is the original home of the Banyjima, Kurrama, and Innawonga Aboriginal people. The Banyjima call the Hamersley Range Karijini, which means "hilly place." Evidence shows that these people lived in the area more than 20,000 years ago. At that time, their ways of managing the land, such as using fire to help grow plants, created different kinds of vegetation and stages of plant growth. These practices helped shape the types of plants and animals found in the park today.
In 1861, a group led by explorer Francis Thomas Gregory visited the area. He named the Hamersley Range, which is the center of the park, after his friend Edward Hamersley.
Climate
The park is located in the Pilbara region and has a tropical semi-arid climate. During the summer months, thunderstorms and cyclones are common, and the area receives 250 to 350 millimeters (about 9.8 to 13.8 inches) of rainfall each year. Summer days often have temperatures above 40°C (104°F), while winter nights may experience frost.
Geology
Several gorges that flow north from the park—including Dales, Kalamina, Wittenoom, and Yampire Gorges—show different types of rock layers:
- Banded Iron Formation (Brockman Iron Formation)
- Dolomite (Wittenoom Dolomite)
- Shale (Mount McRae Shale)
Fauna
The park's wildlife includes red kangaroos, euros, rock-wallabies, dingos, echidnas, geckos, goannas, bats, legless lizards, and a wide range of birds and snakes, including pythons.
Features
The park is famous for its many gorges, which include slot canyons, waterfalls, and water holes. Visitors sometimes swim in the cold water pools.
Hamersley Gorge is in the northwest part of the park. Range Gorge is in the north, Munjina Gorge is in the east, and Hancock, Joffre, Knox, Red, and Weano Gorges meet in the park's center.
The park is open to the public, but visitors should be careful near Yampire and Wittenoom Gorges near the northern edge. Blue asbestos, which can cause cancer if breathed in, is found in some rock formations there.