A Day in Ancient Karijini

We wake to the sound of wind. But we’re not worried—it won’t trouble us too much today. Our plan is to walk the Dales Gorge, where we’ll be sheltered beneath ancient rock walls.
Our first stop is the Karijini National Park Visitor Centre. What an incredible place—rich with information and insight. Karijini’s story spans over 350 million years. It’s a land shaped by deep geological forces and equally deep cultural connections. The history here is layered: indigenous heritage, the pressures of mining, and the ongoing efforts of conservation. You can feel the tension between environmental preservation and resource extraction, a theme woven into the very rocks which surround us. “Prospectors have sought its resources and conservationists have sought its protection”.
From the centre, we set off along the escarpment, taking in vast views before descending into the gorge itself. The rock walls tower around us, banded like slices of tiramisu—layer upon ancient layer. In some, we notice the telltale blue glint of asbestos seams—a reminder of the land’s mineral richness and terrible hazards.
We pass giant paperbarks, flowering wattles, and pale ghost gums. The creek bed leads us along the gorge floor, cool and quiet. Eventually, we reach the waterfalls and a stunning swimming hole—an oasis carved by time and water. We plunge in. The water is cold and revitalising. Pure refreshment.
As we climb out and begin the walk back, the sun starts to dip. The colours shift around us—reds deepen, shadows stretch, and the landscape seems to breathe. There’s a magic here, ancient and alive. Karijini is not just a place—it’s an experience etched into the land and into us. You feel its spiritual energy all around you.Read more