We’ve done all of the Pilbarra we intend to do. All  we can say is that if you are not working in the mining industry up there; you are a fool to yourself and a burden on society!  In the Pilbarra: if it moves it probably belongs to a mining company; if it stands still it is excavated and sent overseas.

It is mindboggling. As well as talking to people, we did a mine tour of Tom Price. Stats, info and probably a bit of hype that  you just cannot get your head around.

Just to correct the 1+km train from last week. It is 230 trucks and 2km long; takes 1.25 hours to load; carries around 30,000 tonne of ore; if loaded with high grade ore that will be worth $5mi loaded on board ship. Train driver paid $250,000 pa.

BHP-Biliton (Pt Hedland, Newman) wants to double its work force in the next 6 years; Rio Tinto (Tom Price, Paraburdoo) wants to increase output by 50% by 2030.

Both BHP and Rio claim the biggest port in the world in terms of outgoing tonnage. Doesn’t matter much who is right!

Sufficient reserves for another 2 generations. China and India biggest clients.

Pt Hedland – 3 bed, 2 bath house for sale at $1.4mi with 1 year of 3+3 lease at $2100 pw expired. Real estate salesman we talked to had just let new 1br unit for $1600pw.

Pt Hedland has water for about 10% increase in population; acute shortage of builders (hospital can not get new ward built) and a failing retail structure and primary industry because of inability to obtain staff.

Fly in staff, contractors, hospital employees, real estate salespeople and a barmaid(?) that we know of. Local institutions collapsing. Serious road accident recently found only one SES volunteer in attendance.

Is it a joke or is it obscene? All a matter of your perspective on life!

The AM team were along the coast last week; but unfortunately radio waves attenuate rapidly in the Pilbarra, so we did not hear much of it.

Sorry, got a bit carried away there. I guess it can be said that this is one area where distance and climate has not defeated ‘the white man’. A Pyrrhic victory maybe? The next 2 generations may judge this.

Back to two who are a burden on society (or perhaps hope to be?).

Within the Pilbarra lies Karijini National Park (627,442 hectares). Glad I stopped using superlatives about 6 weeks and 8,000km ago. Here the gorges are gouged hundreds of metres in to the landscape, rather than cutting in to mountains. The effect is that the gorges here were the most spectacular we have seen to date!  We only spent 2 nights there but managed to see six or eight gorges and etc. Getting to the bottom includes steep climbs and ladders on occasion. Fortunately much of the water in the bottom was quite shallow as Sue chose to fall in three times in two days; think she was looking for one of the famous water pythons, even if they do not bite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Really sad thing is that Geoff’s  ipad (or more correctly the company’s ipad) took exception to the last day of bush-bashing and is sulking (feared dead). On this he had been keeping a daily diary – so it may well be gone; hence the slightly vague references to actual names etc in this email. Navigator now definitely sacked – but too late it is feared! Driver refused to drive the hundreds of kilometres to Millstream National Park  – perhaps next time when it is sealed. Could also be the dust, we think there is a special quality to the Pilbarra dust.  Fair dinkum – perhaps the high metal content makes it stick like the proverbial to a blanket; it is everywhere through the van. Bright note for you is that we will perhaps not be able to bore you with all the details of our trip on return.

Arrived in Exmouth today, with the prospect of spending time along Ningaloo  Reef over the next week.  We are now only around 200km by road north of the Tropic of Capricorn; we reckon we will not cross it until 1 September. This means we officially avoid winter because there is no such season in the tropics! We intend to arrive in Gingin (Nathan and Brigitte’s) on Thursday 8th September.

Photos! Another impossible choice. The splendours of Karijini or the wonders of Pilbarra mining exploits?

Cheers

The brown Afghan camel riders.