We all know the expression, “Life isn’t about the destination, but the journey,” but when travelling the often-long distances in WA, we sometimes get fixated on our destination and forget everything else we can experience on the way.

In the Pilbara, Karijini National Park is a worthy destination, and for some time now it has been one of our favourite places in Western Australia. It’s a stunning region that includes WA’s second-largest national park, with ancient gorges, slot canyons, waterfalls, creeks, and of course its pindan-red soil.

The National Park has recently undergone some upgrades to make it even more appealing for travellers. This includes the sealing of 41km of key roads, including Banjima Drive North and the access roads to Weano, Knox, and Joffre Gorges, enhancing access to popular attractions like Dales Gorge and the Karijini Eco Retreat. This is sure to make it even more popular still, especially when winter casts its shadow over Perth and the South West, where many of us live.

There are several ways to get there, and we often come up the Great Northern Highway inland and then go back via the coast. But this time we were in Exmouth and heading north. We wanted to get our Karijini fix but didn’t want to retrace our steps. Exmouth to Karijini is 671 km, but luckily, we had the time to break up the journey—so we thought, why not find out what other surprises can be found in this very special region?

Exmouth to Bullara Station (91km)

Leaving Exmouth, we turned right at Burkett Road heading for Bullara Station, which has been on our bucket list for a while. Just 91km from Exmouth and 71km from Coral Bay, this is a popular spot for people travelling to Ningaloo, and although the station is not far from the ocean, it’s more red dirt outback than coastal. Owned by the Shallcross family since the 1950s, Bullara is a working cattle station that has diversified into tourism.

Diversify they have, with a large, powered camping area, restaurant, cabin accommodation, walk trails and a 4WD track. The big team that keeps the station’s tourist section flowing are easily spotted in their blue Bullara shirts, and come in a mix of grey nomads and backpackers that bring an energetic and fun vibe.

The campground and restaurant are busy in the winter months and each night has a different set menu, with produce mostly locally sourced. The fruit and vegetables are from Borich and Sons in Carnarvon, the seafood—including goldband snapper, jobfish, and king prawns—is from the local fishing industry, and the beef is straight off the station. Friday night is Burger Night and a real highlight of the week. In peak tourism season, up to 400 people tuck into Bullara beef burgers while enjoying live music.

In the morning, we joined fellow campers in the old shearing shed for some homemade scones with jam and cream. Then, in the cooler afternoon, we headed out onto the Bullara walk trails. Cattle around here seemed chilled as they watched us follow well-marked trails, and we especially liked hiking up an impressive series of dunes that become fiery red near sunset. Along with the setting sun, there were pretty good views over the homestead here.

Bullara 4WD Side Trip

The Bullara Homestead and tourism infrastructure are on the right as you enter Burkett Road from the Minilya-Exmouth Road (heading east). The 4WD track is on the other side of Burkett Road and winds its way out to Exmouth Gulf.

The camp kitchen has a register where drivers leave their name, vehicle rego and expected time of return. That way station staff knows who is out exploring and, more importantly, have returned safely. When we got to the gulf, there was a croc warning sign. Sightings of ‘salties’ are getting more common in Exmouth Gulf, even at the Exmouth Marina, Navy Pier and Town Beach. While Ningaloo Reef, on the western side of North West Cape is mainly coral, the coast on Bullara Station is mostly tidal mangroves and mud flats, which support an enormous range of marine life. The track is not too challenging, but high-clearance 4WD vehicles are certainly the way to go.

If driving on the station, it is important to leave gates as you find them. A bit of station etiquette goes a long way!

Bullara Station to Cheela Plains (368km)

Back on the road, we headed north on North West Highway. We popped into Nanutarra Roadhouse before turning right onto Nanutarra Munjina Road. It’s a good idea to refuel at the roadhouse before venturing further. If you do the Cheela 4WD tracks you might find yourself short and the next stop is either Paraburdoo or Tom Price. In our case, we had driven past the Cheela Plains Station turnoff many times, but this time we pulled in for a few nights’ stay.

Cheela Plains Station is a much smaller enterprise compared to Bullara. But what it lacks in size, Cheela certainly makes up for with things to do. Driving in, we went over a hill to see a manicured grassy area encircled by caravans before setting up camp at Red Plains Campground (there is also cabin accommodation if you feel like air-conditioned comfort for the night). That evening, we climbed the not-too-steep hill for a fine view of the surrounding breakaway landscape and campground. The sunset from here is breathtaking.

Owned by the Pensini family since 2001, Cheela is a family owned and managed cattle station which aims to be industry leaders in sustainable and renewable pastoral practices. It features a café that is open 7am–2pm every day in season, while the restaurant is open for two-course meals from Thursday to Tuesday.

Cheela Plains 4WD Side Trip

Following a map supplied by the office, we began what turned out to be a great 4WD experience. To access the Beasley River Gorge, the gate key ($20) and brochures are available from the office.

After 3km, we unlocked the station gate, closed it again, and headed up the gravel road. Some of the interesting geological formations are conveniently signposted. The first stop is at a rock arch or natural bridge, a short walk from our parked car. The striking colours of the arch are made of banded iron formation, or BIF.

The next highlight is The Wall, 2km down a track on the right. It’s a 300m walk over creek rocks to get to the wall—a spectacular, towering gorge made of alternating bands of light and dark rock. The Banded Iron-Formation was created 2,440 million years ago and is the main rock formation in the Hamersley Ranges. There was a pool of water at the base of the rock face with a waterfall that only flows when it rains.

At the end of Gorge Road, we turned right onto the Time Trail. This is where the track becomes 4WD at Woongarra Pool. It’s soft going in some places, requiring lower tyre pressures. This place is so impressive we added it to our ‘must come back and camp here list.’ The gorge forms perfect reflections in a pool overlooked by some lovely campsites. Geologically speaking, sections of the gorge consist of vertical stripes, or strata, that are evidence of the Great Oxidation Event. Some 2.4 billion years ago, types of bacteria started introducing oxygen into the Earth’s atmosphere. Fascinating stuff.

We then followed the Beasley River to Mussel Pool, a beautiful waterhole lined with paperbark trees, another great spot for camping. We parked and walked to Perentie Falls, just upstream, featuring rock faces, pools and a now-dry waterfall.

The road then winds through spectacular spinifex-covered hills and a flat-topped mesa. The side roads go to Nummuna Pool and Piamantha Soak, which would be fantastic for bird watching.

Following our brochure map, we retraced our steps and found another way to the main road past some historic cattle yards and windmills.

Cheela Plains Station is open from 1st April to 12th October. Be aware that there is no fuel available there, and you must be self-sufficient when it comes to camping in Beasley River Gorge.

Cheela Plains to Tom Price (113km)

The drive to Tom Price goes through typically spectacular Pilbara landscape. The spinifex-covered ranges with randomly placed ghost gums beautifully contrast against the red rock breakaways, all under a perfect blue sky. It’s a steadily rising climb as we headed towards the iron ore town of Tom Price. At 747 metres above sea level, Tom Price is the highest town in WA. The Pilbara also boasts most of the highest mountains in WA, such as Mount Meharry at 1,249 metres and Mount Bruce at 1,234 metres.

Jarndunmunha Mt Nameless 4WD Side Trip

Jarndunmunha in the local Indigenous language means ‘place of rock wallaby.’ The mountain itself looms large behind the Tom Price Tourist Park. At the top it’s 1,128 metres above sea level. There are two ways of getting to the top: the 4km return hiking trail or the second-highest 4WD track in Western Australia. The 4WD starts 10km out of town. Past the caravan park, we crossed the railway line and took the first left. In low gear, we crawled up the rocky 6.7km to the top. The view of the Pilbara landscape from the summit is spectacular. It includes a view of the Rio Tinto iron ore mine and train lines.

Tom Price to Karijini National Park (90km)

Tom Price is the gateway town to Karijini National Park and its majestic gorges. You can easily spend a couple of weeks exploring and camping here. We tend to stay a few days at Dales Gorge, doing the Dales Gorge walks and swimming holes. Then we drive to Karijini Eco Retreat as a base camp to explore the Weano, Hancock, Knox, and Joffre Gorge systems. It used to be a bone-jarring drive to Weano Gorge and Banjima Drive North, but since they sealed it, the journey is far quicker. We usually drive out to Hamersley Gorge early in the morning because it does get busy.

Tom Price to Millstream via Rio Tinto Railway Access Road (183km)

An alternative route back to the coast is along the Rio Tinto Railway Access Road. The dirt road runs alongside the railway built for the iron ore trains going between Tom Price and the port of Dampier. These access roads follow the largest private rail network in the world, utilised by the longest trains in the world. Part of the adventure is driving alongside one of these trains or waiting at a crossing as they go on seemingly forever.

To use the road, drivers need to get a permit. We got our free permit online and watched an induction video. The Tom Price Visitors Centre also issues permits where you can watch the video. The permit lasts for 30 days.

As it is a private road and maintained by Rio Tinto, they can close it at any time for any reason.

Millstream Chichester National Park

As we headed closer to the coast, we detoured into Millstream Chichester National Park, a favourite of ours. The drive through the Chichester Ranges mesa landscape is an absolute classic. Along the way we stopped at Millstream, an old station homestead built on spring-fed pools from the Fortescue River. Paperbark trees and lush vegetation surround deep, crystal-clear pools where waterlilies float and fish thrive. Nearby, there are commanding views over Deep Reach, where white cockatoos fly in to roost near sunset.

Millstream to Karratha (101km)

The final 100km is along the Manuwarra Red Dog Hwy into Karratha. One final national park worth visiting is Murujuga, situated on Burrup Peninsula, about 5km from Dampier. The park features the largest collection of rock art in the world, making the site so important it’s being nominated for World Heritage listing. The Murujuga Rock Art & Cultural Experience tour is an hour and a half tour that explores these petroglyphs and ancient rock art, taking place on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Finally, just for a bit of fun, we checked out the Red Dog statue in Dampier. Commemorating the famous kelpie/cattle dog cross, the statue was erected in 1979 to honour Red Dog as a symbol of mateship, loyalty and respect. In the years since, not only has the ‘Red Dog’ become the subject of a book and a movie, it has become synonymous with the Pilbara and is a reminder of the many unique stories, people and places that make the region so unforgettable—especially when you take the scenic route.

By Jane Pelusey

This adventure can be found in the 134th edition of Western 4W Driver at issuu.com