PILBARA

DAY 1: NEWMAN – KALGANS

From the gold rush towns of the 1880s to the largest modern mining town in the East Pilbara, Newman is where we start our adventure.

Sitting on the edge of the Western Desert, the town is dominated by Mount Newman (1053 meters) and named after the explorer Aubrey Woodward Newman. In 1957 a huge iron ore deposit was discovered at Mt Whaleback, which is now the site of the largest single open-cut iron ore mine in the world.

We ride out of town and within 10 minutes are exploring true Pilbara country, riding rich red earth and crossing freshwater streams through a maze of tracks that eventually lead to a natural amphitheatre gorge that will be our overnight camp. What a backdrop, towering cliffs with some of the most amazing rock formation famous to the Pilbara region. You will have had your appetite wet for adventure with the unbelievable scenery and at times challenging surfaces including red pindan, rocks and water crossings.

DAY 2: KALGANS – TALAWANA TRACK

This morning we head north through station tracks opening and closing gates behind us on route to the Talawana Track. We are going to ride a variety of surfaces today from overgrown station tracks to graded access roads on route to the Karlamilyi National Park. It is Western Australia’s largest and most remote national park. Karlamilyi is the Martu Aboriginal word for the Rudall River, and the park encompasses over 1.3 million hectares between the Great Sandy Desert and the Little Sandy Desert. The Department of Parks and Wildlife advises that visitors to Karlamilyi need to be well organised with at least two vehicles and radio or satellite communications. Visitors must be self-sufficient with all supplies and equipment including fuel, water, food, medical supplies, etc. Visitors should not enter the area unless they are confident about navigation and driving in remote locations. We have all of this covered and can’t wait to show you a unique part of Western Australia that only the very few are lucky enough to experience. We camp under the stars along the Talawana tonight and relive the stories of the days ride around the fire while pondering tomorrows adventure.

DAY 3: TALAWANA TRACK – KARLAMILYI

Leaving the Talawana Track behind the riding becomes more technical, using old rarely driven tracks that traverse the breakaway country with dry creek beds linking the country together and providing evidence of how the wet seasons shape our outback.

As we ride through the Karlamilyi National Park you could be mistaken you are in Nevada with Ruddall Rivers very unique landscapes and mystical feel. The surface is constantly changing from the rich red Pilbara soil, to quarts encrusted breakaway hills with their creek systems and polished rocks.

Our camp for the night is amongst a tight group of breakaways and the photo opportunities are endless. We watch the sun slip below the breakaways and settle in around the fire for a gourmet meal and look forward to tomorrows ride to Desert Queen Baths.

DAY 4: RUDDALL – QUEEN BATHS

The riding today starts out with weaving our way across vegetated plains dotted with groves of white gum attracting the odd camel sheltering in the shade. Then before you realise, we have entered a new world. The landscape is breakaways as far as the eye can see, with our narrow trail meandering its way through the maze of wash aways and creeks. We eventually cross the Rudall River, named by early explore Frank Hahn after the surveyor William Frederick Rudall, who he met while searching for men missing from the Calvert Expedition party. This area is not only some of the most amazing riding we have experienced but is also rich with history.

By the time we reach our destination Desert Queen Baths we are all ready and deserving of a refreshing swim in the natural oasis to freshen up for lunch.

The riding after lunch is different again as we navigate the river bed itself for a short section and then the richly vegetated flood plains adjacent. This leads us to our next overnight camp with its lush green river gums and backdrop of breakaway country.

DAY 5: RUDDALL – RUNNING WATERS

There is the option of an eighty-kilometre special stage today that loops east and then north again to re-join the main track heading north. This deviation encompasses an old mining settlement and explores very remote tracks and an environment very rarely driven. The aim today is to make the most of the Karlamilyi National Park before heading west to finish the day swimming in a warm natural spring to sooth the days riding away. It is a tranquil lush environment, in stark contrast to the absolutely amazingly rugged country we ride through on the track in. This is our camp for the night and provides those who are keen for another warm spa and freshen up in the morning before we head further west.

DAY 6: RUNNING WATERS – SKULL SPRINGS

This has become a way of life that is hard to give up. Watching the sunrise over outback Western Australia, riding our amazing pieces of equipment through nothing less than the best the Pilbara has to offer, we are the luckiest people on earth. The lush green trees and warm springs of Running Waters is hard to leave behind, however, the next two days are full of adventure and amazing riding. The ride to Skull Springs has both open scenic riding and technical components to enjoy.

DAY 7: SKULL SPRINGS-NULLAGINE

We ride a twisting winding route today with plenty of changes in elevation. The route is bordered by hills and scenery that will have you wanting to deviate and really get amongst the scenery. We will fossick amongst historic gold mines and their history of machinery and diggings, reliving their “gold fever.” We are riding our last one hundred and fifty kilometers today through true Pilbara country and you will find yourself reminiscing of the past six days and its one thousand kilometers of outback Western Australia. The memories we have made will be with us a lifetime. This is a chance to soak it all in, the amazing and memorable riding, landscapes and great times had along the way. We hope you will have enjoyed the adventure.