|
|
GASCOYNE
JUNCTION
You don’t have to go all the way to Uluru to find the “real outback,” those
famous red soils and a really big rock – it’s all right here in Gascoyne
Junction, where the mighty Gascoyne and Lyons rivers meet. Small in size but
big on character, the Junction is well worth the two-hour detour off the North
Coastal Highway on your way north from Carnarvon. First proposed as a town site
in 1897, the town is a centre for the mining and pastoral industries and a great
base to experience the bush camping, hiking, wildlife viewing, sightseeing, photography
or picnicking the area has on offer.
|
|
TOWN
ATTRACTIONS
The Junction’s museum was built in 1912 to house the Upper Gascoyne Roads
Board, later changing into a school to service the town and nearby stations.
It now serves as a tribute to the town’s history and many locals have donated
interesting items from generations gone by.
The town’s watering hole Junction Hotel began life in 1906 as a general
store, becoming a pub in 1911. Come in and enjoy a coldie alongside the locals,
soak up the history and take note of the markers showing where the height of
the 1980 flood came through.
Opened in 2001, Federation Park offers barbeque and picnic facilities adjacent
to historic Pioneer Cemetery. Budding sculptors should visit Hackers Hectare,
where several big boulders have been placed on an island between the Gascoyne
River and the much smaller Box Gully to encourage sculptors to try their hand
at carving a masterpiece for public display. It’s also a great spot to
enjoy a BBQ and watch the sunset over the river gums.
Travel just 10 km east of town and you can experience the unique WA station
lifestyle at Bidgemia Station Stay, situated on a scenic part of the river.
Stay the night, relax and enjoy the renowned station hospitality, sounds of
the bush and the stunning night sky.
phone (08) 9943 0501
|
|
GASCOYNE
JUNCTION BUSH RACES
It’s a long way from Royal Ascot or Flemington but they’re off and
racing outback in the Gascoyne in late September/early October. The weekend-long
event features live entertainment from Friday through to Sunday, camping facilities,
licensed bar, horse races, gymkhana and prize money & for events.
|
|
KICKSTARTERS GASCOYNE
DASH
First officially run in 2004, this 485km cross-country endurance race has begun
to attract revheads from across the country and there are plans afoot to turn
it into an international event – Paris-Dakar organizers watch out! On day
one of the two-day dash, intrepid competitors strap into motorbikes, buggies
or 4WDs and cover 185km of grueling terrain from fast windmill tracks to slow
rocky hill climbs and dry riverbed crossings. Day two is a 300km marathon into
Carnarvon. Fortunately for the spectators, there are camping facilities, licensed
bar and a food van handy for refreshments!
|
|
GASCOYNE
RIVER
The Gascoyne in full flood is an amazing sight and huge volumes of water and
sediment are moved during flood events. At 760km, it is WA’s longest river
and runs an average 120 days annually; for the remainder is literally flowing
upside down via an aquifer. Together with its major contributory, the Lyons River,
the Gascoyne has a catchment area of 26,381 square miles that extends 300km inland
from the Junction, to the east of the Kennedy Ranges.
A series of permanent pools can be found for the duration of the dry season,
providing food and habitat for many native plants and animals and recharging
the river groundwater basins essential for the region.
|
|
MT
AUGUSTUS PARK
Mt Augustus, or Burringurrah as it is known by the local Wadjari Aboriginal people,
rises 1106 metres above sea level and is twice the size of Uluru (Ayers Rock).
One of the most spectacular solitary peaks in the world and the world’s
largest monocline, it rises above a stony, red sandplain of arid shrubland and
is visible from the air for more than 160km. The granite formation is about eight
kilometres long, covers an area of 4,795 hectares and is estimated to be 1750
million years old.
To experience Australia’s really big rock up close and personal, take
one of the great walk trails suitable for walkers of varying ability and fitness.
They range from the tough, six-hour Summit Trail to the easy, 20 minute Saddle
Trail. For the less energetic, Burringurrah Drive is a 49km trail suitable
for two-wheel drives with views of the rock and access to feature sites. To
get there in the first place, travel about 850km from Perth or 460km east of
Carnarvon.
|
|
KENNEDY
RANGE NATIONAL PARK
About 150km inland from Carnarvon and just north of the Junction are the spectacular
sandstone battlements of the Kennedy Ranges, an eroded plateau on the rim of
the Gascoyne River catchment that has dominated the surrounding plains for millions
of years. Running north for about 75km, the ranges feature precipitous cliffs,
deep gorges and springs. A variety of walk or drive trails are on offer, including
the 30 minute Honeycomb Gorge Trail and the two-hour Drapers Gorge Trail. Camp
at the foot of stark sandstone cliffs and get up early for the Sunrise View,
a raised viewing area a short walk from the car park that provides great views
of the battlement, especially at sunrise.
|
|
WILDFLOWERS
The Junction in spring is the perfect base for enjoying and photographing the
brilliant wildflower displays of the region. The rust red plains create a stunning
contrast for species including the scarlet red sturt desert pea, and royal purple
mulla mulla. The floral displays may be seen on roadsides throughout the Gascoyne,
but the Kennedy Ranges and Mt Augustus make far more impressive backdrops for
masses of native corn flower, eremophila, cenna, flannel bush, mulla mulla and
everlastings.
|
|
< back |
|
