Millstream to Pannawonnica

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Millstream-Chichester National Park we reached by driving past Karratha and taking a bitumen road that was once a gravel access road. Rags was once again unhappy with the way the caravan was towing and our fuel consumption was shocking. There wasn’t much we could do but continue, however we didn’t stop at Python Pool as intended as the nearest fuel was Tom Price or Pannawonica and as we’d fuelled in Wickham the day before we were a little concerned.

Millstream-Chichester National Park is a landscape of rolling hills, spectacular escarpments and winding tree-lined watercourses. The oasis of Millstream, where fresh water springs from an aquifer to create lush pools surrounded by paperbark and palm trees was reached by early afternoon. Although Judy was a bit groggy from antihistamines she was taking we went to explore the nearby Visitors’ Centre which used to be an old homestead. This is unmanned and after a look around we began walking the Homestead Trail that leads off from the rear. Plaques on the trail told us the story of the area in the 1930’s through the eyes of a 12 year old boy. The trail led to Millstream, a lush oasis surrounded by plants from a tropical rainforest. It is amazing to see these here after coming from the arid areas surrounding Millstream.

Although we were going to head back so Judy could have a rest this didn’t happen and we drove towards Crossing Pool, which is on the Fortescue River and is much further to drive than walk. The road involved a couple of river crossings and would be impassable in the wet.

At Crossing Pool we found a tight knit little community of campers who didn’t make us feel welcome. Indeed they had blocked off the only area where a van could be parked - we were glad we’d parked at the Millyanha Campground where we had a lovely shady campsite with good separation to other sites.

We booked for 2 nights when the camp hosts visited us around 5pm. This would give Rags time to pull off the caravan wheels and determine our problems - hopefully!

The next morning we readied ourselves with walking boots, water, bathers etc and took off on the Murlamunyjunha Trail (why do the names have to be so long that I need the pamphlet to copy them from?). This trail links the homestead and Mill Stream with the Fortescue River and area around Crossing Pool and is about 3 kilometres each way.

Even though when we got to crossing Pool few others were in sight we still looked at the water and decided it looked too murky to swim - we needed Kerry to encourage us in - instead we sat under a shady tree at a picnic table and watched the small red birds that were ground feeding nearby. We later found out that these are Star Finches.

On our return Rags found another pool to bathe in while Judy relaxed at the caravan. Rags then worked on the caravan wheels while Judy read. After that, he too relaxed with a magazine.

And so it was Monday morning before we took off in the direction of Pannawonnica on a gravel road that neither of us have traversed before. It was generally quite good road and despite Rags feeling at the start that he’d fixed the problem by the time we reached Panawonnica he had come to realise he hadn’t completely fixed it.

On arriving in Pannawonnica we found the primary school and went in to ask if our friend Bill was still a teacher there. Judy had tried his mobile but received no response. It appears he is there but was away in Perth and due back the next day. Apparently, he forgot to take his mobile and had left it at school. We considered staying but after Judy received an email and spoke to a friend in Perth who offered us work in the Pilbara next term we decided that we’d start for home sooner rather than later. We did stop at a bay at a nearby park for a couple of hours while Rags once again dismantled a wheel hub- he’s getting good at this - and Judy checked the email and paid a couple of bills.

Onslow had been the previous destination in mind but we now sped south, passing the Onlsow turnoff and heading toward the overnight rest area of Yarranarie or Barradale as most people know it.

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Photos

Deep Water Pool
We had a dip in here on our way out of Millstream.