North West of Western Australia – Yardie Creek

These pictures are of ‘Yardie Creek’.  The Shire of Exmouth has made a concerted effort to build a hard top road all the way to Yardie Creek to ensure that tourists without 4WD’s can get there.  When we were last in Exmouth in 1997, the black top a few kilometres before Turquoise Bay.  Getting to Yardie Creek in that year was quite a rough bouncy journey with possible damage to your car.  Ken was not prepared to risk the Ford Falcon on dirt roads.  Thank goodness for the 4WD.  Yardie Creek has many surprises and a terrific walk from the parking area.  Parking is well organised and you have to walk about 100 metres to a picnic spot that is well shaded.  We had a great lunch and after taking the esky back to the 4WD set off on a walk along the top of the gorge that followed the creek.

We were amazed at the variety of wildlife living in the gorges.  You have to look closely at the photographs to see the rock wallabies resting on one of the ledges.  The herons also have their own part of the gorges and nothing else is allowed to stray into their territory.  If you look at the water, you may be lucky to see turtles.  We travelled up the creek in a boat in 1997 on a tour run by Neil McLeod.  This time, there were no tour boats but some brave and energetic people tried rowing up.  It is a long way to go and come back using your arms.  Ken felt sorry for the bloke rowing.  We noticed many people walking the gorge in thongs.  The area is very rocky and if you slip and break the thong, your feet will be history by the time you get back.