Experience the quiet side of Karijini with Jo Clews

5 The quiet KARIJINI

By Jo Clews

The first thing that comes to mind when someone happens to mention that they are headed to Karijini National Park is a sense of awe and adventure.

It is an adventure just to get there regardless if you take the coastal route, the inland route or the roads less travelled in the middle, then of course there is the stunning scenery that takes your breath away at each corner you turn and hill you climb.

The closer you get, the more the anticipation builds and I doubt there has been any visitor to this amazing part of the world who has not been impressed.

It was my great fortune that in 2007 I became the manager of the newly developed Eco Retreat which meant I had the privilege of living in and experiencing this world, first hand, for an extended period of time. A valuable experience it was and even though my team and I were challenged on a daily basis, somehow we made it work and many life lessons were learnt. I had a staff that consisted of local Aboriginal people from Tom Price, Wakathuni and Bellary, local West Aussies and a mini United Nations with backpacker staff from all around the world. Some of my fondest memories are sitting on the veranda with my Karijini Kids, after the work was done and the guests had all gone to bed, just yarning and enjoying each other’s company under the amazing night sky in the outback and to this day I am still in contact with most of my Kids and have made lifelong friends in WA. To say I received so much more from Karijini than it received from me is an understatement and I truly believe that I am who I am because of the time I spent there. Now don’t get me wrong, I am up for a challenge and an adventure as much as the next person but I am also an immersive type of traveller and to be honest the longer it takes me, the better I feel. As an example, I have been asked by a very good friend on numerous occasions if I would accompany him on one of his Canning Stock Route tours (back in the day when we could) but I always declined because my idea of doing the Stock Route would be taking three months, not less than three weeks. So to completely give myself over to the Pilbara for an entire year was amazing and even though the landscape and gorges are an integral part of my memories, the ones that I speak most about are the quiet, and in some ways, spiritual ones. There are two occasions that come to mind and these are what I would like to share so the next time you are at Karijini you too might like to slow down, stop and feel the other, quieter side of this magical place. Most nights I was the last to leave the restaurant so usually there was no one else around except the muffled voices of the campers and tent guests that were picked up on the breeze and softly dispersed throughout the retreat. The incoherent murmurings of intrepid adventurers reliving the highlights of their days as they settled into their comfortable beds accompanied me back to my little cottage amongst the spinifex. It wasn’t a long walk between the two buildings but was just enough time for my eyes to become accustomed to the dark and my brain to acknowledge the glorious canopy of stars or the light of the moon showing me the way. On many a night about half way between the buildings I would walk into the most amazing pocket of deliciously warm air that was so powerful yet so gentle that I was forced to stop and allow it to envelope me. It was better than the best hug I had ever had and more often than not I needed it. Call it what you will and I am sure there are many explanations, but for me, some days it was the difference between madness and sanity and I refuse to believe that it was anything less than the land sending me a cloak of energy that lifted my spirit and guided me forward. One night after our guests had retired for the evening, the second experience was orchestrated by one of our many wonderful tour guides. He suggested we pack up a pillow and a blanket and put on some warm clothes, pile into the vehicles and trustingly head off into the dark Karijini night with him with his only reassurance being, “Trust me, you will love it.” There were about eight of us so I think we all assumed there was safety in numbers if things got a bit weird. We arrived at Oxer Lookout and piled out of the cars all feeling just a little edgy and

excited. Our tour guide took us to the lookout platform by the light of his torch and when we got there he quietened us all down, as by this stage we were like excited little school kids on an excursion to the zoo. We were to comfortably arrange ourselves on the platform with our pillow and blanket then close our eyes and just listen, and as we listened make a note in our minds as to what we thought we had heard. I am convinced we were all pretty sceptical but we did as we were told and began our meditation. I have no idea how long we were there, it could have been five minutes or five hours, but all I can say is for that moment in time I ceased to exist as I became part of the deep darkness of the night and the sounds of the gorges spirited me away to some place incredible. Everyone’s experience is different apparently, but most people will hear the sweet high-pitched laughter and squeals of delight from children playing in the background. Just like when you are at a party and all the kids are playing chasey and you are trying to have a grown-up conversation with the adults, but keeping half an ear out in case it ends in tears. Through the joyousness of the little children then came the soft sounds of a young woman singing and after that old men talking, reminding me of when I was a child at Christmas curled up on the sheepskin rug at my grandmother’s house after a big day with the adults having a conversation I could not understand as I drifted off to sleep.

We all awoke and in a much more peaceful mood made our way back to the vehicles. As we drove back to the retreat we all recounted our experience. Although some were similar, as we had been warned, we all heard different things but as it turned out I was the only one who heard the old men talking. It wasn’t until the next day when I was making beds with one of my Aboriginal staff who was Oxer Lookout by day. an elder in Tom Price that she asked what my experience was. I told her and she was quite surprised when I told her about the old men. She looked straight at me and said, “Not many people ever get to hear the old men. They must like you.” I was a bit flabbergasted to say the least, “And you need to let them know when you leave as they will get upset if they can’t find you.” Well then, what’s a woman to do, so from that day forward every time I left the retreat I would stop at the front entrance and let them know I would be back. Sadly, the last time I left I was unable to return and didn’t get to say goodbye. It has been way too long since I have been back and writing this story has made me nostalgic and feeling like I need to head back to check in and become part of this landscape once again. Sharing my experiences will hopefully get more people experiencing the quieter side of 4W driving and outback adventure. Yes, by all means it can be exhilarating and exciting but equally it should also be quiet, reflective contemplation and gratitude of the amazing country we are so privileged to be in. Road trip anyone?