Karijini National Park
| Karijini National Park | |
|---|---|
|
IUCN category II (national park) | |
 Looking towards Red Gorge from Oxers lookout | |
  Karijini National Park | |
| State | Western Australia |
| Nearest town or city | Tom Price |
| Coordinates | 22°29′46″S 118°23′50″E / 22.49611°S 118.39722°ECoordinates: 22°29′46″S 118°23′50″E / 22.49611°S 118.39722°E |
| Area | 6,274.42 km2 (2,422.6 sq mi)[1] |
| Established | 1969 |
| Visitation | 166,000 (in 2009)[2] |
| Managing authorities | Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia) |
| Website | Karijini National Park |
Karijini National Park is a National Park centred in the Hamersley Ranges of the Pilbara region in northwestern Western Australia (Australia). It is just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, approximately 1,055 kilometres (656 mi) from the State's capital city, Perth. It was formerly known as Hamersley National Park.
At 627,442 hectares (1,550,440 acres), it is the second largest national park in Western Australia (Karlamilyi National Park is larger).
The park is physically split into a northern and a southern half by a corridor containing the Hamersley & Robe River railway and the Marandoo iron ore mine.[3]
The park is served by the Solomon Airport, located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) westwards.
History
A party led by explorer F.T. Gregory explored the area in 1861. He named the Hamersley Range, on which the park is centred, after his friend Edward Hamersley.
Climate
The park is located in the Pilbara region, and is mostly tropical semi-arid climate. In summer, thunderstorms and cyclones are common, bringing 250–350 mm of rain annually.[4] Temperatures on summer days frequently exceed 40 degrees Celsius, while winter nights can bring frost.
Geology
The five gorges that flow north out of the park, the Bee Gorge, Wittenoom Gorge, Kalamina Gorge, Yampire Gorge, and Dales Gorge provide spectacular displays of the rock layers [5][6]
- Banded iron formation (BIF) - Brockman iron formation [7][8]
- Dolomite - Wittenoom dolomite [9][10]
- Shale - Mount McRae Shale [11][12]
Features
The park is most notable for its four prominent gorges marked by waterfalls and water holes.[13]
The park's wildlife includes red kangaroos, euros, wallaroos, echidnas, geckos, goannas, bats, legless lizards and a large variety of birds and snakes, including pythons.[14]
See also
- Protected areas of Western Australia
References
- ↑ Department of Environment and Conservation 2009–2010 Annual Report. Department of Environment and Conservation. 2010. p. 48. ISSN 1835-114X.
- ↑ ABC: Karijini National Park visitor numbers drop, 13 October 2010
- ↑ Australia Road and 4WD Atlas, publisher: HEMA maps, published: 2007, page: 86-87
- ↑ M. Bright, 1001 Natural Wonders You Must See Before You Die, Quintet Publishing, London 2005
- ↑ Thorne, Alan (2003) Geology of the Gorges DEC
- ↑ MacLeod, W. N. (1966) The geology and iron deposits of the Hamersley Range area. Bulletin (Geological Survey of Western Australia), No. 117,http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/record=b2251313~S2 -
- ↑ http://www.riotintoironore.com/ENG/operations/497_geology.asp
- ↑ http://www.portergeo.com.au/tours/iron2002/iron2002depm1.asp
- ↑ http://dbforms.ga.gov.au/pls/www/geodx.strat_units.sch_full?wher=stratno=20327
- ↑ http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/docs/pub/AquaGroundWater/pilbara.php?9999
- ↑ http://www.physorg.com/news110122626.html
- ↑ http://www.springerlink.com/content/12va3dery2y50auu/
- ↑ "Karijini National Park". westernaustralia.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2006. Retrieved 19 December 2006.
- ↑ "Karijini National Park - Beyond The 26th". ABC. Archived from the original on 24 November 2007. Retrieved 19 December 2006.
Further reading
- Padgett, Allan (1991) Karijini National Park - description of some of the more remote gorges. Landscope, Vol. 7, no. 1 (Spring 1991), pp. 16–21
External links
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