A colourful pallet of wonders and adventure
Welcome to Ashburton Shire where there are plenty of natural and man made attractions to be explored and adventures to be had. Two of Australia’s best kept secrets would have to be Karijini and Millstream National Parks, both located in the Shire of Ashburton.
Karijini National Park is located approximately one hour from Tom Price. It is popular for its ancient gorges with rich red rock faces, magnificent waterfalls and crystal clear rock pools. The area is permeated by lush greenery, and the pure white trunks of snappy gums, providing a picturesque contrast with the red gorges. Throughout the Park there are many pools and waterfalls safe for swimming.
The Karijini Visitors Centre has been designed to depict a goanna moving through the landscape. It provides a natural and cultural history of the place and its people, as well as interactive displays of local flora and fauna. A joint venture between the Department of Conservation and Land Management and local Indigenous communities, the Centre is a must for Park visitors.
A number of tourist operators offer tours and activities within Karijini, ranging from helicopter tours and abseiling to more quiescent activities such as bushwalking.
With the Shire dotted with mines, why not take a mine tour? The Hamersley Iron runs half day tours of its operations at its Tom Price Mine. This tour will provide visitors with an insight into the size and complexity of operating a large open cut iron ore mine. Learn about the type of mining equipment used and view spectacular sights from the Tom Price North Wall Lookout.
Millstream National Park, the second national park in the Shire contains lush wetlands, with an abundance of plant and animal life. It has many date and cotton palms, with fruit bats roosting throughout the day and venturing for food at dusk.
Onslow and its islands offer a variety of marine and land activities. Visit its historical buildings, or fish for crayfish and abalone along its beaches.
Back to Tom Price which is situated at the base of Mount Nameless, the highest vehicular accessible mountain in Western Australia. This majestic mountain standing 1,128 metres provides stunning views of the town, the Hamersley Mine and surrounding countryside.
All this and more in the Shire of Ashburton is certainly a best kept secret just waiting to be discovered.
