Pilbara Landscapes

The dominant landscape of West Pilbara is flat and long. The sky not only towers above, but surrounds you as it reaches down to the land on every side.

The red earth and spinifex are distinctively marked by huge humps of red rock, curled up on the land like enormous sentinels.

Initially, the stark grandeur of the Pilbara dominates, but as you settle into the land, pockets of surprises come upon you.

The rocks are geometrically complex, with layers of colours and shapes. Many of them are ancient - we’re talking billions of years old - and their peculiarities are the subject of much debate.

Amongst these dense clusters of rocks are other surprises - some of the oldest art existent in the world, industrial estates pumping trillions of dollars worth of resources out to China… but that’s the subject of another post.

As you doggedly head west, tributaries slowly start to straddle the landscape, running parallel to the dirt roads and your 4WD. They signal the oncoming coast.

At the edge of the country, the red earth turns soft and gives way to brown sand. The tides move quickly here: about 5 metres over 6 hours.

Just before sunset is the perfect time to come down and catch some fish. Oysters, squid and crab can also be found if you know where to look.

Dragging your feet through low tide, looking out across the Indian Ocean, you almost forget the red rocks and spinifex are behind you…