23-Milstream / Chichester

6th August 2008.
Seen pictures of Deep Reach camp site on the banks of the Fortescue River, read all the reviews and really looking forward to chilling out there for a few days and having a crack at some barramundi. As we couldn't get to Milstream from Karijini / Tom Price due to bad road conditions, we had planned to go there after Karratha via Roebourne along the open Wittenoon dirt road. As luck would have it, the new black top sealed road from just south of Karratha through to Milstream was officially opened this week, so we were in luck, brand new road, shorter, quicker and no dirt, or so we thought.

As we turned off the Great Northern Highway onto the new Milstream Road, we see the sign "Milstream 50ks" and a little further on, "Sealed Road Ends at 90ks". On the way saw a few of those mega-trains hauling iron ore through to Karratha but there was no place to stop and film them. The terrain was not that interesting until we reached the mountain ranges and the long hard uphill climbs. Awesome views of the mountains, valleys and trains and all the twists and turns keep you on your toes. All of a sudden the blacktop ends and we're on a red dust road. Hang on, somethings wrong here. The sign at the start said "Milstream 50ks" and "Sealed Road Ends at 90ks" so check the speedo and sure enough it's showing 92ks. Maybe I got side tracked by the hills and trains and missed the turning!

As I'm slowing down to check things out, we come across the turn off to Python Pool, so pull up on the side of the road and according to our maps it's still around 30ks to the entrance of Milstream National Park. A mining worker in a Landcruiser slows down to see if we're okay, "We're headed for Milstream and Deep Reach camp?" "You've come too far mate, Milstream is only 50ks from the turn-off and this is the road to Tom Price, so suggest you turn around and head back".

Now I'm totally confused and get out the maps again. The visitor's centre tourist map shows Python Pool is on the way to Milstream National Park, our road atlas shows it's in Milstream National Park and WA Roads and Tracks book shows we've still got a way to go so decide to go with my intuition and carry on. The dirt road gets worse and worse and we're now down to 40kph and eventually come across the turn-off to Milstream National Park. Now the road gets even worse and we have to slow down to 20kph and so the next 20ks to Deep Reach camp site is a long slow haul and takes forever..

Finally arrive at Deep Reach and there's a "No Camping" sign. Double check my Traveller's Guide and also my Camp Site guide, both the latest 2008 issues and it's listed as the premium bush camp in the area. Check it out and there's definitely no where to camp, so continue onto Crossing Pool and that's full as there only a handfull of sites. Erosion and flood damage a few years ago has dramatically reduced the size of the camp. So continue onto "Stargazers Camp", select a remote site as far away as possible from the one and only other camper, set up the caravan in the generator section (only allowed between 7am to 9pm) and head off to the visitors centre to find out more about Milstream and pay our $13.00 camping fee. Catch up with the ranger, pay our camp fees and ask about Deep Reach. "it's been closed for over 2 years mate, but none of the camp guides have updated their books, they just keep re-printing year after year, don't rely on them as they're not as up to date as they claim to be"

New Sealed Road. New Sealed Road.

What, red dirt road. What, red dirt road.

Entrance to Milstream. Entrance to Milstream.

Visitors Centre. Visitors Centre.

Deep Reach. Deep Reach.

Fortescue River. Fortescue River.

and again.and again.

A bit disappointed so far as there's not much to see at all, other than the very picturesque Fortescue River at Deep Reach and Crossing Pool. We did a few trail walks, did all the necessary filming etc and headed back to camp. As this is a bush site and there'so power, start the generator so we could charge all the camera batteries and transfer all the footage and images onto the computer ready for more filmimg in the morning. At around 6pm another caravan pulls in right next to us, and I thought why park here when there's all those other sites, unless they want some company. Anyway, get all my charging and transfers done and i'm all finished by 8pm. As I turn the generator off, I hear the women next door shout out "Thank #~*` for that, what a relief, no more noise". I just ignored her. The gene was running when she arrived, there were 18 other empty sites a long way away from us and she chose to park right next to us, plus generators are allowed up to 9pm. I always try to be as considerate as possible in all situations and park as far away as possible in gene situations so as not to disturb other campers, but she chose to park right next to us and could hear the gene when she pulled in, so it was her choice.

First thing next morning, packed up the caravan and headed off to Python Pool. Once we'd turned off the main dirt road from Milstream to Python Pool, the road was pretty good although the landscape was very dusty, flat and bland. Then all of a sudden we hit the escarpment and mountain range, go up and over the top and WOW. The views, the colours, the rocky outcrops and the landscapes are absolutely stunning. This is what we had been looking for and as we headed down the mountain and into Python Pool, it just got better and better. Python Pool was awesome. It's such a pity that photos and digital images cannot match seeing it in the flesh.