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Hiking In Australia: Karratha

15 May 2015

Karratha is nestled in the middle of many amazing sights. Places like the Dampier Archipelago and the Karijini National Park are major tourist locations for northern WA. It is a top location in Australia for hiking, one to add to the old bucket list.

With all the land in WA, there are still unknown, or at least far less promoted locations that are worth a visit. The stunning Millstream-Chichester National Park is one of these lost locations for the Pilbara region.

Book at Discovery Parks - Balmoral, Karratha to experience the best of Karratha.

Millstream-Chichester National Park

This is Karijini’s best competitor in the Pilbara, and for good reason. Hiking is one of Australia’s best pass-times, an integral part of our lifestyle and something we can sometimes take for granted. The Millstream-Chichester National Park is one particular national park that you should consider making an effort to get to, being that it’s one of the top hiking locations in Australia. This national parks is around 150km southeast from Karratha and has a number of hiking spots and picture perfect watering holes for a swim or photography session. It’s closer to Karratha than Karijini and it has as many hiking trails that Australians and non-Australians will appreciate. The Millstream-Chichester National Park is home to over 120 species of birds, 30 species of mammals, 150 species of reptiles and 500 species of plants, so if you consider yourself an environmental enthusiast, you will be in heaven here.

Hiking in Australia’s Millstream-Chichester National Park:

  • The Homestead Trail is roughly a kilometre long and will take about 30 minutes.
  • The Cliff Loukout Link Trail is a bit more of a serious hike for those who have experience in bushwalking. It will take you around 3 hours to complete the full 8km hike. This is a great Australian hiking trail, so if you’re keen to try it out make sure you are well prepared.
  • The Miliyanha Deep Reach Bike and Walk Trail is another one for the experienced bushwalkers. Set aside 5 hours for the walk or 2 hours for the bike ride to make it around the 18km trail. It’s best to attempt this in the cooler months.
  • Spend 10 minutes on the Deep Reach Trail, a 300m return walk that takes you to the water viewing deck.
  • The McKenzie Spring Trail will take around 2 hours to complete and takes you to a historic watering hole used by camels.
  • The steep 25-minute Mount Herbert Summit Trail is a challenge, but it’s worth it to get the panoramic views over the Chichester Range and Fortescue River. Another fantastic hiking trail in Australia; 5 stars.
  • For 8km, the Camel Trail is a difficult walk to complete. It’s suggested that only experienced hikers attempt this, plus it’s only one way, so if you’re looking to get back to the car at the start, it’s a full 6 hour, 18km trek.
  • The Python Pool Trail is an easy walk that takes 20 minutes, and will bring you to the edge of a small pool, set beneath a beautiful waterfall.
  • Leaving the Python Pool Trail will take you up a steep hill, which is known as the Cameleers Trail as it was once used by camel teams. This is a difficult walk and will take you around an hour and a half.

The Karratha Visitor Centre has permits and maps for your adventure to the Millstream-Chichester National Park, and also the Harding River Dam.

Whether you want the rough and tough trails or you prefer to relax, choose the Discovery Parks - Balmoral, Karratha for accommodation because it is central to all the Karratha attractions.

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