8 - 2026 - April - Marble Bar, "the town," Western Australia

Entry 8 – 2026 – April – Marble Bar “the town,” Western Australia

Steve’s original life supervisor has requested this specific entry. His mum still provides influence up to a certain level, before Mary has the ultimate sway.

Mum has had thoughts of seeing Marble Bar for herself. It just hadn’t worked out. Now at the age of 93 years, she has requested a portrayal of Marble Bar itself.

So here goes. Mum this is Marble Bar in 2026. It may be a little different from your travelling days, way back in time!

The road from Marble Bar to Port Hedland was busy with ore carting road trains. It seemed there was one coming towards us around every five minutes. We noted each road train had a compilation of 106 tyres in contact with the road. From memory, the information session we participated at Port Hedland, these trucks were carting lithium ore and were travelling around 300 kilometres one way to Port Hedland. Each load must have had quite the value to justify the carting expenses. We thought there was around two ships departing Port Hedland each week loaded with lithium ore.

On the approach road into the town of Marble Bar, travelling inland from the Western Australian coast line are a number of sculptures announcing your arrival at Marble Bar.

We arrived at Marble Bar on a week day. Initially we drove along the main road through town. The drive from one side to the other side of town would have taken about two minutes at most.

There were about a dozen side streets with a mix of organisations/infrastructure required in a town of this nature (ambulance station, council depot, fire department, swimming pool, police station, school, etc) and residential housing.

We appeared to be the only pedestrians out and about. Over about a time period of 30 minutes of foot exploration, we saw three cars moving about.

We inspected the general store with mostly long-life products and some fresh food available. The pub was uniquely old Australian. True to Marble Bar form the pub fridges were broken along with the pub TV. We did have a beer each and they were lovely and cold, straight from the cooler full of ice.

There was one fuel station of sorts at a motel. Diesel at $3.60 per litre.

The caravan park looked like it had been established in the 1950’s. The current owners had purchased it eight years previously. There seemed to be around four permanent caravans and a few permanents in some donga’s. We stayed for two nights and saw one other travelling caravan staying for the night. We had read a number of positive reviews about the caravan park. We thought most of the reviews had been rather flamboyant. At least the amenities were clean and the washing machines worked.

We located two town lookout points one south and one north of town. The track to each one required a 4wd vehicle to negotiate. The arrows indicating the lookout points with the last picture also including an arrow showing our caravan in the town caravan park.

Marble Bar is located nearby the Coongan River. A major flood event in January 2025 had caused significant damage to the surrounding landscape. Whenever you read publicity about Marble Bar the main highlight is the Marble Bar pool at the Coongan River. It was classified as an A Class Reserve where you can view colourful jasper rock deposits. Seating, tables and shelters had been established along with walking paths. All the infrastructure had been washed away during the flood event and now, the reserve is mostly buried under tons of river sand. There were jasper rocks about, requiring a bit of a scramble to get to.

The Coongan River was a nice setting.

The town museum/information centre was closed. The windows looked like they hadn’t been cleaned for years. Another one of the publicized locations was a visit to the Comet Mine. This was also closed.

The main people activity seemed for people to be seated at the front of their housing. It was evident this had once been a proud town. Now in decline, much in need of some positive motivated people.

 

7 - 2026 - April - Marble Bar region, Western Australia

 

Entry 7 – 2026 – April – Marble Bar region, Western Australia

Leaving Port Hedland we headed east towards Marble Bar. Our first stop for a look, was at Doolena Gorge on the Coongan River about 40 kilometres west of Marble Bar.

There had been many mixed reports on the sandy condition of the track leading to Doolena Gorge. First, we were greeted/scrutinized by a mob of cows at the gated entrance. The track was a bit soft and sandy in places. There were a number of tightish bends between trees requiring some monitoring of the caravan’s proximity to the trees.

Arrival at Doolena Gorge, we walked about testing the integrity/firmness underfoot of the ground surface for a suitable camp location. The most appropriate way to show the effects of the setting on our neurotransmitters, would best be provided by pictures of the setting.

The ambient air temperature was still rather hot with day time temperatures hovering for several hours each day, between 38 to 40 degrees. Our bodies appreciated several daily dips in the pleasant waters close by. Regular cooling of our internal body temperatures boosted our coping abilities with the intense heat. The late afternoon sun lighting up the landscape around us, provided an added emphasise, highlighting the beautiful colouring of our surrounds. It was sensational.

When we were walking about assessing a location to set camp we spoke with another couple camped up. They spoke with a bubbly personality, most likely inspired by the setting. Some of the conversation showed they were from a country town about 800 kilometres from our home base. The following day Sue came knocking on our door. Sue had since spoken with her daughter who had identified us further to her mum. Her daughter had socialised with our son when he worked for a period at that country town.

Further conversation showed Sue had been in the same class room as Mary at school. We were thousands of kilometres from our home base. The Australian population was about 27 million. We were camped in a spot with two other couples, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Wow!

We had a couple of days with no one setting camp near us. It was a grand setting and atmosphere. Then two caravans both with kids and barking dogs decided to set camp directly in front of us, hindering our water views. They were a loud mob and one of them ran a generator during the day. Steve did a bit of a reconnaissance of other areas nearby, for a possible relocation.

We both thought it would be nice to stay longer. It was an exceptionally special location. We relocated about 100 metres up the track. It turned out to be a good decision as we had been out in the open and the new camp provided us with some privacy.

As it transpired the volume of new arrivals increased each day. They were all jockeying one another for water front locations. We hadn’t contemplated a water front camp due to the risk of bogging. And there was a regular number of new arrivals becoming bogged. They were so determined to get their water front location, many were in listing help, obtaining tows to their site.

The morning sun would rise over our water viewing area. Thus, breakfast time, we would sit under our awning gazing at our rock wall scenery. One morning a rock wallaby hopped by at speed, providing a special sighting. By the time the camera was out the wallaby was high up in the rock face.

Many people utilize drones for their footage. Aerial photography can provide some wonderful shots. We do not have a drone, preferring to provide footage you can see with your own eyes. Steve does his best, to obtain footage from an elevated position when it presents itself. At Doolena Gorge Steve did some of his own rock wallaby hopping.

We found it exhilarating, each time we entered the water for a cool down. The water temperature was quite acceptable. Floating about in the lagoon waters the views seemed to be even more enchanting. There would be several daily dips. At least once a day we would swim across the lagoon, touch the cliff face wall and swim back, touching the other cliff face wall. It was a good work out with the lagoon about 300 metres wide. Often during this work out, we would stop and gaze at out setting. Its magnificence felt just as special as when we had first set eyes on it.

There was plenty of bird life. We were often serenaded by lovely bird songs during breakfast time.

From our slightly elevated height we could see a lot of the human activity near the water front. At times vehicles and caravan would disappear in a cloud of dust from wheel spinning in the soft terrain. People chatter seemed to echo off the cliff walls. At times we could hear conversations from a long way off. At times, it was fun watching and sometimes a bit scary, seeing some dangerous driving manoeuvres,with people jockeying for a prime water front position.

Speaking with one couple whom had been camping at Doolena Gorge, many a time over the years. They had never seen so much water in the gorge. For them there normally was a raised section where they drove across the gorge and camped near the gum trees on the other side. The above picture you can see the gum trees on the other side and there was a nice flat grassed area.

One day there were a few large spots of rain, accompanied by a rainbow. Unfortunately, the rain drops caused a bit of havoc. Our solar panels looked like they were covered in hundreds of mud pies. Steve was in need to clean all of our roof mounted solar panels. We needed to maximise our solar input capabilities as we were running our caravan air-conditioner often each day. Our power supply, complements of the sun shine.

Doolena Gorge was located on a private station property. Thus, there was an expectation of cattle to be present. Our count got to 18 at any given time. Often the cows would appear around camp late afternoon. A couple of times in the morning there would be evidence of overnight visits, hoof prints around our camp including under our awning. We were thankful no cow bombs were deposited in our camp.

Doolena Gorge was accessible from the main Marble Bar to Port Hedland Road. A track along the large flood plain of the Coongan River provides access to the gorge. It was a hazardous track with a large volume of river sand and stones about. Speaking with a Marble Bar resident showed there had been significant flooding in January 2025 with the water level rising above the roads department river level monitoring tower.

We had initially driven into Doolena Gorge for a look without any thoughts of an extended visit. After 12 nights stay, we were in need to push ourselves to move on to view other areas. It was a location we suspected would stay in our memory banks for ever.

Our next entry compilation is a result of a special request. It will be uploaded in a few days.