At the Hamersley's Gorges you will get to witness one of the most spectacular scenery you will ever laid your eyes upon on. Beautiful steep-sided gorges slice through the barren hills and plateaus of the Hamersley Range (now known as Karijini) located in Western Australia. Visitors will have their breath taken away by the sight of the tectonic which forms a remarkable backdrop to a pleasant swimming hole and natural spa.

The Hamersley Range (now known as Karijini National Park), named by F.T. Gregory after his friend Edward Hamersley, runs about four hundred and fifty kilometers from northwest to southeast whereby the northeastern section is marked by a sheer drop into the valley of the Fortescue River. Dramatic ravines with jagged walls etch deeply into near-desert mountains are one of its many attractions. The crevice-like Hancock, Joffre and Weano gorges are three of the most amazing of the twenty major gorges located here which converge and join the equally narrow Red Gorge. The best times to visit this park is during later autumn and winter. The Banyjima Aboriginal people call this place Karijini.

There are areas where the gorges start abruptly and insignificant seasonal streams unexpectedly hurtle downwards into chasms at least ninety meters deep with almost absolute walls of banded rock, and form clear blue-colored pools on the gorge floors. What you will see from the bottom is a tunnel of totally dark rock in places whereby the gorges are very narrow. Weano Gorge is the narrowest point with only one meter wide. One of the more best known area is at Oxer's Lookout whereby this slice of land separates Weano and Hancock gorges and the cliffs fall away precipitously on both sides. Another interesting spot is at the head of the six kilometer long Joffre Gorge in which the vertical walls curve round to form a natural amphitheatre, the site of a waterfall after a heavy downpour. One thing to keep in mind is that when you are exploring these gorges, you must be fully fit and you must also be prepared to submerge in near freezing water, follow narrow paths and cling to rock ledges.

The rocks of the Hamersley Range were laid down on the seabed two thousand five hundred million years ago in which layers of sediment, some rich in iron, were composed by layers above and the whole block was then raised above sea level, however, it has been weathering away slowly ever since with streams cutting down through the layered rocks to form the deep gorges. Huge deposits of iron ore are found in this region. Hard-leaved porcupine grass and mulga trees can be seen high up on the dried out plateau while gum tress occasionally occupy areas in the crevices as opposed to the lush greenery seen on the gorge floors with the wildflowers seen here vary with the seasons. Because of the shade caused by the steep gorge walls, water left by the last river flow stay put in pools which adds to the magnificent landscape. Huge termites mounds are also a feature of the landscape. Among the fun-filled activities which you can carried out here are camping, nature observation, photography, sightseeing, swimming and walking. Besides the truly spectacular vistas and the picturesque rock pools, tourists will be able to spot the rare wild red kangaroos at the Hamersley National Park. This natural wonder is one of the most popular attractions in Australia.

Credited to aguidetoasia and wikipedia