17th June: Decided to visit the Woodside visitor’s centre after reviewing their massive natural gas liquefication plant, using gas from north west shelf, originally due for closure in 2030, but now extended to 2070. However visitor’s centre was closed and had been so for some months. The plant employs 900 regular employees and 1300 contractors
We then went to visit the petroglyphs that have supposedly been damaged by pollution from the plant. These are in the Murujuga National Park, and are on the many rock piles of dark red rock found in the Pilbara coastline made of oxidised granophyre(fine grained granite) and coarse- grained gabbro.
Some of the intriguing petroglyphs were 1) of a thylacine when they disappeared from the mainland at least 2000 years ago and 2) a fat tailed kangaroo which became extinct at least 40,000 years ago but there is no fossil record to back this theory! There were also a quoll and an emu, amongst the clearer engravings.
We also saw a shellfish midden.
We then headed for Dampier a small seaside town and had Mexican chips and smoothies at “the Soak” overlooking the bay. We returned to town to visit the Arts centre or rather library and theatre complex. We then attempted a walk along the Yaburara Heritage Trail where we saw grinding stone for spinifex seeds to make a type of flour, and many stone flints, but turned back when the trail appeared to be going nowhere. We returned to the Ngajarli trial where the petroglyphs were much more visible in the late afternoon light
We attempted to visit the Port but were turned away as we didn’t have a permit.
Salmon with onion capsicum corn peas pasta and cream for dinner, preceded by a G & T.
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