Warning - Absestos Contamination

[davidd]

spent a few weeks in wittenoom back in the seventies when it was still an open town, had a good look round the gorges, swam in dales gorge (what a climb) went to the main lookout etc. incredible place. the mine site was closed even then and a bulldozer had pushed a great wall of dirt across the road to keep people out. since then of course the whole place is shut down, but some of the gorges are still accessible from the far end away from town i believe. the gorges are incredible and a must see if you want to see w.a. just a long very hot drive to get there. my old carburetter 4wd got vapourlock and was stuck under 60 k/h most of the way in and most of the way back to north west coastal highway. but wouldn't have missed it for anything,

[FRANK.A]

I was in Wittenoom day before yesterday, Have lived in tom price 27 years and use to go to the wittenoom races and to quiz nights at the old pub before it was torn down. still a few people living there.
some of the floodways have been overturned or washed out in the wittenoom gorge but people have made tracks around them so you can still access the gorge.

When they were trying to get readings of how much asbestos there was in the air they had to drive around to stir up the dust to get a reading.
when the mine was working there was lots of dust, but now there are not many people or vehicles in the area the dust is minimal, of course if its a windy day yes do take precautions but the only loose asbestos is at the old mine site stockpiles and if you go in there well you are asking for trouble but thats down the gorge a fair way.
There were still a few people camping in the gorge when i was there and having a swim.
Dales gorge and the rest of the ones in the karijini national park are on the other side of the ranges so they are a good distance from wittenoom and are fantastic to explore, there is natural asbestos in the gorges but it is the mined stuff you have to look out for the loose fibres.
So far no asbestos is in my system.
and I work in an iron ore mine that has lots of dust.
Come up to the pilbara and enjoy yourself lots of traks leading to some great little spots like palm springs and milli milli.
Tom price is a good spot to use as a base camp.

[dave08]

i only moved here a few months ago so i dint have a clue about it so thanks for the advice.

[TJMatty]

And if the Blue sky mining company wont save me who's gona save me !!!!!