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Park area : 200,000 ha.
This park is located 1707 kilometres north of Perth and 150 kilometres south of Roebourne.
'It is an oasis in a harsh land. Ferns, palms and tropical plants surround permanent pools on the Fortescue River.'
At least that's what the tourist brochures will tell you. It is certainly true of the area around the old homestead but most of the park is rugged,
waterless and very tough country.
It is part of the Millstream-Chichester National Park which covers an area of 2000 square kilometres. The river was discovered by
Francis Gregory in 1861. In his notes he states that
'the stream is strong enough to supply a large mill' hence the name Millstream.
The station was originally a pastoral lease taken up in 1865. The homestead dates from the 1920s. By the 1930s there were some 55,000 sheep run
on the property. Between 1975 and 1986 the homestead operated as a tavern and then was taken over by CALM / DPaW when it
became a National park.
There are four deep pools in the river; Crossing Pool, Millstream Pool, Palm Pool and Deep Reach. Campsites are available in the park at the homestead and
at Stargazers.
The largest pool is 2 kilometres long and the deepest drops to 14 metres.
After heavy rains the river can rise and cut off the park from the outside world. At other times the main entrance can be inaccessible but it may be possible
to get to the campsites via Snappy Gum Drive. Although it says 4x4 only, most 2wd vehicles would have little difficulty unless the river was running high and
is too deep.
There aren't enough signs to tell you which way to get to the campsites, so if you are on Snappy Gum Drive you need to turn left at a T junction, this one is
easy as turning right takes you onto a private road that is signposted as such. Another turn takes you left across the big water pipes once you have passed
the Water Authority buildings. This wasn't signposted and people could easily keep on going straight which leads who knows where.
Prior to reaching the Water Authority buildings you have to cross the river and unfortunately you can't see how deep it gets from the back as the causeway
bends around through the trees. If you are unsure it may be best to walk across first.
If you can't get through this way then you are stuck as the main entrance will certainly be closed. It pays to check before coming here what the conditions
are like.
It is possible to drive to Millstream from Wittenoom via an unsealed road. You will need to check road conditions first as rain can
make the road impassable. The video below shows some sections of this route.
NPW Website for more information
Best time to visit:
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Jan
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Feb
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Mar
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Apr
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May
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Jun
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Jul
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Aug
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