A Top spot in Western Australia

by Joe Fury
(Newman Western Australia)

Juna Downs access road signage to Mount MeHarry.

Juna Downs access road signage to Mount MeHarry.

G'day Adventurers.


The Pilbara region of Western Australia can and does lay claim to many things and places very worthy of a grand title and the states tallest mountain is just one of these places.

Mount MeHarry is our tallest/highest land form rising to 1248 metres above sea level, situated in the southern region of the Karijini National Park it is the tallest peak in the Hamersley Ranges.

Access to the base of Mount MeHarry is through Juna Downs Station and several mining leases, currently there are no real restrictions but you should firstly contact the Juna Downs Station manager to let them know what your intentions are as you are on an operational cattle property and you should obey all mining signage and be watchful for people and machinery operating throughout these leases.

Mount MeHarry is named after the late William Thomas "Tom" MeHarry, who was the chief geodetic surveyor for Western Australia from 1959 to 1967 ~ Mr MeHarry's calculations confirmed this mountain as the highest point in WA, this claim was previously attributed to Mount Bruce, a summit some 62km to the north-west of mount MeHarry.

The track leading into the range and to the start of the climb is not overly challenging in a four wheel driving sense, but due care should be used in the rougher sections of the track and through the usually dry water course, as help is a long way off should things go wrong.

The trek to the summit is fair dinkum hard core four wheel driving and I need to stress that only competent drivers, vehicles with high ground clearance and LOW range gearing proceed any further beyond the point where there is a turn around
place, as the track gets very rough and very steep.

Once you go beyond the turn around area you need to be fully committed as the track surface is very loose shale - very steep with rock reefs up to half a metre in height that cut the track diagonally ~ this is serious off roading and vehicle damage or roll over a very real possibility.

The track culminates at the highest point of Mount MeHarry where there is a new rock and stone Cairn dedicated to Mr MeHarry, this monument was recently completed by a group of 15 motivated West Australians, the construction crew was comprised of people from Landgate, Heliwest, the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Curtin Universty science students, individual surveyors and Tom MeHarry's eldest son John.

An estimated 14 tonnes of Hamersley Ranges rock was used in the construction of this survey cairn, with 400 litres of water and some 22 bags of cement they created a fitting monument to a man who explored and mapped the West Australian outback.

The track conditions as of yesterday 8-10-2013

Mining lease roads are in excellent condition well graded and signposted.

The National Park track/road into the start of the climb, rough weather affected, narrow scrubby single vehicle, sign posted.

The actual track ~ the climb.

Very steep, very rough and loose ~ but the effort is well worth your commitment, magnificent scenery, fantastic vistas and your rightful place as a hard core four wheel driving adventurer.

Please record your visit in the log book at the cairn, I trust the construction crew won't mind the few extra rocks and the plastic container I added to house this new log book.

Safe travels : Joe Fury

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Jun 23, 2018
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Challenging
by: Anonymous

Track current condition .... Dry rough very challenging .... Loose rocks and big divots recommend at minimum 33s and a 2 inch lift kit... Not just loose and slippery and steep but also big rock climbing sections ... I'd say better to tackle with at least 2 vehicles ...

May 07, 2014
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Committed to the climb.
by: Joe Fury

G'day Anonymous one.

I am pleased to read your Meharry trip report and all I can say is well done mate.

Yes Mount Meharry is quite a challenge and once you are up on the steeper section of the track you are pretty well committed to the climb, and agree with you in saying that the sun set views are simply magnificent.

I am only guessing the reason behind the lack of "tourist" information regarding the 4wd vehicle access to the summit might be a form of indemnity, should something go wrong on the track to the summit no government department can be held liable for your deliberate choice to tackle the climb, as I say it's only my guess.

Mount Meharry is our states tallest land form (peak) and there are many more such challenging climbs throughout the Pilbara, some actually make the Meharry climb rather tame.

Safe travels : Joe Fury

May 07, 2014
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Awesome panoromic views
by: Anonymous

Hello,

My contribution to this thread.
Was visiting karijini and the pilbara over Easter and Anzac break. Had a day set out to trek up meharry. It was a bit of effort getting to the Mt turn off through karijinni NP, inadvertently went through some Rio and Bhp roads before being politely directed the right way. On reaching the mt base I was gearing for a hard trek up in 35C heat mid afternoon. To my surprise the track kept going. Met some cars driving out who mentioned that there was still 2 cars on the summit. I was like what u can drive up there! I didn't look back and just put it in low range and up the mt. Best climb I've done in a 4wd. On reaching the summit the vistas were just magnificent all round. I was like why isn't this in the WA tourism adds. It was Easter Sunday 2014 and stayed for sunset, another glorious sight over the hamersley ranges. The track to the base is quite easily accessible by 4wd. There are some sections which 2wd would not get through. From base to summit lot of steep sections with rocks. You wouldn't want to be doing this in the wet. A top spot and must do either trek or better still 4wd which would mean G&Ts on the ready at the summit :).

Oct 09, 2013
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Thanks for sharing
by: Ronny

G'day Joe, another great write up mate, very detailed and love the fact you added the current track conditions. Will have visit that area sooner rather than later. Keep up the great work on sharing us your adventures.

Cheers Ronny

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