Explosion Pool - WA

This pool is located by following the main creek of the Queen Desert Baths south into the Broadhurst Ranges and then crossing the Broadhurst Plateau to the southern side of the ranges. It is necessary to negotiate the pools of the Desert Queen Baths either by swimming or as we did, climbing to the left of the main pool (behind the large Fig Tree) and then heading cross country to meet the creek in the pound area at the top of the Desert Queen Baths Gorge. This walk was 4.5 solid hours of walking and should only be attempted by experienced individuals with appropriate navigation & communication equipment and maps. This pool is not marked on any map. There are no access tracks of any type. The area is only accessible by foot or helicopter. The terrain is often treacherous and the shallow gorges on the higher slopes of the plateau are choked with scrubby thickets.
Explosion Pool was reached after 4.5 hours of solid walking. It is 2.5 hours south of Middle Pool and 700 metres South East of Circular Cliffs Pool. The path down to the main gorge is steep and rocky and takes great care to navigate. Access to the pool area is gained by clambering down the steep rocky walls . The cliffs form a rough semicircle of sheer walls over which the creek plunges 50 metres to the pool below. It would be a spectacular sight in the wet. This pool is on the southern side of the Broadhurst ranges and the creek flows out into the valley beyond this point. The following is an extract from my journal.

“Again we had to rock hop down the length of the creek, climbing around large boulders until I found that our path was blocked by a series of high rocks, at the base of which was a dry pool. Climbing around the western side of this obstruction, I again found myself peering out into the wide open valley beyond from a good height. To my east sat sheer rock walls 70-80 metres high, capped with looser stoned slopes. The creek again flowed over an even higher wall than the inland pool tumbling 50 metres into a deep long pool in the creek below. From our vantage point on the western wall we had great views of the hills and valleys to the south and south east”.