Kalbarri Destination-Information Listings

Kalbarri

For the perfect escape with beach, bush and every kind of Aussie scenery rolled into one location – head straight to Kalbarri. There are spectacular red rock gorges, rugged coastal cliffs, colourful wildflowers, the Murchison River and pure white sandy beaches. Situated where the Murchison River meets the Indian Ocean, a six-hour drive north of Perth, Kalbarri is warm and sunny most of the year. To add to the postcard-perfect scene, whales and their calves migrate along the coast and dolphins frolic in the bay. It’s easy to see why it’s one of Australia’s most popular holiday resorts. You can swim, water-ski and kayak, or hire paddleboats, dinghies and windsurfers on the river foreshore. Join a fishing charter for the catch of a lifetime, or throw in a line from the beach. In Kalbarri National Park, 800 species of wildflowers burst into bloom from July to October in a riot of colour. Hike through dramatic gorges or go for a leisurely cycle along miles of uninterrupted coastline, stopping at turquoise bays to cool off. For the energetic, there’s abseiling, hiking, tennis, golf and surfing. Animal lovers can visit a parrot breeding centre with tropical gardens and waterfalls – and support their mission to save the endangered species. Don’t miss the daily feeding of the pelicans on the foreshore. And you can’t beat an invigorating horse-ride along the beach at sunset. Tour-wise, take your pick from Harley motorcycle tours, day trips to the gorges, camel treks, canoe safaris, whale watching and boat cruises. A sightseeing flight over the national park, coastline and Abrolhos Islands is the ultimate way to soak up the incredible scenery. All types of accommodation are on offer from resorts and holiday homes to backpackers – you won’t be stuck for choice.

Kalbarri National Park

The Kalbarri National Park is located 590 kilometres north of Perth and 160 kilometres north of Geraldton. The park covers 186,096 hectares and offers some of the most spectacular scenery in Western Australia. Few areas in the State boast more species of native flora and during July and October the park's landscape is ablaze with colour. The Murchison River Gorges, including The Loop, Z Bend, Hawkes Head Lookout and Ross Graham Lookout, slash abruptly through Sand Plain for 150 kilometres from the Highway to Kalbarri town. It is estimated that these tumblagooda sandstone walls were created 400 million years ago on the tidal flats of an ancient sea. Fossil tracks and sea fossils can be found in many places along the river. The Coastal Gorges including Red Bluff, Pot Alley Gorge, Rainbow Valley, Eagle Gorge, Shell House, Mushroom Rock, and the most spectacular of the lot, Island Rock and the Natural Arch, provide spectacular views of this rugged piece of coastline. The ocean here has carved out massive chunks of soft limestone coast and created towering cliff formations approximately 100 metres high, strange rocky shapes, secluded beaches and colourful layered sands and silts compacted and layered in stone. The coastal gorges are easily accessed by a sealed road, short unsealed sections to the parking areas, and then short walks to the gorge lookouts. The park hosts an array of flora, including magnificent wildflowers from July to October, Banksia and Eucalypt thickets, River Gums and fauna, including Red and Grey Kangaroo, Euros, small Marsupials, Echidna, Feral Goats and Pigs, many Birds. Special policy rules apply to hiking, camping, walk trails, canoeing and rock-climbing and must be abided by.