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.
For more information check www.naturebase.net
