Kalbarri National Park covers 183,004 hectares. The park is located on the lower reaches of the Murchison River, which has cut magnificent red and white banded gorges for 80 kilometres, as it carves its way to the sea. The many and varied features of Kalbarri provide visitors with an array of things to see and do. Marvel at nature's ability to carve the landscape. Explore the depths and heights of the river gorges and sea cliffs. Admire the floral beauty of the vast, rolling sand-plains. Discover the intriguing cultural history of the area.
The spectacular scenery of Kalbarri National Park is the result of many millions of years of geological formation. Beneath the landscape are deep, horizontal bands of multi-coloured sands which were deposited in layers some 400 million years ago.
The thinly bedded, red and white banded rocks seen through most of the river gorge and at the foot of Red Bluff were deposited on tidal flats. Rippled surfaces can be seen in many places, such as around Nature's Window (pictured above). The ripples were formed by waves moving over the tidal flats. Some beds (such as on the way down the Z-Bend and in overhangs at The Loop) look as if they have been riddled by plant roots, and often have a 'can of worms' appearance. These are burrows left by worms sheltering in the sand. Tracks and trails on flat surfaces show where animals crawled across the damp sedimentary surface.
The sedimentary rock formation found in the gorge and on the coast is called the Tumblagooda sandstone. Along the coast, wind and wave erosion has exposed the layers of the coastal cliffs that rise more than 100 metres above the ocean. From Red Bluff, extensive views south overlook colourful coastal limestone and sandstone ledges. There are scenic sites at Mushroom Rock, Rainbow Valley, Pot Alley and Eagle Gorge, to name but a few.
Kalbarri is also famous for its wildflowers, most of which bloom from late July through spring and into early summer. The species-rich heathlands provide a spectacular floral display. There are vivid gold and orange banksias, grevilleas in white, yellow and red, green and red kangaroo paws, featherflowers in many coloured shades, smokebush, starflowers and many more.
Twenty-one plant species are found only here, mainly in the coastal cliff tops and gorge country. One of the best known is the Kalbarri catspaw, a small yellow or red plant that is usually seen on recently burnt country from August to September. It is confined to the Kalbarri area. There are also several orchids that can only be seen in and near the park, including the Kalbarri spider orchid and the Murchison hammer orchid.
Kalbarri is also a rich environment for birds and other animals. Most of the native mammals are nocturnal, but western grey kangaroos and emus can be seen during the day. Emus are Australia's largest native bird and the second largest flightless bird in the world. The father does all the parenting and can be seen with his brood of chicks until they are 18 months of age. Ospreys soar from the sea cliffs and wedge-tailed eagles patrol the gorges. The rare tammar wallaby was once found in the area, but has not been located near Kalbarri for many years. The bizarre and ferocious-looking thorny devil, which is only about nine centimetres long and eats ants, also thrives in the park.
Our adventures which include Kalbarri are: