Kalbarri, Australia

One of the features that Kalbari is renowned for is Natures Window. A rock formation that allows you to look through a large hole in a rock and frame the Murchison River in the background. It’s one of those things that you do here in Western Australia, it’s on the list for ticking off and today we’re heading out into the National Park to do so.

It’s a short drive from Kalbarri to the National Park, about 30 or 40 km’s and after we stopped off at the Ranger’s station to grab a map we hit the road.

Merryn & Patrick were here almost ten years ago and apparently, the tourist attractions weren’t anywhere near as well presented as they are now. The Ranger had advised us that the first 11 km into the park was sealed and then the next 20 or so, a recently graded road with the last 5 or 6, “pretty rough”. Ah, well he obviously hasn’t been on the Gibb River Road or to Cape Leveque. The road was fine, a slightly corrugated bit that wasn’t much different to any country road so I guess he has to make his advice suitable for all the ‘Fritz in Britz’ types.

The carparks, picnic and toilet facilities at the gorges are first class. Bitumen roads lead into the gorge carpark which is big and easy to move around in and there are new shade shelters and toilet buildings that make a visit here great. Where else on earth do you get to stand at the urinal and look out over an enormous red rock gorge and Australian wildflowers?

The walk to Natures Window is only a few hundred meters but pretty steep. It was hot and the flies were ridiculous and I knew we’d all be puffing as we came out, it was probably around 30 when we arrived at the gorge. Natures Window is just like the postcards show, although I’m not sure that our photos will do it justice but we tried. Some of the group walked a bit further on around some of the gorge rim walk but it was too hot and eventually, heat got the better of us and we climbed back up to the cars.

Z-Bend is another lookout where we were rewarded with grand views of the Murchison River winding it’s way through the outback. This is a popular abseiling spot and we saw a school group on the ground at the bottom of the gorge having just finished an abseil. Matthew had thought about joining an abseiling tour but it’s very hot. Glen & Matthew bailed after Z-Bend and went back to town whilst the rest of us drove onto Ross Graham Lookout and Hawks Head Lookout, another couple of spots to view the gorge.

I’m not so sure that any of us really enjoyed these lookouts. Maybe it was the heat or maybe we’ve just seen so many great gorges in the past couple of months that we’ve become a little “ho-hum” about it all. Anyway, the extra 30 km we did to get out to these lookouts gave us the opportunity to stop at literally thousands of wildflowers on the way back to Kalbarri (yippee).

As stated, the wildflowers aren’t as prolific as expected but there seems to be no limit to how many Lyn can spot and “just have to take a photo of”. They’re pretty but ever so frail and the slightest breath of air makes photography very difficult. Sadly, we have several hundred slightly out of focus wildflower shots but I’m sure you’ll all sit through them dutifully and compliment Lyn on how wonderful they are?