Kalbarri ranks as one of our many favourite places in Australia to visit. If your planning a Western Australia road trip, you have to mark Kalbarri as a destination to explore. Its a beautiful coastal town that has the best of both worlds with Coastal Cliff views, a unique river system and some spectacular inland gorges. The sign tells you on entry that you will love it and it doesn’t disappoint!
A popular holiday destination by all and we highly recommend early booking of your accommodation, as this sea side town sells out fast during peak tourist season. When we had our time in Western Australia, we lived at Geraldton for 2 years. Geraldton was only a short drive for us down the road to visit and we came here frequently for day or 2 day trips.
Things to Do in Kalbarri
Kalbarri National park covers 186,000 hectares of terrain and is only available for day use only. As always our best recommendation is to do your own research of the places you visit however it’s always best to drop into the local Visitors Centre upon arrival. They are there to help you and confirm any queries you have. Roads do close in the National Park when heavy rain occurs it wouldn’t hurt to keep the visitors centre contact number on hand so you can call ahead if needed. Phone (08) 9937 1104
There is two major parts to Kalbarri, the Coastal Cliffs and the Inland Gorges. The coastal cliffs are free to access, however the inland gorges do cost money. You will need to purchase a WA National Park Pass to access the Park, our suggestion is your exploring more of WA get a Annual Parks pass, it will work out cheaper in the long run!
Coastal Cliffs
There are a number of Coastal Cliff sites to visit, all of the roads to the sites are sealed and suitable for all vehicles. The only exception is the Pot Alley site which is not suitable for caravans or motorhomes. At the sites you have the options to take magnificent photos of the surrounding views and you may even be lucky enough to see some dolphins or whales. For details on the walking trails at each cliff site you can find more information here on the Kalbarri Visitors Centre website. Its to hard to pick a favourite but we can guarantee you will walk away with many spectacular photos!
Inland Gorges
To the east of Kalbarri and a short drive out the road are the inland Murchison River gorges. Here you will be in awe of nature and you will be able to explore the depths and heights of the gorges. There are 4 main key spots to visit; Z Bend, The Loop, Hawks Head and Ross Graham. The roads into the gorge sites at Hawks Head and Ross Graham are sealed however with Z Bend and The Loop which are the more popular spots are both sealed and unsealed. The first 12kms is sealed with the remaining 19km unsealed. Its accessible by most traffic including two wheel drives however it can become badly corrugated, and have pot holes in various areas of the road that can become dangerous. Its recommend that motorhomes and large camper vans do not travel to Loop or Z Bend Road. For details on the walking trails at each of the gorges you can find more information here on the Kalbarri Visitors Centre website.
The Number 1 Thing to do In Kalbarri
The one thing you MUST do when you visit the National Park is take a photo at Natures Window. After all, Natures Window is what you see in every advertisement about Kalbarri. (Its the featured image of this page!) Its a beautiful place, and yes there is a few rough and steep areas you have to walk through, however its worth the pain to get there! If i can make my 50 to 60 year old parents do it, you can too!
Kalbarri Accomodation
Kalbarri National Park has no camping available in the National Park itself. Campgrounds are available at Murchison House Station or Kalbarri Big River Ranch as well as the 3 caravan parks available in town. The parks to chose from Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park, Murchison River Caravan Park & Kalbarri Anchorage Caravan Park.
Personally we have always travelled back to Geraldton or when we have stayed we chose Kalbarri Palms Resort. The budget rooms are comfortable and affordable at approx $80 per night but what we most love about the Palms is that its a very short walk to Pub! If you would like to view other accomodation in Kalbarri search Booking.Com or if you struggle to find accomodation it doesn’t hurt to check out Airbnb for options.
Where to Eat in Kalbarri
Once you have explored the beautiful national park, come back and have a cold beverage and a bite to eat at the Kalbarri Hotel/Motel. This is one of our favourite places to eat in Kalbarri, with good pub food! Whilst there is other eating options available in town, we always found the Pub to be the best value for money and most popular. With ocean views and casual dining, it suited us perfectly! We have also tried the Black Rock Cafe which was a little more classy with good food and specaciular sunset views!
Kalbarri is definitely one place to tick of your bucket list when you plan your Western Australia Holiday. If you would like to share whats on your bucket list and seek some inspiration, head on our to our motivational Facebook group, The Bucket List- To Inspire To Achieve.
Want our top tips for things to do in Geraldton? Let us tell you what is on offer in Gero, read our popular post here.
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