Kalbarri National Park

Kalbarri National Park
The Kalbarri National Park is located 590 kilometres north of Perth and 160 kilometres north of Geraldton. Kalbarri National Park is approximately a seven hour drive north of Perth, and stretches 50 kilometres inland from the coast and covers over 183,000 hectares. 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. Wild Australian beauty is unsurpassed at Kalbarri National Park, which encompasses the lower reaches of the mighty Murchison River, as it winds its way through speclacular red gorges to the Indian Ocean.
Surrounding the coastal fishing and holiday town of Kalbarri, the Park is arguably one of the best National Parks in Australia. A main feature is the winding Murchison River, which has cut magnificent red and white banded gorges for 80 kilometres through the Park, as it carves its way to the sea. Gravel roads lead to some of the more interesting gorges where you can explore the river and take in the incredible scenery. These spectacular sceneries of Kalbarri National Park are 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.