Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Today was spent exploring Kalbarri National Park. We picked Ross and Sharon up from the farm on our way past. Our first stop was at the Ross Graham Lookout, named after the first school teacher in Kalbarri. Ross was a devoted conservationist who was a key player in the exploration of the Murchison River. This lookout offered breathtaking views over the gorges, before we continued down a short, but steep walk to the river’s edge. Ross and Sharon have visited before, but when it has been much hotter and drier. They were amazed by how much water is in the river and how green the landscape is at the moment.
Also accessed from the Ajana-Kalbarri Road was Hawks Head. The lookout is so named because the shape of the rock structure seen from the lookout resembles a hawk’s head?? Maybe, if you squint and look at it out of one eye?? We couldn’t agree between us just which rock structure was supposed to look like the head of a hawk.
After Hawks Head we drove back towards Kalbarri for 24 kilometres, before turning onto the Loop Z-bend Road to explore the second area of the park. We started at the Z-Bend Lookout which is considered by many to offer the most breathtaking views of the park. The gorge plunges 150 metres down to where the river red gums create a striking contrast against the red/orange Tumblagooda sandstone. At this stop we were also able to observe some Eurypterid tracks beside a board explaining these impressions made by ancient sea scorpions. We also encountered an artist at work, doing a good job of painting the dramatic gorge vista.
We drove over to Kaju Yatka which translates literally to ‘walk to sky’, otherwise known as the Kalbarri Skywalk. Before we set foot on the skywalk we gave priority to our stomachs and stopped in at the café, where we all enjoyed delicious toasted paninis/wraps. The skywalk consists of two cantilevered viewing platforms that hang in mid-air, 100 metres above the gorge. Over 1,000 tonnes of sandstone were excavated during construction and then reused to create the surrounding tiered landscape. Made of 117 tonnes of weathering steel and able to support a weight of 1,000kg/square metre, these impressive lookouts provide outstanding photographic opportunities. To complement the engineering feat, the entire precinct is adorned with evocative artworks by local indigenous artists. The most important stat though? This skywalk is five metres longer than the skywalk at the Grand Canyon.
Our final stop was at Nature’s Window. This natural arch, framing a vista of the Murchison River, is one of the most photographed sites on Western Australia’s Coral Coast. When we arrived we had to wait for a couple of tourists to finish taking their photos and then we were lucky enough to have the window to ourselves to take our photos. Ross and Sharon said that both times they have visited previously, the site has been much more crowded with people. We had just about finished our photography when a group of noisy schoolboys descended on the window. A Year 12 group who had already abseiled and kayaked this morning and now they were doing the Loop Hike, but camping overnight before hiking back out in the morning.
Down by the river we could see kangaroos grazing. As the school group descended to the river we could see the moment when the kangaroos clocked the noisy humans. Moments later they all jumped away from the lush, green grass they were grazing on and made their way up the rocky slopes to avoid the teenage boys. Unsurprising!
We returned to the truck and started to head back towards Kalbarri. Just short of the farm, we stopped in at the Meanarra Hill Lookout. At 200 metres above sea level, this lookout has been constructed on Kalbarri’s highest point. We were treated to a 360-degree views of Kalbarri, Red Bluff and the Murchison River.
We dropped Ross and Sharon back at their caravan, then continued into town where we purchased some ingredients for dinner at the IGA. With a full-sized kitchen in the cabin we are in at the moment, I took the opportunity to cook in the oven. Whipped up Mexican parmas with some roasted vegetables and green beans.
Steps: 10,888 (6.64kms)
