Kalbarri – WA

Our traveling schedule is not limited by time and sometimes we extend our initial length of stay. Especially in places where we feel really comfortable.

Kalbarri about midway along the WA Coral Coast is one of those beautiful places. There is so much to see and do within the region and we really wanted to take our time enjoying everything Kalbarri has to offer. Besides that the days were extremely hot and averaged between 36 and just over 40 deg C and the flies were incredibly annoying.

We very quickly established a liking for the area and wanted to relax and not rush away or suffer from the heat and miss any of the beauty of this part of the coast. So we took our time and are so happy we did. The visitor centre is on the main street and as usual well worth calling into. It’s always one of the first places we visit when in a new town as the information from local staff is appreciated.

The coastal cliffs of Kalbarri have witnessed many shipwrecks and the recorded history dates back to the early 1600s. Apparently two men from the ship Batavia were marooned by the Captain because of their association with a mutiny and massacre aboard the ship. Could it be that these men were the first white men to settle in Australia? There are quite a few shipwrecks along the coast here and the most famous is the Dutch East India Company ship ‘Zuytdorp’. Looking out over the rugged coastline it is quite understandable to see how many crew members may not have survived.

The coastal gorges feature some spectacular towering cliffs. The cliffs extend 13 kms to the National Park’s Southern boundary and there are numerous sign-posted walking trails and lookouts along the way. I think we explored all of them.

We learnt that the Kalbarri National Park covers an area of 186,000 hectares. Most of the inland gorge roads are now sealed, however Motorhomes, caravans and vehicles towing are not permitted to enter some of the areas. One of our favourite visits was the iconic Natures Window accessed by a very picturesque walking trail. It’s also a very popular photo opportunity and you may have to wait in line for your turn. But it’s well worth it. Also we enjoyed doing the Z-Bend 1.2km (return) walk which takes you to some breathtaking views of the park and the 150m plunge down to the Murchison River.

While in Kalbarri we stayed at another Top Parks, Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park just a short walk from the foreshore. The park offers:

• Powered and water sites;
• FREE Wi-Fi zone;
• Excellent TV reception;
• Camp kitchen
• BBQ areas;
• Pool;
• Playgrounds;
• Dog friendly by arrangement;
• Amenities (there are two blocks – one is a relatively new block which we loved because you had your own ensuite bathroom).

Within walking distance from the park one morning we came across and enjoyed watching the feeding of the resident Pelicans. This happens every morning at 8.45 am on the foreshore. We also took a dip at Chinamens Beach right at the river entrance.

In town there are quite a few different cafes, restaurants, pubs, bottle shops, and a couple of supermarkets, butcher, newsagents and some really nice clothing boutiques.

Oh and don’t forget to get your Kalbarri Eggs, just delicious.

Kalbarri has it all.

If you’re into water sports you can always hire a tinny, go stand up paddle boarding, sail boating or canoeing along the Murchison River. There are also some great offshore fishing charters and sunset cruises available and even wilderness tours.

Even though we extended our stay we still feel there was so much more we could have seen and done. This is already ear marked for a return visit.

Below are a list of others places we have visited that may be of interest to you:

Cheers

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Happy Aussie Caravanning Lifestyle

Dixie and Graeme