The Murchison Gorge in Kalbarri National Park, a 6-7 hour drive (485km) north of Perth, is well-known for its dramatic landscape, including natural rock features such as the famous Nature’s Window, The Loop, Z-Bend and Hawks Head, formed as the Murchison River carved deeply into the ancient red and white banded sandstone. The Kalbarri Skywalk above the Murchison Gorge will doubtless become a key drawcard for tourists and other visitors after construction is completed in mid-2019.
But the truly outstanding, world-class attraction of the Park, for the most adventurous bushwalkers / hikers, will always be the epic 38km walk through the gorge from Ross Graham Lookout to The Loop (or about 55km if starting further upriver from Hardabut Pool). Many walkers have been back to do this walk several times, such is the magical experience it offers and never fails to deliver!
The Gorge Walk is classed as ‘Grade 5’ in difficulty; with no track and no marked route. It provides ample challenges to test experienced walkers. Thorough advance planning is essential, along with a range of skills such as good ability at route-finding and locating drinking water sources along the way (the river water itself is usually too brackish to drink). It also poses a variety of strenuous physical tests: rock-hopping up and down the many narrow rock ledges, often high above the river, while carrying a heavy pack; chimneying up and through narrow rock crevices; trudging through soft sand; and regularly stripping off to float your back-pack across the river when swimming becomes necessary where the gorge narrows and the walls steepen. Read More
Not surprisingly, walkers typically make progress of only about 9km per day through the gorge. But why hurry when the scenery is exquisite? There is so much to explore, plus many options for riverside campsite locations, including at the beautiful ‘Little Z’. The full walk typically takes 3-4 days (or 5-6 days from Hardabut Pool), though the sections from Ross Graham Lookout to Z Bend or from Z Bend to The Loop can be done as shorter two-day walks, then requiring lighter packs.
The observant walker will find that the sandstone rocks of the gorge are rich in fascinating signs of ancient, Paleozoic life. Abundant trackways of trilobites and eurypterids, and burrowing organisms are preserved as trace fossils in the rock layers; sometimes so perfectly that the tracks look as if they were left only yesterday, not over 400 million years ago!
Help preserve this unspoilt wilderness environment by applying the 
The Parks and Wildlife Ranger in Kalbarri is the best source of information on safely walking in the gorge. Before heading to Kalbarri, check the