Accommodation is plentiful but be warned that during school holidays you must book ahead as most places are filled months in advance. This also includes caravan parks. There are many five star resorts and if I listed them this article would become a book so the suggestion here is to call the Kalbarri Visitor Centre (freecall 1800-639-468) and consult with them your accommodation needs. There are also villas and self contained chalets/ apartments in abundance but again make sure you book early as you can be sure that these places will fill up VERY quickly months in advance.

 

For those of you who, like me, prefer staying in caravan parks there are four within the Kalbarri area. 

 

Firstly, Murchison Park Caravan Park offers a unique location as it overlooks the ocean and estuary. It is probably the most central of the four caravan parks but in Kalbarri just about everything is a five to ten minute walk away. There are air conditioned cabins, campers kitchen, as well as the traditional shady powered and non – powered sites. 

 

Next is the Kalbarri Tudor Caravan Park. This park is set just a few blocks back from the main street but can be considered as being centrally located. Featured in this caravan park are ensuite park cabins, traditional park cabins and even ensuite powered sites (handy!). As well as a campers kitchen there is also a TV room and a fresh water swimming pool. 

 

Just on the outskirts of Kalbarri is the Anchorage Caravan Park. Although this park is not central it is still next to a small shopping block that includes a general store, post office and a coffee shop. Just opposite the park is the Murchison River and a jetty for fishing. Within the camping grounds are the usual park cabins and powered sites. Similar to the Tudor Caravan Park, Anchorage also boasts a swimming pool and TV room. 

 

Lastly, and by no means least, is Red Bluff Caravan Park. This park is situated approximately four kilometres south of Kalbarri but this doesn’t mean it is in the middle of nowhere. It is right on the beach where you can enjoy swimming and surfing. Also, Red Bluff is a popular fishing spot and as the name suggest the ‘Bluff’ is a rock outcrop and this is where most people fish. The caravan park is basic but very clean. There are many trees in this park which provide much useful shade and although there is no TV room you’ll find most kids down on the beach swimming, crabbing or just annoying their parents.

 

Now that you have found somewhere to stay it’s a question of what to do?   As I have already listed quite a few activities at the beginning of this article I will concentrate on the ‘traditional’ activities in Kalbarri. This might sound silly but one of the best things you can do before you try anything is to go for a walk around the town site. Seriously. 

 

There is a path that stretches along the foreshore of the Murchison River and passes most of the shops. There are also a couple of nice coffee shops located along the walk where you can pop in for some … umm … coffee!    The Visitor Centre is also along this path so you can pop in there for some information and plan your holiday with help from the staff. Along this path you will also find a general store, some take-away shops, a newsagency, fishing tackle store and an assortment of shops that you would expect to find in a town the size of Kalbarri. If you head south on this track you will end up at Chinaman’s Beach which is a great area for lunch or just to sit and view the river mouth and the ocean waves breaking over the reef. If you walk north you will pass the general store and end up at the fishing jetty. Further along from here is small collection of shops including a post office, surf shop and … another coffee shop! If you are getting a bit tired you can always relax by the grassy banks of the river and just soak up the ambience that makes Kalbarri. 

 

So now you have wandered through the town what are the major activities that draw people to Kalbarri? Easy answer: fishing, fishing and fishing! Kalbarri is an absolute haven for fishernuts. It doesn’t matter whether you are shore based fishing or out in a boat, Kalbarri has some of the best fishing that this state has on offer.  Within the town there is beach fishing for Tailor, mulloway and silver bream (try Chinaman’s Beach, Red Bluff Beach and Wittecarra Creek). Most of the gorges that are south of Kalbarri are also excellent places to try your luck. Just be warned that lives have been lost in this area from the rocks so take extra care when fishing on the coast.

 

Surfing is another favourite water sport within the Kalbarri region. The range of beaches from Chinaman’s Rock south to Red Bluff all produce a reasonable wave. The most popular of these beaches is at Jacques Point which has a great reef break but if you are a bit like me and would prefer a safer wave (those reefs hurt!) then you could try the surf at Jacques Bay. 

 

A trip to Kalbarri must include a visit to the Kalbarri National Park. The upper reaches of the Murchison are included within the park and there are some sensational rock formations and gorges for the visitor to see. A trip to the National Park should include a visit to The Loop which also includes the Natures Window rock formation. To get to The Loop there is a several kilometre walk and it is advisable to take a few litres of water as there is no water within the park boundaries. Z Bend is a section of the Murchison River and as the name suggests the river runs a ‘z’ type course through a steep and rugged gorge. The walk to the lookout here is just a short five hundred metres but you can access the river by walking down a steep path. Sturdy shoes are a must if you intend to do this. You should also be aware of Kalbarri’s extreme (read: HOT) temperatures. Summer at Kalbarri can cause heat stroke so make sure you take plenty of water at this time of year.

 

Besides the gorges there are a few other places worth a visit just outside of the National Park boundaries. Warribanno Chimney was part of the old smelting works within the mining area and this can be accessed via an unsealed road approximately nineteen kilometres west from the North West Coastal Highway (on the Ajana Kalbarri Road). There are also disused mines in this area such as the Geraldine mine which can be accessed by a walk trail from the Warribanno Chimney or from a track north of the North West Coastal Highway. If you wish to visit these areas obtain the brochure Kalbarri National Parkfrom the Conservation Commission of the Kalbarri Visitors office. All of the places I have discussed here can be found on the foldout map within this pamphlet.

 

OK, so you’ve found your accommodation, you’ve had a fish and a wander through the local national park. What else you want to do will depend on the amount you want to pay and the time of year you have chosen to visit Kalbarri. If you’re like me and don’t have a great deal of cash then you will be looking for such things as wildflower watching and pelican feeding. The wildflowers generally come into bloom after the first lot of winter rains hit Kalbarri. This usually starts in late June and lasts through to November.   However, if you really want to see the wildflowers in bloom and therefore plan a trip for the best time contact the Visitor Centre for the latest information as they receive updates from tour groups and individuals who travel through the area. If you don’t happen to make the wildflower season you can always head to the Kalbarri Wildflower Centre. The Centre includes a wildflower trail, with abundant bird life; and if you really like the wildflowers you can purchase some seeds and start your own wildflower patch.

 

A trip to Kalbarri just isn’t complete if you don’t go to see the pelican’s feeding by the river. Kalbarri holds daily pelican feeding and this is definitely something for both mums and dads as well the kids. Every morning at 8.45am on the banks of the Murchison River you will see a group of people eagerly waiting for a pelican or two to arrive and take fish from the bucket or have it thrown to them. Children are greatly encouraged to feed the pelicans that come ashore. If you are really lucky you may get six or more pelicans looking for a feed of fish but generally there will be about three to four birds gulping down their breakfast.

 

As previously mentioned if you happen to be in the Kalbarri region during winter or spring then you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the humpback whales during their seasonal migration. In order to view the whales you will need to be at an ocean view lookout such as Red Bluff or Pot Alley. Also, dolphins frequent the area and the best vantage points are along the beaches. The best time of year for dolphins is summer to early spring and a boat charter is certainly the best way to view these majestic creatures.

 

There are MANY tours and charters in Kalbarri. In fact it seems that anything you may wish to drive or float on is available in this holiday town. There is a great variety of boat hire from the humble ‘tinny’ to the larger boats. There are canoes, sail boats windsurfers, paddle boats and even aqua scooter hire. If you would rather someone else do the work there are also charter boats available for both fishing and general touring of the area.

 

There are also plenty of adventure activities and the list includes sand boarding, quad bike expeditions, abseiling, horse riding and much, much more. Honestly you could spend a small fortune on the many activities that run out of this small town but if you’re like me and just want a place to go and relax and maybe do bit a fishing well Kalbarri is good for that too. It is certainly a great spot for families, couples and even singles. The facilities are what you would expect and probably even more considering the range that is on offer. The national park has some amazing formations and even if it’s a hot day it’s just a short trip back into the town where you can have a swim in the ocean or river and maybe a quiet ale afterwards.

 

I was speaking to bloke at the caravan park and he said to me he’d been coming here for over thirty years. I thought to myself that the last time I was here was in 1994; too long ago. I’m booking myself in for next year!

 

Kalbarri Visitors Centre:  

(08) 9937 1104

Freecall 1800 639 468

Also check out the website: www.kalbarriwa.com

 

Murchison Park Caravan Park:

(08) 9937 1005

Kalbarri Tudor Caravan Park:

(08) 9937 1077

Freecall 1800 681 077

Anchorage Caravan Park:

(08) 9937 1181

Red Bluff Caravan Park:

(08) 9937 1080

Kalbarri National Park

(08) 9937 1149

CALM Midwest Regional Office (Geraldton)

(08) 9921 5955

 

Kalbarri Wildflower Centre

Pone/ Fax (08) 99 37 1229