Located 592 km north of Perth, Kalbarri is a coastal town in the Mid West Region of Western Australia.
Kalbarri is a popular tourist destination in Western Australia largely due to the Kalbarri National Park that it hosts. Situated at the mouth of the Murchison River, picturesque Kalbarri is also a perennially popular seaside spot. In addition to hiking and bushwalking activities in the national park, Kalbarri’s proximity to the dramatic coastline means plenty of beach and leisure opportunities as well. Being a coastal town, Kalbarri also has plenty of great fishing spots.
Kalbarri was named after an Aboriginal man from the Murchison tribe; Kalbarri is also the name of an edible seed. Before European settlers came ashore, the area was inhabited by local Aboriginal people for thousands of years. They have a dreaming story about the Rainbow Serpent forming the Murchison River as she came from inland to the coast.
The first European people to visit the area were the crew of the trading ship belonging to the Dutch East India Company, the Batavia, who put two mutinous crew members ashore near Bluff Point just south of the town. The cliffs near the river mouth were named after another trading ship, the Zuytdorp, that was wrecked there in 1712.
In addition to being the access point to the national park nearby, the Kalbarri township also provides good tourist facilities. The national park’s roads are accessible to most vehicles, but are unsuitable for caravans or trailers. The best time to visit is from July to October, when the weather is dry and the temperatures are not prohibitive. In summer, they can soar to 40°C (104°F).
Kalbarri is particularly popular during the school holidays when the town is flooded with Perth families on bike and foot. To enjoy Kalbarri without the rush, avoid Australian school holidays.
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