10 Best Things to Do in Kalbarri: A Local’s Honest Guide
I’ve lived in Kalbarri for thirty years now, and I still get asked the same question almost every week: “What are the 10 best things to do in Kalbarri?” Usually it’s from someone standing in front of me clutching a printout from TripAdvisor, looking a bit overwhelmed by the options, or scrolling through a phone full of near-identical lists that all seem to rank the same ten spots in a slightly different order.
The truth is, Kalbarri packs an unusual amount into a small stretch of coastline. You’ve got the red gorge country of the National Park inland, dramatic ocean cliffs to the south, a genuinely good local dining scene for a town this size, and skies dark enough that you forget what a full night sky actually looks like. Most visitors only have two or three days, so the question isn’t really “what is there to do” — it’s “what’s actually worth my limited time.”
So here’s my honest answer — the same one I’d give a friend staying with me for a long weekend. Ten things, roughly in the order I’d do them, including a couple that don’t make the usual lists because you need to have lived here a while to know about them
1. Kalbarri Skywalk
If you only do one thing, do this. The twin cantilevered platforms hang 100 metres above the Murchison Gorge, projecting out 25 and 17 metres beyond the cliff edge, and the first time you walk out onto the open platform your stomach does a little flip no matter how many times you’ve been. It’s an easy, fully accessible walk from the car park, which makes it one of the few big Kalbarri attractions that genuinely suits everyone — prams, wheelchairs, grandparents, the lot.
Go in the late afternoon if you can. The gorge walls turn a deep red-gold in the last couple of hours before sunset, and the tour buses tend to clear out by then, so you get a much quieter experience than the midday rush. There’s a small café on site if you want a coffee with that view, and the interpretive signage covers the geology and the Nanda people’s connection to the land, which is worth ten minutes of your time even if you’re eager to get to the platforms.
2. Nature’s Window and The Loop
This is the photo everyone comes here for — the natural sandstone frame looking out over a sweeping bend in the Murchison River. It’s an easy 1km return walk from the car park, so it suits pretty much anyone, though be prepared to queue for a minute or two for the classic shot in peak season. Please don’t climb above the window itself; the layered sandstone is more fragile than it looks and erosion is already doing enough damage without extra help.
If you’re after more of a workout, keep going onto The Loop trail itself — about 8km and 3 to 4 hours, and one of the best hikes in the state if you’re properly prepared with water, sun protection and decent footwear. One local tip that catches a lot of visitors out: this trail closes after 7am from November to March because of the heat. If you’re visiting in summer, get there at first light or save it for a cooler month altogether.
3. Z-Bend Gorge
Less famous than Nature’s Window, and I’ll admit it’s the one I actually prefer. The lookout alone is worth the stop — sweeping views down into the gorge with kangaroos often visible on the river flats below — but if you’re fit and prepared, the trail down into the gorge itself involves a series of ladders and gets you right down to the river among the layered Tumblagooda sandstone formations that make this landscape so distinctive.
It’s also one of the better spots in Western Australia for abseiling, if you’re up for something a bit different. Half-day guided abseiling tours run from the gorge and are a great option if you want an adrenaline hit without organising your own gear. Even if you skip the hike down, the drive out to Z-Bend and the walk to the lookout is quieter than the Nature’s Window carpark, which I appreciate more each year.
4. Hutt Lagoon (Pink Lake)
About 45 minutes south of town near Port Gregory, and worth the drive. The lake’s colour genuinely shifts through the day depending on the angle of the light, so timing your visit matters more than most guides let on. I always tell people to aim for mid-morning or late afternoon rather than the middle of the day, when the colour can look surprisingly washed out and ordinary compared to the photos you’ve seen online.
It’s become a huge draw for photography in the last decade, and rightly so — on a good day it really is a striking bubblegum pink. Do check conditions before you head up, though, as the intensity of the colour depends a lot on recent rainfall and season, and there’s nothing worse than driving 45 minutes for a lake that’s decided to look plain grey that week. A few tour operators run half-day trips up here combined with a scenic flight or buggy tour if you’d rather not self-drive.
5. Red Bluff at sunset
Red Bluff is the highest point on the Kalbarri coastline, standing about 100 metres above sea level, and it’s my go-to recommendation for visitors who want that classic postcard moment without much walking at all. The cliffs shift from red to almost burning orange as the sun drops toward the horizon, and the contrast against the blue of the Indian Ocean is something photos never quite do justice to.
Bring a drink, grab a spot on the grass near the lookout, and just watch. It’s completely free, there’s a short walk trail if you want to keep moving rather than sit still, and it’s one of those things that never gets old even after three decades of watching it happen. If you’re visiting between June and October, keep an eye on the water too — this stretch of coast is a reliable spot for whale sightings during migration season.
6. Catch (and eat) your own crayfish
This is the one visitors don’t expect, and it’s become one of my favourite recommendations precisely because it’s not on every generic “things to do” list. Kalbarri sits right on some of the best rock lobster grounds in Western Australia, and there are two local tours (Kalbarri Rock Lobster Tours & Charters and Reefwalker Ocean Discovery Kalbarri )where you can catch your own crayfish out on the water and then have it cooked up fresh the same day — genuinely one of the best meals you’ll have on the whole Coral Coast, and a much better story to tell than another restaurant booking.
If you’d rather skip the boat and go straight to the eating, both Upstairs Restaurant and Seahaus Tavern do a proper local crayfish. Upstairs is the pick for a more polished sit-down meal if you want to make a night of it, while Seahaus suits a relaxed pub feed with a water view if you’re after something more casual. Either way, this is Kalbarri on a plate, and it’s the kind of local experience the big travel sites never quite capture properly.
7. Blue Holes
If you’ve got kids, or you just want an easy, low-effort swim with something to actually look at underwater, Blue Holes is it. It’s a sheltered inshore limestone reef system just south of town, calm enough for complete beginners, and home to more than 70 species of fish along with coral and sponges — a proper introduction to snorkelling without needing to travel further north to somewhere like Ningaloo. One of my personal favourites in the top 10 best things to do in Kalbarri as its close to my home and always appeals.
Bring your own snorkel gear if you have it, or grab a set from one of the shops in town. Unlike the more exposed spots along the coast where swimming isn’t recommended, the reef here creates natural pools that stay protected from the bigger swells, which makes it one of the few places in Kalbarri where I’m genuinely comfortable sending families with young kids to swim unsupervised in shallow water near the edges.
8. Pelican feeding
A genuine Kalbarri tradition, going back close to fifty years now. Local volunteers feed the pelicans most mornings at the foreshore, checking the birds over for stray fishing line and hooks while they’re at it — it started as a practical way to keep the local pelican population safe and has become one of the most-loved free activities in town. It’s a gold coin donation if you’d like to contribute, and kids often get the chance to help with the feeding itself, which is a genuine highlight for younger visitors.
I’ll be honest with you, though — the pelicans don’t always show up, particularly outside the cooler months, and numbers have been a bit thinner on recent mornings than they used to be. Even so, it’s still worth the short walk down to the foreshore for the chance to see it, and there’s usually a volunteer happy to chat about the birds and the history of the ritual while you wait.
9. Meanarra Hill Lookout (my local secret)
This is the one I tell people about last, almost like I’m letting them in on something. Meanarra Hill sits up behind the town and gives you a full 360-degree view — river, ocean, gorge country and the town itself, all from one spot, without another attraction in sight. It’s nowhere near as busy as Red Bluff or the Skywalk, which after thirty years is exactly why I still love sending people there.
Honestly, both sunrise and sunset up here are spectacular in completely different ways. Sunrise is quiet and golden over the gorge side, with the town still asleep below you; sunset lights up the coastline and the river mouth in a way that rivals anything at Red Bluff. If you’ve got the energy for one extra stop on your trip and want to feel like you’ve found something the tour buses haven’t, make it this one.
10. Stargazing
Kalbarri has almost no light pollution, which makes it one of the best places along the entire Coral Coast for stargazing and astrophotography. On a clear, moonless night the Milky Way is properly visible to the naked eye, which still catches visitors from bigger cities completely off guard — most people have simply never seen a sky like it.
You can do this yourself from pretty much anywhere in the National Park on a clear night with zero equipment needed, or join a guided stargazing tour if you want someone pointing out constellations and explaining what you’re actually looking at through a telescope. Either way works. Step outside after dinner, let your eyes adjust for a few minutes away from any lights, and look up — it’s a genuinely different sky to what most visitors are used to, and one of the simplest, cheapest things on this whole list.
Where to stay for all this
Most of the 10 best things to do in Kalbarri are a short drive from town, so where you base yourself matters less than you’d think — but if you want easy access to both the coastal cliffs to the south and the inland gorges of the National Park, staying central to Kalbarri makes the most sense. It cuts down your driving time considerably, and means an early sunrise trip to Meanarra Hill or a spontaneous sunset run to Red Bluff doesn’t eat into your day.
That’s my honest list of the 10 best things to do in Kalbarri if you’re short on time. There’s plenty more to see if you’ve got the time — the wildflower season from August to October adds a whole extra layer to the National Park, and there are longer coastal hikes like the Bigurda Trail if you’re after a serious day of walking. But if you’re only in Kalbarri for a couple of days, this list will fill them properly, hit the mix of adventure, scenery and genuinely good food the town is known for, and hopefully save you a bit of scrolling through review sites trying to work out which recommendations are actually worth your time.
How many days do you need in Kalbarri?
Two full days is enough to hit the essentials — the Skywalk, Nature’s Window and one of the gorges, plus Red Bluff or Meanarra Hill for sunset. If you want to add Hutt Lagoon, a crayfish tour or stargazing without rushing, I’d budget three days. If your aim is to see all the 10 best things to do in Kalbarri, add a few extra days
What is the best time of year to visit Kalbarri?
Autumn through spring (April to October) is the sweet spot — mild days, cooler nights, and whale season from June to October adds an extra reason to visit. Summer (December to February) gets very hot, and several walking trails close after 7am because of the heat.
Is Nature’s Window in Kalbarri worth visiting?
Yes — it’s the most photographed spot in Kalbarri National Park for good reason, and the walk to it is only about 1km return, so it suits almost any fitness level. If you want more of a workout, it also connects to The Loop, an 8km trail through the gorge.
What are the free things to do in Kalbarri?
Quite a lot, actually. Red Bluff, Meanarra Hill Lookout, Nature’s Window, the Skywalk platforms themselves, pelican feeding (gold coin donation) and stargazing in the National Park are all free or close to it.
Is Kalbarri good for families with kids?
Very much so. Blue Holes is a calm, shallow snorkelling spot that’s ideal for younger kids, the Skywalk is fully accessible for prams, and pelican feeding is a free, low-key activity most kids enjoy. The gorge hikes are better suited to older kids and teens.