Kalbarri holds a special place with me, and a rather frustrating one as well. It is much more accessible than Karijini National Park, with a scale that often belittles Karijini; however I had actually visited Karijini first, and I have often subconsciously considered Kalbarri as somewhat of a poorer cousin.
Being around 5 hours north of Perth, Kalbarri and its National Park namesake is an easy day's drive from Perth. It is a mixture of many different elements that make it more diverse than Karijini, and if you've never experienced a proper Australian red dirt experience, I would highly recommend Kalbarri as the place to start.
They are two rather different experiences, and both should be visited and enjoyed as a such. The colours are different, the rock is different. Karijini takes endless hours of driving through largely empty bushland; arriving there feels like you're stepping into an oasis. It's somehow a more intimate experience amongst the narrow gorges. As a juxtiposition, when you visit Kalbarri you are driving through farmland on your way to a seaside town. It doesn't feel like an oasis - it has the conveniences of being a resort town, with plenty of accommodation and services, along with a number of beaches and impressive coastal landmarks to explore - but rather it feels like the frontier. That beyond the town begins the vast unknown of the Outback, and the grandness of the gorges reflect that.
And then there are the gorges themselves. The Murchison River has cut a spectacular path through the sandstone here that is unmatched in scale compared to Karijini. Here lies its appeal, and this is a brief guide to photography at Kalbarri and the National Park.
However, first things first; take a fly net. The flies in the National Park are absolutely awful, and are active even before the sun comes up. You'll thank me later.
Natures Window
Natures Window is to Kalbarri what Mickey Mouse is to Disney; not everything that it encapsulates, but its primary mascot. Natures Window is an incredible natural monument, and I'm suprised at how much of a thrill I still get when visiting it - and I have visited it a lot. I have been attempting to get a decent sunrise shot here over a dozen times now, and still without success. The Window overlooks the Murchison River as it winds its way through the gentle gorge below. A sunrise here at any time of year would make a special photograph, although the sun
would likely not be rising in the view of the window itself. There is a brief period during the high summer months that the sunrise can be viewed directly through the window, and mid-December through to late January would be best for this. I visited in mid-February, and the sun was already beginning to rise at an angle not really suitable for viewing directly through the window. The Murchison River also largely dries up during the late summer, so that was not ideal either. I tried again in early January, which was much better as there was more water in the river ( even though it had stopped flowing then as well ), and even then the sun was beginning to move out of the centre of the window again. With this in mind, I would recommend trying to capture this during December if possible while the Murchison will still have some water present and the sun is rising in the centre. I have shot this with both a wide angle and a 35mm lens, both of which work well and I have trouble deciding which one I like the most. Both were taken off a tripod set up right at the entrance to the window.
For a more inclusive view, standing further back with a wide angle will capture the window itself, as well as some of the ridgeline that curves away to the east and the gorge below. I tend to stitch a panorama for an even wider perspective, although this can lead to some very odd-looking perspectives.
It's worth mentioning some night-landscape photography here as well, as the window also presents a good opportunity to capture the Milky Way rising behind the Window. A good time of year for this is February, and the Galactic Centre can be caught through the Window. A full panorama of the Milky Way that includes the Galactic Centre is not possible here, however the Milky Way arch can be captured in a stitched panorama.
The view to the west does offer some interest as the Murchison River curves around again, but it isn't as captivating as the view to the east. A sunset or afternoon golden hour photo can be taken of the Window, however you will have to be content with your shadow being in the photo as well, as the sun sets behind you. This is still a good time of day to capture the view through the window, as the golden light illuminates the distant landscape.
The Loop Walk offers some interest, but I would mostly recommend the first section whilst walking in the counter-clockwise direction. This initial walk down the ridgeline has some interesting rock formations that will catch the morning sun and are well worth exploring, while further around on top of the gorge wall has good views looking back toward the Window. As for the remainder of the Loop Walk, it is an undertaking that is best suited
for the winter months when the heat is less extreme and there is more water in the River. I
completed the walk during the warmer months, and did not have a pleasant time. There are nice views from on top of the cliffs, and the gorge is quite dramatic here with steep walls and deep cuts into the cliffs. You then descend into the gorge down to the level of the river, with its distinct layered sandstone. The track follows the river around and progresses onto sand rather than rock, until you ascend back up to the Window. In all honesty, I was feeling far too miserable to even put a passing effort into finding compositions. There is certainly opportunity here, and I would suggest the later afternoon for the north-eastern part of the Loop Walk, as the gorge wall would catch the sun and bounce the warm light down into the gorge. The end of the loop walk would suit the early morning better, as here the steep western wall would catch the early light, and the wide, flat area of the river can give some incredible reflections.
Z-Bend Gorge
Z Bend Gorge is another favourite area of mine, and offers a lot of potential. Access into the gorge is fairly straight forward, although it does require a bit of flexibility as there is some climbing and big steps involved. The walk down to the viewing point over the top of the gorge is simple by comparison, and the view here is fantastic. An ultra-wide lens of 14mm or wider will capture the sweep the the gorge, while a stitched panorama would create a perspective even wider. I wouldn't consider this necessarily an area suitable for a sunrise unless you made that attempt during the heigth of summer - the northern spur of the gorge runs in a south-eastern direction, so during winter the sun will not rise behind the gorge. If conditions were right, it would be a good spot for a sunset if there were some clouds to reflect the final light of day. If sun showers are present, it would also be a fantastic spot for a mid-afternoon rainbow, with a wide angle lens being perfect for this ocassion.
Down in the gorge itself, there is a myriad of opportunity. The gorge is impressive, with steep walls yielding rich colours and congregations of loose rocks and boulders mingling with the Murchison River at its base. I would recommend the winter months here, or a time of year after the rain has recharged the river. During the early months of the year the river is reduced to a trickle, and the pools of water are stagnant with algae and entirely unattractive. Surprisingly, I found the pools to still have an abundance of small fish, which took a bite of anything that landed on the water, creating waves of small ripples on the pool's surface - ruining any chance of a good reflection! So aim for when the river is flowing strongly. The main cut of the gorge that you arrive to when walking down runs to the south-southwest, and finding the best conditions here can be difficult. Due to the depth of the gorge, the sun usually only hits one side of the gorge or the other, creating a big discrepancy in light and shadow. For me personally, the ideal conditions would late morning to midday when the sun is high and above the gorge, with some thin or high cloud to temper the strength of the sun's light and make it a bit more balanced. There are some pools present where a nice reflection can be found, and a wide angle lens can capture the overall scene nicely.
Looking this way will also capture the Milky Way as it rises, with the best time of year being between May and August, during different times of the night.
Walking north in the gorge will gain a view over the sharp turn in the gorge as the river abruptly changes direction. Walking any great distance further from here becomes difficult, and I have not done any heavy amount of exploring here. The gorge walls are incredibly steep, the bottom of the gorge is a maze of large boulders, but for the enthusiastic a sunrise in mid-December would be quite incredible, with the sun rising at the end of this stretch of gorge. In the other direction, walking south in the gorge brings you to an area where the gorge is not as deep, and the river widens and slows in some points. I have made a number of journeys here, and about 20 minutes of picking your way around the bend of the gorge will lead you to a pool where it becomes difficult to walk any further without crossing the river. With the wind abscent, you will get a near-perfect reflection, and it is a fantastic spot that I have used in both night-landscape photography, or in a daytime photograph.
4-Ways Gorge
4-Ways Gorge is a 40 minute walk down from the Z-Bend car park, and is well worth the effort. The walk takes you down through a cutting in the gorge wall to a point where it meets the river gorge with another cutting directly opposite you - where 4 points meet. In a number of ways, it is very similar to Z-Bend, but it does have unique opportunities. After crossing the river, a short walk to the north will bring you to an area where you can view a vast pool leading away to the north-west; an ideal spot for a sunset in the depth of winter. If there is no wind, the pool gives an amazing reflection, and I have shot the Milky Way arch here on a calm night.
To the south, the gorge is hemmed in by steep walls on either side, and making your way up the river will bring you to another pool that terminates with a river gap at the end - another ideal place for refelctions under calm conditions. There is plenty of oppotunity in between, but naturally your own eyes may find what I miss.
Hawkes Head & Ross Graham Lookouts
In the south of the park are Hawkes Head Lookout, and Ross Graham Lookout. I have only visited these locations once so far. Hawkes Head Lookout is impressive, however not to the level of what Z-Bend or Natures Window can offer. Shooting along the course of the river, a sunrise in mid-December may get the sun in the frame, but otherwise it is not possible without a wide angle shot that would include a lot of negative space. However, a sunrise here during any time of the year would have the gorge wall light up as it catches the sun's first light.
I have also walked down into the gorge at Ross Graham Lookout, and spent a bit of time wandering. The gorge has a reasonably steep wall on the western side, a base that is a mixture of river sand and rocks, and a collection of water pools. An autumn sunrise would work well here, with the northern area of the gorge facing to the east-nor-east. The water pools would also work nicely for some night photography on a calm night with good reflections. It is also a really nice spot for a picnic, with familes coming down to swim and paddles in the water, it being a bit quieter and accessible than Z-Bend.
Lastly, there is an old lead mine to the east of the National Park, down the unsealed Geraldine Road. I have only visited the old processing facility, marked by a stone chimney out in a field. It is certainly fascinating, but for myself only from a historical point of view.
Coastal Cliffs and Beaches
Another main attraction for Kalbarri are its dramatic coastal cliffs and beaches. The lookouts for the cliffs are easily accessible and are all interconnected with walkways and sealed roads. However, with the cliffs themselves your options are pretty limited. The viewing platforms are really your only option outside of using a drone or risking your life outside of the fenced areas, and out of the three main viewpoints I think that Castle Cove looking north has to be my favourite. Here, you get a good sweep of the cliffs leading away, with the distinct "island" rock jutting out from the rocky shore. Natural Bridge is nice, but you don't really get that good of a view of the bridge itself, and Island Rock looks back toward Castle Cove lookout. This spot also has some good potential, and during the late afternoon the cliffs catch the light from the setting sun. I have walked around the area known as The Grandstand, and my only thoughts are that an ultrawide lens would be needed to capture the breadth of the area while also capturing the sun setting out over the ocean. Alas, I was left with no other impression and no real compulsion to return.
In regard to the beaches, there are a number of good candidates. Now as a confession, I am in no way generally capable of taking a good beach shot - it seems to lay outside of my already constrained capabililties. Nonetheless, the rocky coastline offers plenty of opportunity. Pot Alley is a steep, narrow beach that is bordered by rocky headland on one side and a wider, flatter sandstone platform on the other. The nearby life-float installation should caution you about the violence of the waves here. A wide angle will take in the breadth of the small cove, but I have thus-far been unable to produce anything presentable with an ultrawide.
Eagle Gorge Beach is hemmed in by rocky headlands either side, and its shore is a mix of sand and flat sandstone. There is opporunity here, but I have found it difficult to find.
Mushroom Rock is a longer, flatter beach with plenty of rock formations aside from its namesake rock. Like Pot Alley, it has a platform on its southern side that is a good spot to set up with a northern outlook. There are plenty of rocks to find a spot with the waves moving over and around, and the rocky headlands in the background will pick up the afternoon sun.
Redgate Beach has both an impressive lookout point as well as a rugged, rocky shoreline of a mix of its distinct sandstone with hardrock. The tides playing amongst the rock here is a joy to photograph, but I still lack the ability to capture the breadth of the main beach to the northeast.
Aside from these, there are the normal sandy beaches that surround Kalbarri, such as Red Bluff Beach, Jakes Corner, the Blue Holes, and Chinaman's Beach.
Further to the south on the access to Kalbarri is Hutt Lagoon, or Pink Lake as it is colloquially known. To get to the better viewpoints here, take the access road toward Port Gregory. I have tried pushing throught the bush and walking across the salt plains toward the lake from the eastern side, but the view is a lot more accessible from the west. There are dedicated areas to pull-off from the road, with a lower speed limit to make it safer for tourists. The colour of the water can be very strong, but be warned that the shoreline is a squishy, foul-smelling mud. I would either recommend gumboots or balancing on some rocks that have been conveniently placed by previous visitors. Further to the north along the access road to Port Gregory, the road passes briefly between the Pink Lake and a smaller body of water. Here is another good spot for a photo with a northerly outlook across the Lake. Here you may find tree branches that have been encrusted with salt, and on a calm day the reflection from the water would produce some absolute majic. Imagine the colour from a Milky Way reflection in the water! One day, maybe; one day. As a final note, be aware that there is no water available in the National Park, although there are toilet facilities. It gets very hot during the summer here, and they even deny access to the 8km Loop Walk after 7 a.m. during the summer months due to fears about heat stroke. Know your limits, maintain your water intake, and enjoy the views.