Day 123 - Kalbarri's Gorges

Surprise, surprise, spots of rain on the van during the night but the day dawned, overcast and dry.  That was good because we were off to see Kalbarri's gorges today.  We firstly took a run up Meandarra Hill about 6km from the town but the dull day did not help with the photography.

The sun struggled in and out during the day but the wind was absent - well almost.  It returned up in the gorges.

The gorges are the products of the Murchison River's inexorable struggle to get to the sea.  Mind you, in some respects the Tumblagooda Sandstone has been a willing partner.  It is soft and friable and the evidence of erosion is everywhere.  The sandstone is many coloured, from dark reds to white.  The resultant sands are similarly varied in colour, some reddish, some orange, some beige and some a bright yellow and everything in between.

The cliffs are over 100m high in places and it is the view from these cliffs that dictate the choice of places for the lookouts.  The powers that be are developing easy access to these lookouts and there is a considerable length of made roads into some of the lookouts. Otherwise the remaining sandy roads are not too bad to drive. Excellent walking tracks and picnic facilities provide the means to an enjoyable day.

The wildflowers were prolific and it seems they are bursting forth right now.  A road, driven only three days ago and light on wildflowers, is now showing a profound change, with colours popping up everywhere and more to come. 

As for yesterday's blog, the pictures explain themselves.

070814 Kalbarri from Meandarra Hill on an overcast morning

070814 From the West Loop Lookout

070814 From the West Loop Lookout looking downstream

070814 From the Loop Lookout looking upstream

070814 From the Loop Lookout looking west -
the Murchison R does an almost 360 degree turn

070814 Nature's Window

070814 Nature's Window with the Murchison R in the window

070814 Nature's Window

070814 An Echidna on the way to Z Bend

070814 Murchison R, Z Bend looking downstream

070814 Murchison R, Z Bend looking upstream

0070814 Hawks Head - maybe one of the rocks on the right is a hawks head

070814 Murchison R from the Ross Graham Lookout

070814 Murchison R from the Ross Graham Lookout