Murchison River Gorge, Canyon in Kalbarri National Park, Western Australia.
Murchison River Gorge is a deep canyon cut through red sandstone by flowing water over millions of years, creating steep cliff faces and narrow sections. The river winds through the valley in several dramatic bends, with exposed rock layers that reveal the geological history of the region.
European explorer George Grey documented the river in 1839 and named it after a prominent geologist of his time. The canyon itself formed over millions of years as water gradually cut through the sandstone layer by layer.
The gorge holds deep meaning for the Yamatji people, whose Dreamtime stories are woven into the red rock formations and water patterns of this landscape. Visitors walking through these spaces can sense the spiritual connection that Indigenous peoples maintain with their ancestral land.
Visit between May and September when conditions are most comfortable for walking and the landscape is at its best. The gorge has trails ranging from short walks to longer hikes, with various viewpoints accessible from different starting points.
The Tumblagooda sandstone in the gorge preserves fossils of eurypterids, ancient water creatures that represent some of the earliest evidence of animals venturing onto land. These traces offer visitors a glimpse into a time hundreds of millions of years ago when life on Earth was vastly different.
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