Windjana Gorge
Bandilngan / Windjana Gorge
A Devonian ancient coral reef gorge on the western section of the Gibb River Road, where dozens of freshwater crocodiles bask on the riverbanks and fossils of ancient marine fish can be seen.
Windjana Gorge cuts through the Napier Range, a limestone range that is the remnant of a Devonian seabed reef about 350 million years old. The gorge walls rise to 100 metres, and fossil fish can be seen in the rock. A trail along the Lennard River makes a round trip of about 7 km. In the dry season, large numbers of freshwater crocodiles can often be seen basking at the river pools; do not approach them or enter the water. This is also the cultural land of the Bunuba people, and it is usually visited together with nearby Tunnel Creek, a natural cave you can wade through. The national park requires a Western Australia park pass, and there is a campground. It is about 380 km by road from Broome (via Derby, with the final 20 km on dirt). It is typically visited as a two-day trip on the Gibb River Road or as part of a longer tour from Broome or Derby. It is open in the dry season, and roads close in the wet season, so check conditions before setting out.
Opening hours
Open in dry season (approx. May–Oct), sunrise to sunset
Nearby sights
- Horizontal Falls
- Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park
- Broome Bird Observatory
- Willie Creek Pearl Farm
- Streeter's Jetty
- Pearl Luggers
- Sun Pictures
- Chinatown Broome