Last Updated on 25 July 2024 by Ariana Svenson
Here is our guide to things to do in Kalbarri for families. Kalbarri, Western Australia is an awesome escape from the city. At just a six hours drive to the north of Perth, the road trip to Kalbarri can be easily broken up for littles. It is the perfect holiday spot for families who love the outdoors as well as relaxing on the beach. There is lots of family friendly accommodation with pools, playgrounds and even a bouncy pillow, meaning that you don’t have to go far to keep the kids entertained.
The town of Kalbarri was pretty sleepy when we visited, and sits on a pretty white sand beach and at the mouth of the beautiful Murchison River. Last, but not least it is the perfect base to explore the truly outstanding Kalbarri National Park.
We highly recommend the trip from Perth to Kalbarri as one of the most Awesome Road trips in Western Australia with kids.
If you want to explore more getaways near Perth, feel free to dive into our blog post for some travel inspiration!
In April 2021 Cyclone Seroja ripped across the mid-west, with the strongest winds in 50 Years. The worst damaged towns were Kalbarri and Northampton, with estimates of up to 70 per cent of buildings damaged or destroyed.
What did we do on our Kalbarri Family Holiday?
We spent 10 days traveling to and from Kalbarri and around the mid-west with a 4 year old and a 10 month old, so our We stayed at the Kalbarri Tudor Holiday park in a chalet – it was an awesome spot with a pool, bouncy pillow and playground. It also was walking distance to the Kalbarri foreshore, fish n chip shop and also the Pub which looked like it was very popular.
Depending on the age of your kids, I’m sure there are many other great things to do with families in the area. Particularly, there are so many beaches and secret spots that would make great getaways.
What is the Ideal Holiday Length? How Many Days in Kalbarri?
Considering that if you are doing a Perth to Kalbarri Road Trip, you will need to allow one day for Perth to Kalbarri, and another for the return Kalbarri to Perth trip, then allowing 2 days for driving and 3 in Kalbarri seems like the minimum we would allow. In 3 days you could spend one day at Natures Window and the Kalbarri Skywalk, another around the coastal sites, and one day at the beach, or pool, doing a canoe safari, fishing or chilling.
As mentioned above, we were travelling with two small kids, including one that needed a daytime nap. We spent 2 days travelling to Kalbarri, but did the return leg to Perth in one long day. We spent 7 days in Kalbarri. One day was spent at Natures Window, and another two half days doing the Kalbarri Coastal walks. The rest of the time was spent at the beach, doing the pelican feeding, at the playground … and when I looked at our photos, we even got our daughter a haircut!
Best Kalbarri Activities for Families and Kids
Kalbarri Playground
We spent a lot of time at the Kalbarri Playground, which is located right on the foreshore and beach area – you can’t miss it, it’s on the left as you drive into town. We bought fish n chips and ate here at sunset on a couple of nights; while on another night we used the barbeque facilities. On our final night in Kalbarri with the kiddos we let them run off steam before dinner at the Kalbarri Motor Hotel (pub).
Kalbarri Coastal Walks
Kalbarri’s Coastal Walks were a complete highlight in the things to do in Kalbarri. Bugurda Boadwalk was the first walk we did, a wheelchair accessible (therefore pram friendly!) 1.2 km (return) walk between the Natural Bridge and Island Rock. You couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces – incredible coastal scenery, and also excellent facilities and accessibility. I remember a landscape architect friend once telling me that you never realize how important accessibility was until you had a pram. Now I understand.
The 3km Nature Trail Loop Walk to Rainbow Valley and Mushroom Rock short hike was our #1 highlight from the time in Kalbarri (of which there were quite a few totally stunning times). It was our highlight because we love places where there are few people, and this was one of them. Though on the popular coast of Kalbarri National Park where there are many tourists, it seems that very few did this rugged and a little challenging loop walk.
We totally recommend going up to Red Bluff for sunset as a ‘must see’ of things to do in Kalbarri. In fact, we did these sites over two afternoons (towards sunset) and got beautiful colors the whole time.
Nature’s Window & the Kalbarri Skywalk
Natures Window is one of Western Australia’s most iconic sites, and the new Kalbarri Skywalk has only added to the overall level of wow.
There is a short, do-able walk for 4 year old legs via the Loop Walk which provides different views of the winding Murchison Gorge below from several lookouts positioned around The Loop, including a visit to Nature’s Window or Inyaka Wookai Watj.
In short – we took our kids to Natures Window and it was a highlight of our trip. You should definitely allow a day to explore this section of the sensational Kalbarri National park. There is so much to know about visiting the Natures Window area (including the Z Bend and Ross Graham Lookouts). We have covered all the needed information in A Guide to the Spectacular Natures Window & Kalbarri Skywalk.
Kalbarri Murchison River Gorge Walks
The Nature’s Window is one of Western Australia’s most iconic images. There is a short, do-able walk for 4 year old legs via the Loop Walk which provides different views of the winding Murchison Gorge below from several lookouts positioned around The Loop, including a visit to Nature’s Window or Inyaka Wookai Watju.
Next on the agenda was a short drive and then the Z-Bend lookout that overhangs the Murchison River, via a 500-metre walk trail from the car park. Z Bend Lookout is suitably named after the tight bends the Murchison River has carved into the Tumblagooda Sandstone
Finally, for this full day of red earth we visited the Ross Graham Lookout picnic shelter and experienced the Murchison River up close by taking the 700m (return) River Walk Trail from the car park to a shady and tranquil spot on the riverbank.
Feeding the Kalbarri Pelicans
Feeding the pelicans at Kalbarri is considered one of the town’s main attractions and a highlight of Kalbarri for kids. The tradition started after one local would feed the pelicans each morning when he was cleaning the fish he caught that morning. Now, punctually at 8:45am each morning, local volunteers carry on the tradition. Our daughter thought that the great big birds were pretty scared but with a bit of prompting threw some fish out!
Rainbow Jungle Kalbarri
One of the most long running Kalbarri attractions – open 7 days a week, the Rainbow Jungle has countless activities to keep kids occupied all day long. Our kids loved the walk through the aviary with the lovely water features, and the gardens and birds in general.
Update 2021: Due to damage caused by Cyclone Seroja, the Rainbow Jungle Kalbarri is closed as there was much damage to the cages and structures. There is no update yet if it will be re-opened.
Swimming and Beaches in Kalbarri
One of the best things to do is visit the Beaches in Kalbarri. A beautiful and sheltered place for swimming is Chinaman’s Beach where the Murchison River runs out to the ocean. For snorkeling the Blue Holes have a limestone reef where you can snorkel, and it is also a protected spot for swimming. Ask at the visitor centre for kid friendly swimming in Kalbarri as well! For surfers we watched the guys carve up the water at Jakes Point, a short drive south of town, is a popular spot for experienced surfers.
Take Advantage of the Facilities at your Accommodation
There is lots of Kalbarri kid friendly accommodation with pools, bouncy pillows and playgrounds. Don’t forget to allow time for playing and chilling!
Some other Kalbarri Activities
Quad Bike Tours
Adventure through the sand dunes on your guided quad bike tour through Kalbarri!
Canoe Safari
There is a downstream canoe tour of the Murchison River where you can learn how to canoe and see the beautiful wildlife. The Kalbarri Wilderness Cruises are perfect for families as you cruise down the lower reaches of the Murchison River. Perhaps not as kid-friendly as the Kalbarri attractions mentioned above, you might want to consider some more adventurous activities instead.
Kalbarri Scenic Flights
There are different options designed get breath taking views of Kalbarri from above, especially the Murchison Gorges.
Fishing Charters & Whale Watching
Reef walker Kalbarri offer fishing off the coast of Kalbarri, or if you prefer, you can look for whales during their annual migration up and down the Western Australian coast.
Must Do Stops on a Perth to Kalbarri Road Trip
We recommend a road trip itinerary taking in the sights along the way in our post The Ultimate Perth to Kalbarri Road Trip Itinerary.
The Pinnacles, Nambung National Park
If you are heading north from Perth, our first convenient stop was The Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are just over 2 hours drive from Perth. Known as the ‘Hummocks’ on early Dutch maps from the 1600s, The Pinnacles in Nambung National Park weren’t well known until the 1960s.
There is a walking trail, very easy grade around The Pinnacles and an informative visitor center. There is also the possibility to drive through The Pinnacles if you wish. The perfect stop on your things to do in Kalbarri adventure.
Greenough Historic Village
This was a great stop 2 hours south of Kalbarri, and broke the return trip up to Perth really well. It so helps to have a good stretch of the legs and run around for the kids.
We took a self-guided tour walking among the eleven historic buildings. They are nicely decorated and we enjoyed ‘stepping back in time’ to see how early settlers used to live, work and play. There was a large gift shop and restaurant on site. As we normally pack our lunches, we just bought chips and coffee and enjoyed the ambience.
Wildflowers
The motivation for this trip to Kalbarri was to “see the WA wildflowers in full bloom.” Well, we didn’t see many at all, because we weren’t that flexible with our timing and hadn’t done our research particularly well! That said, we also discovered that to see the really good fields in bloom was several hours extra driving – which we ruled out with the kids. But next time we will totally see the wildflowers as they are among one of the top things to do in Kalbarri. Our full Guide to Western Australia’s Wildflowers.
Other Ways to Get from Perth to Kalbarri
However, if you are in a hurry or aren’t into driving then taking a flight or bus might be a better option for you. There are no regularly scheduled flights from Perth to Kalbarri, but Qantas and Virgin Australia operate daily flights from Perth to Geraldton airport, and from there you can drive. Alternatively, if you want to fly direct from Perth to Kalbarri you can book a charter with Kalbarri Scenic Flights; whose aircraft can carry up to 7 passengers. If you enjoy bus (coach) travel then TransWA operates from Perth (Midland) to Kalbarri 3 times a week Tickets cost $35 – $50 and the journey takes about 8 hours.
Kalbarri Accommodation Recommendations
On this adventure we preferred to stay in Caravan Parks! We loved the Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park, it had a great kids playground, bouncy pillow and swimming pool. It was a short 5 minute walk to the beach, which had another playground! Besides caravan spots they also have cabins you can rent.
Check Booking.com for the latest rates to stay at the Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park.
Check Agoda.com for the latest rates to stay at the Kalbarri Tudor Holiday Park.
Here are some other highly recommended Kalbarri accommodation recommendations:
Kalbarri Edge Resort – With a solar heated pool, BBQ facilities, and a great on-site restaurant Kalbarri Edge Resort is a top Kalbarri accommodation recommendation. Plus, it is just a short 5-minute walk to from the Murchison River.
Check Booking.com for the latest rates to stay at the Kalbarri Edge Resort.
Check Expedia.com for the latest rates to stay at the Kalbarri Edge Resort.
Check Agoda.com for the latest rates to stay at the Kalbarri Edge Resort.
Kalbarri Beach Resort (now: Riverview Holiday Apartments) – This Kalbarri accommodation offers self-contained apartments which are great for traveling families. It has an outdoor pool, three hot tubs, and a few different apartment styles to choose from.
Check Booking.com for the latest rates to stay at the Riverview Holiday Apartments.
Check Expedia.com for the latest rates to stay at the Riverview Holiday Apartments.
Check Agoda.com for the latest rates to stay at the Riverview Holiday Apartments.
The Verdict – Things to do in Kalbarri for Families
I hope we have given you lots of ideas for your next Kalbarri family holiday! Not only is Kalbarri a short and doable road trip from Perth, it is blessed with the gorgeous Natures Window, and some beautiful beaches and coastal scenery. Best of all, its small town vibe, safe beach area make it a laid back but fun place to spend a few days exploring the area. If you have any other ideas of Kalbarri attractions that we have missed, please don’t hesitate to pop them in the comments.
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