PELICANS bob happily along the mouth of the Murchison River in Kalbarri and looking around you can see why they’re pretty happy with their lot.
The blue green waters are as welcoming as the locals in this North-West gem, which is about a five and a half hour drive from Perth.
And, although that sounds like a lot of driving, it’s actually pretty do-able in a four or five day holiday.
There are plenty of stops you can make along the way to places like Cervantes (where you can get a delicious local rock lobster dirt cheap) or Northampton (where you can spend time at the most haunted house in WA).
Until you get on a road that leads north, you forget how incredibly vast our State really is – this is a road trip that requires some serious play list planning.
Once you’ve made it to Kalbarri there’s plenty to see and do, whether you want to just stroll around the town, feed the pelicans (a daily occurrence they seem to love), do some shopping or have a beer at a local tavern near the water’s edge.
Or if you love the adventurous side of life, do some quad-biking in a national park, try some sandboarding or hire yourself a boat for the day and putt around the river at your own pace.
You might even see a dolphin!
You can’t come to Kalbarri without taking in the spectacular gorges that surround it and if you’re not up for a full day of hiking then at least take the drive to the Z-Bend gorge and Nature’s Window to really see this part of WA in all its natural splendour.
It’s quite simply stunning and you’ll be glad you made the effort.
If you love your fitness, then Kalbarri is the perfect chance to combine your holiday with some exercise - there are so many hikes for all fitness levels that you really are spoilt for choice here.
Great for families, Kalbarri has calm and safe waters for kids to swim in while mum and dad try their luck fishing.
And if you’re not lucky enough to catch something, then there are also some great restaurants in town.
ncluding the Grass Tree Café and the local fish and chip shop, which does a mean serve that you can go and enjoy right by the river side.
All in all Kalbarri is a great week or long weekend away because there’s something for everyone in this small coastal town - whether you want to just watch the world go by or pack it all in to one big adventure – the itinerary and how fast or slow you take it, is completely up to you.
Australia’s Coral Coast and the Kalbarri Visitor Centre are giving you the chance to win your own Kalbarri adventure with four nights accommodation, a skydive, an abseil in the Kalbarri National Park, a quad biking tour and a $200 fuel voucher.
Visit competitions.australiascoralcoast.com. Entries close on March 15.