Snapshot
| Where | 155km east of Derby, about 2 hours · 150km north-west of Fitzroy Crossing · 357km and 4.5 hours from Broome · 21km off the Gibb River Road on Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road |
|---|---|
| Getting there | 4WD only — the park authority states the only access is by unsealed roads in a four-wheel-drive vehicle · Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road is graded through the dry season but corrugated, with creek crossings that change with the rain · Open roughly May to November, with roads often closed October to April |
| Best time | May–July, when days run about 35°C and nights near 12°C and the gorge pools still hold water after the wet; Trails WA nominates June to August as the window for the walks |
| Worst time | November–April, the wet season, when the park closes and the unsealed roads flood; the build-up is close behind at 38°C average highs in October, and daytime temperatures can exceed 40°C |
| Time needed | One day for the Gorge Trail and the crocodile pools, or two days if you want Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek), 36km away, and a night at the gorge |
| Cost | $17.00 per vehicle standard entry ($10.00 concession, $10.00 motorcycle, $8.00 per person for large vehicles) · Camping $20.00 adult, $15.00 concession, $5.50 child (6–15) per person per night, with no fee for children aged 5 and under |
| Facilities | Flush toilets and showers, picnic tables, benches and communal firepits at the campground; no drinking water, no bins and no fuel or shop; generators in the generator area only, 7am–8pm; mobile and internet coverage intermittent; day-use areas open 6am to 6pm |
| Best for | 4WD touring couples, wildlife watchers after freshwater crocodiles and birds, and walkers who want gorge geology without a hard trek |
| Difficulty |
3 of 5 — Challenging
The Gorge Trail is only 1.9km return but is officially graded Class 4 (Difficult) — soft sand, steep slope sections and limited signage — the access is 4WD-only on unsealed road, no drinking water is provided, and daytime temperatures can exceed 40°C. |
Driving there? Car hire and what to check →
Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) National Park protects 3.5km of the Lennard River's cut through the Napier Range — a Devonian coral reef built in a shallow sea about 350 million years ago, with fossil corals still visible in the gorge walls. The Bunuba people are the Traditional Owners, and the park's visitor guide records Bunuba occupation here extending beyond 47,000 years. This is the country of the Jandamarra story — Jandamarra, a Bunuba man, led a three-year guerrilla resistance against European settlers and police in the 1890s, and the ruins of the Limalurru (Lillimilura) police outpost stand 3km away on the road to Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek).
In the dry season the gorge floor is a short walk from the day-use carpark: the Gorge Trail runs 1.9km return, Class 4, along the river bank and through a narrow gap into the gorge, where freshwater crocodiles (gayi) bask on the sandbanks and corellas work the cliff walls. Over 100 bird species and more than 200 plant species have been recorded here, and thousands of flying foxes funnel out through the gorge at dusk in some months. The park opens roughly May to November; access is 4WD-only.
Go if…
- You want to see freshwater crocodiles in the wild from a safe bank, with a short walk to get there
- You are touring the Gibb River Road in a 4WD and want one big gorge without a hard trek
- Geology interests you — a fossil coral reef you can touch, and a river that has cut straight through it
- You want to walk on Bunuba Country and hear the Jandamarra story where it happened
Skip it if…
- You drive a 2WD or tow a caravan — the park authority says the only access is unsealed roads in a four-wheel-drive vehicle
- Your only travel window is the wet season, roughly November to April, when the park closes and the roads flood
- You want to swim — the park advises against it because freshwater crocodiles are in the pools, and there are no lifeguards or barriers
- You need reliable phone signal, drinking water on tap or shops close by — none of the three is here
What to expect
Reviewed
You start at the day-use carpark, where the Gorge Trail sets out along the Lennard River bank for a 1.9km return walk graded Class 4 — soft sand, some steep slope sections and limited signage, with 1.5 hours the park's allowance. The track passes through a small gap into the gorge itself, and within a few minutes you are between the reef walls with the river on one side and sandbanks on the other. This is where the freshwater crocodiles (gayi) turn up. They bask on the sandbanks and lie half in the shallow water, and in the dry season they are easy to see from the bank. Give them room: the park warns that they can become aggressive and cause injury if disturbed, and swimming is not advised anywhere in the gorge. Corellas work the cliff walls and fruit bats roost in the trees along the water, and the pools hold right through the dry season while the river upstream dries to a chain of ponds.
The turn-off is 21km along the Gibb River Road, and the whole approach is unsealed — graded through the dry season but corrugated, with creek crossings that change with the rain. It is 155km from Derby and 150km from Fitzroy Crossing, and the park authority is blunt about it: four-wheel-drive only. There is no fuel, no shop and no drinking water in either park, so fill up and stock up in Derby or Fitzroy Crossing before you turn off. The Bandiln͟gan campground sits a short walk from the gorge, with flush toilets, showers, picnic tables, benches and communal firepits, split into two areas — one where generators run from 7am to 8pm, one quiet. Campsites are not marked; you take any vacant space in the area you booked. Phone and internet coverage is intermittent at best, and there are no bins — you carry your rubbish back out to town.
The wildlife is the reason many people come, and it concentrates where the water is. Over 100 bird species are listed for the Kimberley parks, including sandstone shrike-thrush, Australasian figbird, azure kingfisher and green-backed gerygone, and black kites, whistling kites, brown goshawks, egrets and herons work the river corridor. Thousands of black flying foxes funnel out through the gorge at the last light of sunset at certain times of year. Around the rocks and grasslands you may see agile wallabies and short-eared rock wallaby at dawn and dusk, and the park's own lists include buwunungu, the black-headed python. More than 200 plant species grow here — spinifex on the range top, rock figs in the cliff cracks, kurrajong, river figs, Leichhardt trees, weeping paperbarks, boabs and Bauhinia along the watercourse. Walk at first light or late afternoon: by mid-morning the heat, not the walking, is what limits you.
The walls you walk between are the point of the place. The Napier Range is the fossil edge of a Devonian coral reef that grew in a shallow sea roughly 350 million years ago, and the Lennard River has since cut a 3.5km gorge through it. Coral and other marine life forms are fossilised in the limestone, and in places the rock breaks into a jagged, columnar skyline above the trees. Take the rock seriously underfoot — the fossil surfaces are hard, ridged and sharp where you leave the track. The gorge has changed shape in living memory: after extensive flooding in January 2023 the Time Walk merged into the Gorge Trail and the difficulty of the walk changed, so the track described in older trip reports may not be the track you get. In the wet the Lennard River runs the length of the gorge; by late dry season it is a chain of pools with sandbanks between them.
Bunuba welcome people onto their country provided you respect country and culture and only go where you are allowed, and the park is run with that in mind. Bandiln͟gan is a highly spiritual place for Bunuba people, and the ranger and tour material asks for quiet, care and no removal of anything you find. Bunuba-run tours are the way to get the story straight: Bungoolee's rock art tours go to sites including Jumburrurru (Carpenter's Gap), where the evidence of Bunuba presence runs to at least 46,000 years, and Nimowila's cultural walk leaves from the campground. Photography may not be permitted in culturally sensitive areas. Day-use areas open at 6am and close at 6pm, the park is open roughly May to November, and it is worth calling Parks and Wildlife Service Broome or the Derby and Fitzroy Crossing visitor centres before you leave town to confirm the park and roads are open.
Where to stay
Most people camp in the park at Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) Campground; everything else is back along the Gibb River Road or in the gateway towns of Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, where you fuel and re-supply.
When bookings open: Bookings for Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) Campground are essential and open up to 180 days (about 6 months) ahead for stays from 1 June to 31 October; other periods open once the seasonal park opening and closing is confirmed. Payment is by Mastercard or VISA at the time of booking, and no booking fee applies. Official booking page. Checked 9 November 2026. Booking dates for every state.
| Stay | Guest rating | Best for | Distance | Style | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) Campground (DBCA) | Not rated | Walking the Gorge Trail at first light and the crocodile pools at dusk | In the park, a short walk from the gorge and the day-use area | Bush campground with tent and caravan sites in a generator area and a quiet area, flush toilets, showers, picnic tables and communal firepits, no drinking water · Bookings essential | Book now |
| Silent Grove Campground (DBCA) | Not rated | Pairing Windjana with Bell Gorge (Dalmanyi) on the Gibb River Road | In the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges on the Gibb River Road, west of the Windjana turn-off | About 50 sites with generator and non-generator areas, flush toilets, showers and communal firepits, a 10-minute drive from Bell Gorge · Book through Park Stay WA | Book now |
| Imintji Campground | Not rated | A base with a store, fuel and coffee on the Gibb River Road | On the Gibb River Road in the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges, west of the Windjana turn-off | About 25 rustic sites with camp kitchen, toilets and fire pits, managed by the Ngarinyin people; fuel, wi-fi and coffee at the Imintji Community Store | Check rates |
| Mount Hart Wilderness Lodge | Not rated | A bed and homestead meals after days on unsealed roads | About 50km from the Gibb River Road turnoff, in the Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges | Wilderness lodge with camping and homestead meals, the base for Matthew Gorge and Mount Matthew birdwatching | Check rates |
| Birdwood Downs Station | Not rated | The first or last night of a Gibb River Road trip, close to Derby | About 20km from Derby, on the sealed road out toward the Gibb River Road | Shady bush camping for tents and caravans plus Savannah Huts with double beds and shared bathrooms | Check rates |
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What to do here
7 walks & sights
Gorge Trail
The park's signature walk, from the day-use carpark along the Lennard River bank and through a small gap into the gorge. It is graded Class 4 despite the distance — soft sand, some steep slope sections and limited signage — and the park requires bushwalking, navigation and first aid skills and good fitness. The reward is the gorge floor between the fossil reef walls, with freshwater crocodiles on the sandbanks and the pools running the length of the dry season. In January 2023 extensive flooding changed the track and the old Time Walk merged into this trail.
Freshwater crocodile watching at the pools
Freshwater crocodiles (gayi) bask on the sandbanks and lie half in the shallow water through the dry season, and this is one of the most reliable places in the Kimberley to see them without a boat. Watch from the bank and give them space — the park warns they can become aggressive and cause injury if disturbed, and swimming is not advised anywhere in the gorge. Report aggressive crocodiles to the nearest Parks and Wildlife Service office. Saltwater crocodiles also occur across the north of Western Australia, so treat every river with respect.
Savannah Walk
An easy loop through the savannah grasslands with views back to Balili, the limestone reef of the Napier Range. It starts at the day-use carpark or the campground and has interpretive signage on the savannah habitat. A good first or last walk of the day when the gorge floor is too hot, and the most accessible track in the park.
Limalurru (Lillimilura) police outpost ruins
The ruins of the colonial police outpost stand in the country of the Jandamarra story: Jandamarra, a Bunuba man, led a three-year guerrilla resistance against European settlers and police in the 1890s, and this landscape holds much of that history. The site sits on the drive between the two parks, so it fits naturally on the way to Tunnel Creek. Approach it as a place of Bunuba history, not a photo stop, and leave everything where it is.
Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) day trip
A walk-through cave under the same Devonian reef, 36km from Bandilngan by unsealed road in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. You climb in over rock and wade pools that run from ankle to waist deep depending on the season and recent rain, through a collapsed, lit middle section into complete darkness at the far reaches. Bring a torch and shoes you can wet, and expect freshwater crocodiles in the cave pools. There is no camping at Dimalurru, so it works as a day trip from Bandilngan.
Bunuba guided cultural walk
Bunuba Traditional Owners run walks from the campground covering culture, bush foods and bush medicines, and rock art tours to sites including Jumburrurru (Carpenter's Gap), where the evidence of Bunuba presence runs to at least 46,000 years. The cultural walk meets at the campground's quiet area and covers uneven ground at a moderate fitness level. Photography may not be permitted in culturally sensitive areas, and bookings go through the Derby and Fitzroy Crossing visitor centres.
Birdwatching and the flying foxes at dusk
Over 100 bird species are recorded across the Kimberley parks, and the gorge corridor delivers sandstone shrike-thrush, Australasian figbird, azure kingfisher and green-backed gerygone along with kites, goshawks, egrets and herons. At certain times of year, thousands of black flying foxes funnel out through the gorge at the last light of sunset, and black flying foxes roost in the trees along the water through the day. Day-use areas open at 6am and close at 6pm, so time your last walk for the light.
Windjana Gorge National Park itineraries: 1, 2 or 3 days
3 plans
One day: the gorge and the crocodiles
- Early. Leave Derby on the Gibb River Road and turn onto Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road for the run into the park — 155km in all, about 2 hours, with the turn-off 21km along the Gibb River Road and the final approach unsealed. Fill the tank and the esky in Derby or Fitzroy Crossing: there is no fuel, no shop and no drinking water in the park.
- Mid-morning. Walk the Gorge Trail from the day-use carpark, 1.9km return with 1.5 hours allowed and a Class 4 grade, along the river bank and through the gap into the gorge, where the freshwater crocodiles (gayi) hold the sandbanks and the reef walls rise on both sides.
- Afternoon. Walk the Savannah Walk, 1km return in 30 minutes, Class 2, out to the views of Balili, then drive the 155km back to Derby in daylight — the day-use areas open at 6am and close at 6pm.
No nights. Entry is $17.00 per vehicle standard ($10.00 concession, $10.00 motorcycle), paid at the entry station or by self-registration envelope. Carry at least 4L of water per person, because no drinking water is provided, and do not plan on swimming — the park advises against it because freshwater crocodiles are in the pools. The park is open in the dry season only, roughly May to November.
Two days: the gorge, then Tunnel Creek
- Day 1. As for the one-day plan: 155km from Derby, the Gorge Trail (1.9km return, 1.5 hours, Class 4) in the morning, then check in to Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) Campground for the night — a short walk from the gorge, with flush toilets and showers but no drinking water.
- Day 2, morning. Drive 36km south-east toward Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek), stopping 3km from Bandilngan at the ruins of the Limalurru (Lillimilura) police outpost, part of the Jandamarra story. At Tunnel Creek, walk the 750m cave in and back out the same way, wading pools that run from ankle to waist deep and carrying a torch for the dark sections.
One night. Camping is $20.00 per adult, $15.00 concession and $5.50 per child (6–15) per person per night, booked online with payment by Mastercard or VISA; bookings open up to 180 days ahead for stays from 1 June to 31 October. Park entry is $17.00 per vehicle and campers pay it for the first day of their stay only. Bring your own firewood — collecting it inside the park is not allowed — and expect only intermittent phone coverage.
Three days: gorge, cave and the ranges
- Day 1. As for the two-day plan: the Gorge Trail (1.9km return, 1.5 hours, Class 4) and the Savannah Walk (1km return, 30 minutes), then a night at Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) Campground.
- Day 2. The 36km run to Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) and its 750m cave, with the Limalurru (Lillimilura) police outpost ruins 3km from Bandilngan on the way. Back at camp before dark, when the flying foxes leave the gorge.
- Day 3, morning. Take a Bunuba-led cultural walk from the campground — about 2 hours, from $120 per person — then drive out by way of Lennard River Gorge, a 3km return walk from its carpark to a lookout over the falls, on the road back toward the Gibb River Road.
Two nights. Camping is $20.00 per adult, $15.00 concession, $5.50 per child (6–15) per person per night, and bookings are essential — up to 180 days ahead for stays from 1 June to 31 October. Fuel and supplies are only in Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, no drinking water is provided anywhere in the park, and the whole plan sits inside the dry season: the park and its unsealed roads close in the wet, roughly November to April.
Suggested gear for Windjana Gorge National Park
18 items
- Water bottles or a hydration bladder Carry at least 2 litres per person on the walks.
- Water treatment tablets or a filter Treat creek and camping-area water before drinking.
- Sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+) and sunglasses
- Sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots
- Day pack (20–30 L)
- First aid kit, including blister care
- Insect repellent
- Head torch with spare batteries
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Personal locator beacon Mobile coverage is unreliable in remote parks.
- Water storage for at least 4L per person The DBCA visitor guide sets 4L per person as the minimum, and no drinking water is provided anywhere in the park.
- A hand-held torch and spare batteries Tunnel Creek is 750m of cave with a completely dark section; a torch is essential and there is nowhere to buy batteries.
- Old sneakers or wading sandals The Tunnel Creek pools run from ankle to waist deep and the cave floor is rock and rubble — your walking boots will not dry for days.
- A dry bag and a towel Between the cave wading and the creek crossings, cameras, maps and clothes need to stay dry on a 4WD-only trip with no shops.
- Your own firewood Collecting firewood or kindling inside the park is not permitted, and campfires are allowed only in the provided fire rings when fire danger permits.
- Cash for the self-registration envelope Entry can be paid by self-registration envelope, which takes cash with no change given — useful when the entry station is unattended.
- A satellite messenger Mobile and internet coverage is intermittent at best, and without coverage you cannot call 000 — the Emergency+ app can at least give GPS coordinates.
- A full esky of food There is no shop or fuel in either park, and the nearest supplies are in Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, hours away on unsealed road.
How this compares
Windjana Gorge National Park vs Danggu Geikie Gorge National Park
Danggu Geikie Gorge, on the Fitzroy River near Fitzroy Crossing, is the same Devonian reef broken open by a bigger river, and it is the regional gorge most people see from a boat rather than on foot. The town is close and the outing is shorter, but there is no camping in the park and you cover less ground. Choose Danggu Geikie Gorge for boat cruises and an easy run from town; choose Windjana Gorge for walking the gorge floor at your own pace among the crocodiles.
- Difficulty
- 1 of 5 — Easy
- Access
- Short drive from Fitzroy Crossing on the Western Gorges Loop; boat cruises rather than a long walk
- Best for
- River cruising · easy access · limestone gorge walls
Windjana Gorge National Park vs Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges Conservation Park
The Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges along the Gibb River Road give you several gorges in a few days — Bell Gorge (Dalmanyi) among them, with Silent Grove campground a 10-minute drive from the falls, and Lennard River Gorge on the way in. The walking is rougher and the swimming far better. Choose the ranges for gorge variety and swimming holes over a week; choose Windjana Gorge for one big gorge, crocodile watching and a 1.9km walk you can do before lunch.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5 — Moderate
- Access
- Off the Gibb River Road, 4WD recommended on unsealed side roads; dry season only
- Best for
- Gorge walks · swimming · touring the Gibb
Before you go
- Book the campground before you leave — Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) Campground takes bookings up to 180 days ahead for stays from 1 June to 31 October, and other periods open only once the seasonal opening is confirmed
- Bring $17.00 per vehicle for entry ($10.00 concession) or a park pass; campers pay the entry fee for their first day only and can come and go during their stay
- Fuel in Derby or Fitzroy Crossing — there is no fuel, no shop and no dump point in either park
- Carry at least 4L of water per person; no drinking water is provided, and no soap or sunscreen should reach the waterholes
- Bring your own firewood; collecting it in the park is not allowed, fires go only in the provided fire rings, and they are banned on Very High, Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger days
- No pets, no firearms and no fishing, and no bins — take your rubbish back to the next town
- Check the DBCA alerts page and Main Roads WA before you leave, and confirm the park is open with Parks and Wildlife Service Broome on (08) 9195 5500 or the Derby and Fitzroy Crossing visitor centres
- Do not swim: freshwater crocodiles are in the pools and can injure people if disturbed, and saltwater crocodiles occur across northern Western Australia — report aggressive crocodiles to the nearest Parks and Wildlife Service office
When to go
seasons & the hard months
The season is the whole planning question. Bandiln͟gan is open in the dry season, roughly May to November, and closes in the wet when the unsealed roads become impassable; the park's own visitor guide describes roads as often closed from October to April and the dry season as running late April to late November. The exact dates change every year with the wet season just gone, so treat the first and last weeks as provisional and check with DBCA before committing — one state trails listing gives 31 October 2026 as the 2026 closure date, with reopening expected around May or June 2027.
Inside the season, the trade-off is water against heat. Days run about 35°C with nights near 12°C from May through July, and the gorge pools still hold water after the wet; from August the temperature climbs, and by October the build-up averages 38°C highs with daytime temperatures that can exceed 40°C. The park's own advice is to walk in the cooler parts of the day and carry a litre of water per hour of walking. If you want comfortable walking and crocodiles basking on the banks, aim for May, June or July; if you want fewer people and can handle the heat, September and October deliver, but only if the roads are still open.
Questions
6 answers
About 155km, roughly 2 hours, on the Gibb River Road and then unsealed Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road — the turn-off is 21km along the Gibb River Road. The park authority is clear that the only access is by unsealed roads in a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and the park is open in the dry season only.
Yes. Bookings for Bandiln͟gan (Windjana Gorge) Campground are essential and open up to 180 days ahead for stays from 1 June to 31 October, paid by Mastercard or VISA when you book. Camping is $20.00 per adult, $15.00 concession and $5.50 per child (6–15) per person per night, on top of park entry.
No. The park advises against swimming because freshwater crocodiles (gayi) bask in the pools and can become aggressive and cause injury if disturbed. Watch them from the bank, keep your distance, and report aggressive crocodiles to the nearest Parks and Wildlife Service office.
None of the three is reliable. No drinking water is provided anywhere in the park, there is no fuel or shop, and mobile and internet coverage is intermittent. Fill up and stock up in Derby or Fitzroy Crossing, carry at least 4L of water per person, and take a satellite messenger.
Through the wet season, roughly November to April, when flooding cuts the unsealed access roads. The official park page describes it as open in the dry season between May and November, but the exact opening and closing dates depend on the weather and road conditions of the year — check the DBCA alerts page or call Parks and Wildlife Service Broome on (08) 9195 5500.
Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) is 36km south-east — a 750m walk-through cave under the same reef, with wading pools and no camping. The Limalurru (Lillimilura) police outpost ruins are 3km from Bandilngan on that road, and Lennard River Gorge, a 3km return walk to a lookout over the falls, is a short detour on the way back to the Gibb River Road.
Nearby & next
Official information
Always check current alerts before you travel.