Ross Graham walk

Located further east along the main road out of Kalbarri, it was interesting to see the amount of water on the side of the road thanks to the extensive rainfall this area had received in the past six weeks. It was certainly an opportune time to visit Kalbarri but it did mean I couldn't do the Z-Bend Trail, due to water related closures. Deciding to take in the Hawkes Head Lookout first, it provides lovely views overlooking the Murchison River, and we were treated to a close up look of a Wedge-tailed Eagle that soared over us. Moving on to the Ross Graham Lookout, I knew there was a short walk here but wasn't quite sure if was long or interesting enough to feature on the website. Spoiler warning but it was. Who is Ross Graham you ask? He was a school teacher in the early days of the Kalbarri township, and was a keen conservationist that tragically died aged 31 of a brain tumour before the area was made a national park. Luckily there were more people like him, and eventually a large area was declared a Class A national park in 1963.​ The lookout and short walk trail here are named after Ross Graham, and I was delighted to explore the area before an afternoon visit to the Bigurda Trail on the coast. 

From the top of the hill, you descend gradually towards the Ross Graham Lookout, providing views over the Murchison River, although not as dramatic as the ones you'll see at Hawkes Head. The real highlight of this place is continuing past the lookout and walking down to the edge of the river. Passing another mini-lookout, the gentle trail winds its way through the inland scrub, and reaches the final section that is a bit steeper, and slippery when wet. This was one of the highlights of the trip, visiting this idyllic spot on the edge of the river, with the towering River Redgums providing ample shade from the warm sun. Caris perched herself on some boulders, while I had an explore of the surrounding area, photographing wildflowers, dragonflies, and the excellent views looking down the river towards the exposed gorge. It was a calming spot to wander around, and I took my time here, not wanting to leave. Eventually we did, and made our way back up the hill, stopping to investigate the loud calls of a bird across the river that turned out to be a Pied Butcherbird. As chance would have it, on the drive to the main road we came across an echidna, which will be funny if you've followed my adventures over the years, although I count this as the same as seeing one at the zoo. I stopped the car to get some photos, and the magical echidna led me to an early Blue Fairy Orchid. Fantastic stuff.