Western Australia · Attraction
Hawks Head and Ross Graham Lookouts
Down to the river's edge
schedule 1 min read / Updated Jun 2026
The southern gorge sites of Kalbarri National Park offer two very different ways to connect with the Murchison River. Hawks Head is a wheelchair-accessible 200-metre stroll to a striking bird-shaped rock formation above the canyon, while Ross Graham Lookout provides a longer walk down to the river bank itself, the closest most visitors get to the water within the park without completing a full multi-hour trail.
Hawks Head is named for a rock formation at the gorge rim that resembles a bird of prey when viewed from the lookout. The walk is easy and takes about 15 minutes, making it suitable for young children and visitors with limited mobility. Picnic tables, barbecues, and toilets are provided, and the views sweep across a wide section of the red and white banded sandstone canyon with the river far below.
Ross Graham Lookout, named after Kalbarri's first schoolteacher and a devoted local conservationist, is a 600-metre walk to the main viewpoint and a further 500-metre descent to the water's edge, the starting point of the multi-day Murchison River Gorge Walk for those undertaking the full route. Both sites are reached via a sealed road from the Kalbarri-Ajana Road junction, approximately 36 kilometres from the townsite. Canoeing and kayaking tours through the gorge can be arranged through local operators in Kalbarri. A national park pass is required.
Scenic views