About the parks
Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) and Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) are two separate national parks along the Napier Range, in the west Kimberley. Both are in Bunuba Country. The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) says they draw more than 30,000 visitors a year.
The Napier Range is the remains of an ancient reef. DBCA says the Tunnel Creek area was part of an ocean reef system about 350 million years ago.
Bunuba Country. The Bunuba people hold traditional ownership and obligations to protect and care for these sites under Bunuba law and custom. DBCA says evidence of Bunuba occupation in their country goes back more than 47,000 years. Both places are highly spiritual for Bunuba people, and the powerful Wandjina creation spirits reside at Windjana. The Bunuba welcome, quoted by DBCA, asks visitors to respect country and culture, and to go only where they're allowed. Bunuba-led guided tours are available.
Getting there
Both parks are on the Fairfield Leopold Road:
| From | To Windjana Gorge |
|---|---|
| Derby | 155 km |
| Fitzroy Crossing | 150 km |
Tunnel Creek is 36 km south-east of Windjana Gorge.
Road access. The only access is by unsealed road in a 4WD. DBCA says conditions can change quickly, and roads are often closed from October to April during the wet season. The parks open after the wet, depending on weather and road conditions. Many travellers combine the parks with the Gibb River Road.
Before you go. Check alerts.dbca.wa.gov.au, or contact the Derby Visitor Centre on (08) 9191 1423 or the Fitzroy Crossing Visitor Centre on (08) 9191 5355. For road conditions, call Main Roads WA on 1800 013 314.
Day tours to Tunnel Creek run from Derby, Fitzroy Crossing and Broome, and often include Windjana Gorge.
Windjana Gorge
The 3.5 km gorge cuts through the Napier Range. In the wet season the Lennard River flows through it. In the dry, it shrinks to pools fringed with trees and shrubs, where freshwater crocodiles bask. Look closely at the gorge walls for marine life fossilised in the limestone.
Walks:
- Gorge Trail. A 1.9 km return walk through the gorge and its Devonian reef system, which DBCA says is unlike any other in the Kimberley. Watch for crocodiles and for bowerbirds collecting white objects for their bowers.
- Savannah Walk. An easy, well-marked 1.2 km loop from the campground or the day-use car park, with signs explaining the savanna habitat.
Wildlife. DBCA lists freshwater crocodiles (gayi), black flying foxes, corellas and black-headed pythons. Birds of prey include falcons, black kites, whistling kites and brown goshawks, and there are egrets and herons on the water. At dawn and dusk you may see agile wallabies or short-eared rock-wallabies. The park has more than 200 plant species, from spinifex, rock figs and kurrajong on the range to river figs, Leichhardt trees and paperbarks along the river.
Tunnel Creek
At Dimalurru, water has carved a tunnel through the limestone of the Napier Range. In places the tunnel is up to 20 m high and 15 m wide. The tunnel is about 750 m long and takes you from one side of the range to the other. DBCA lists the walk as 2 km return.
Near the middle, the roof has collapsed through to the top of the range. Stalactites hang from the walls.
What to bring. Take a torch and sneakers. Be prepared to get wet and possibly cold, and always let someone know where you are. Don't touch any Aboriginal paintings.
Wildlife. DBCA says nine bat species use the caves, including the rare ghost bat. The ghost bat is Australia's only carnivorous bat. A colony of black flying foxes roosts where the roof has collapsed. Freshwater crocodiles are sometimes seen inside the cave. The pools hold rainbowfish, bony bream, spangled perch and fork-tailed catfish.
Facilities. There's an information shelter, picnic tables and toilets near the entrance. There's no camping.
Jandamarra's story
DBCA says Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek, Limalurru (Lillimilura) Station and the lands around them are the setting for the story of Jandamarra and the Bunuba resistance to European settlers. For three years, Jandamarra led a guerrilla war against settlers and police. The colony responded with bloody massacres of Bunuba and other Aboriginal people in the region.
Jandamarra used Tunnel Creek as a hideout, and was killed outside its entrance in 1897.
The ruins of Lillimooloora (Limalurru) are 3 km from Windjana Gorge, on the way to Tunnel Creek. DBCA describes them as a homestead built from local limestone in 1884 for the King Sound Pastoral Company, and as a former police outpost. There's more about Jandamarra at both parks.
Camping and fees
Campgrounds. Windjana Gorge has two bookable campgrounds: one for campers with generators and one for those without. Both have showers and toilets, and there's also a day-use area with picnic tables, toilets and an information shelter.
Fires. Campfires are allowed only in the designated fire rings, and must be put out each night. Bring all your firewood, because collecting it in the park isn't allowed. Fires are banned on days of Very High, Extreme or Catastrophic fire danger.
Opening hours. Day-use areas are open from 6 am to 6 pm.
Entry fees. DBCA lists standard fees of:
- Standard vehicle (12 or fewer occupants): $17, or $10 concession.
- Motorcycle: $10.
A valid WA park pass covers entry. Pay at the Windjana Gorge entrance station, or buy a pass online.
When to visit
DBCA says Windjana Gorge is open in the dry season, between May and November, and closed in the wet when the roads are impassable. Exact opening and closing dates depend on the weather and road conditions each year.
DBCA says the dry season runs from late April to late November. From May to July, days reach about 35°C and nights drop to about 12°C. Temperatures outside those months can be much higher.
Safety and rules
- Crocodiles. This is crocodile country. Don't approach crocodiles, and don't swim.
- Heat. Temperatures can exceed 40°C. Walk in the cool of the day and carry at least 4 litres of water each. There's no drinking water in the gorge.
- Communications. Phone coverage is patchy, and DBCA recommends a satellite phone and a personal locator beacon. Download the Emergency+ app before you go.
- Park rules. Pets, firearms and fishing aren't permitted. Take your rubbish with you, because there are no bins.
See our outback summer heat guide and wet season and road closures guide.
Combine with
- Derby, the closest town.
- Danggu (Geikie Gorge) National Park, near Fitzroy Crossing.
- The Gibb River Road.
Frequently asked questions
Are there crocs in Windjana Gorge?
Yes. Freshwater (Johnston's) crocodiles live in the pools at Windjana Gorge and in Tunnel Creek. DBCA warns that they can become aggressive and cause injury if disturbed, so don't approach them, and don't swim in the gorge.
How long is the walk into Tunnel Creek?
DBCA lists the Tunnel Creek walk as 2 km return. The tunnel itself is about 750 m long and runs from one side of the Napier Range to the other. Take a torch, wear shoes that can get wet, and expect cold water in places.
Is Tunnel Creek worth visiting?
Yes, for most people. Walking through a 750 m tunnel carved through an ancient reef is memorable. You'll see stalactites, bats and sometimes freshwater crocodiles, and learn about Jandamarra, the Bunuba leader who used it as a hideout. Check that the road is open and bring a good torch.
Is the road sealed to Windjana Gorge?
No. DBCA says the only access is by unsealed roads in a 4WD. Windjana Gorge is 155 km from Derby and 150 km from Fitzroy Crossing, on the Fairfield Leopold Road. Roads are often closed from October to April in the wet season.
Can you camp at Windjana Gorge?
Yes. Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) has bookable campgrounds, one for campers with generators and one without, with showers and toilets. There's no camping at Tunnel Creek. Campfires are allowed only in the fire rings, and you need to bring your own firewood.
Sources and further reading
Facts on this page were checked against these primary and official sources. Conditions change — confirm before you travel or buy.
- Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge) National Park — Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (WA)
- Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) National Park — Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (WA)
- Bandilngan Windjana Gorge and Dimalurru Tunnel Creek national parks visitor guide (PDF) — Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (WA)
