Starting from the Windjana Gorge Day Use Area off Fairfield-Leopold Downs Road, Windjana Gorge National Park, this walk explores Windjana Gorge via the Gorge Trail. Windjana Gorge is a wide gorge carved out by the Lennard River, with a sandy beach along the river bed. The gorge cuts through the Napier Range, which is part of an ancient reef system. Sheer walls rise up to 100m on either side of the gorge, and ancient fossilized marine creatures can be seen embedded within the limestone of the gorge walls. Rated as one of the most beautiful of all the gorges in the Kimberley region, Windjana is rich in vegetation and wildlife. For the Bunuba people, this gorge is profoundly spiritual as the 'Wandjina' (creation spirits) reside here. Outlaw indigenous leader 'Jandamarra' used to hide here in the 1980s as well. The trail winds its way through the monsoonal strip of vegetation along the permanent pools of water. You can come across freshwater crocodiles in and around the pools, whilst corellas and fruit bats can be found in trees. Freshwater crocodiles are smaller and not as aggressive as saltwater crocodiles, but their teeth are still razor-sharp, so please remain at least 5 metres away from them. Windjana Gorge is a magnificent place that can take up most of your day, so keep in mind that you can camp in the National Park campsite outside the gorge. The track is well-signposted with markers that have a wallaby footprint symbol on them. It is also undulating and sandy in parts, but this is one of the easiest gorges to get into on Gibb River Road. Many elderly people can get into the gorge without too much difficulty. This walk can only be done in the dry season, as the Lennard River is a raging torrent during the wet season. Let us begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we travel today, and pay our respects to their Elders past and present.

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