Thursday, 28 May, 2026 / Edition 111

The coastal town of Broome is the gate to the stunning north of Western Australia. It’s located roughly a four-hour-and-twenty-minute drive from the Napier Range, which offers incredible views into Devonian reefs and gorges with vibrant life.

Any visit to the region should include plans to wade through water to explore the area’s stalagmite-filled tunnels and plenty of time to take in the ancient landscapes dotted with Boab trees.

Christin Schulz

Exploration Geologist

@the.happy.geo

The Napier Ranges: Area Geology

Light reflects off the water onto the limestone at Tunnel Creek National Park in the Napier Ranges/ Video courtesy of Christin Schulz

The Napier Ranges are part of Western Australia’s Devonian equivalent to the modern-day Great Barrier Reef, which grew about 350 Ma ago.

• Its relief above the sea floor was formed by algae, stromatolites, and minor corals at the northern margin of the tropical Canning Basin.

• Today, the reefs form a series of limestone ranges spanning 300 kilometers along the northern basin margin.
• Towering 50 to 100 meters above the planes, they are recreating the topography of the ancient sea floor. This effect is caused by the weathering resistivity of the limestones in contrast to the soft sediments of the basin, which were eroded over millions of years.

Go deeper: Learn more about north Western Australia’s geology here.

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Best Places to Stop in the Napier Range

Walking through Tunnel Creek/ Photography by Christin Schulz

There are several must-see stops along the Napier Range. Here are a few of my favorites. 

• Pitch your tent at Bandilngan Campground, then start the trip by exploring the Windjana Gorge. Head out early in the morning for the best weather.

• • Welcomed by buzzing bird sounds, you step into a different world when you walk through the cave entrance. The limestone will shine as it reflects off the water, and you might be able to spot freshwater crocodiles on the sand banks. Don’t bother them, and they won’t bother you.
    
    

• Continue southeast down the same road for 30 minutes, and you will reach Tunnel Creek National Park.

• • Bring swimming clothes and a headlight so you can wade through Tunnel Creek, a water-filled cave with stunning stalagmites. 
  • You’ll find more crocodiles in the water here, but they are mostly peaceful if you give them plenty of space.
    
    
• Head two hours further southeast to admire the limestone cliffs next to the Fitzroy River at Geikie Gorge.
  • Geickie Gorge is carved in the same type of limestone as the Windjana Gorge.
  • Stay in the nearby small town of Fitzroy Crossing.
    
    
• As you prepare, note that…
  • Most of the area has no phone reception. Using a satellite telephone and/or a GPS is recommended.
  • The roads are rough and best accessed by four-wheel drive.
  • Having cash for the entrance fees will make the process smoother.

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