Fortescue Falls

Fortescue Falls is a permanent, spring-fed waterfall in Dales Gorge, one of the few places in arid Karijini where water flows year-round. It drops more than 20 metres over natural rock steps into a fern-lined pool. The falls are the swim-and-gorge destination; Fortescue Falls Lookout is a separate rim-top stop.

The walk down from the falls car park uses stairs, then crosses uneven rock near the pool. The climb back to the rim is strenuous. If that is beyond your day, the separate Fortescue Falls Lookout gives a view into the gorge without going down to the water.

Swimming is allowed, but gorge pools can be extremely cold, especially from April to September; do not dive or jump. Flash floods can occur: stay out of gorges when rain is in the area, and leave immediately if rain starts. Summer temperatures often exceed 40°C, so the hot walk down and cold pool are a consequential combination.

The Ngirribungunha (Dales Gorge) Trail is a difficult 2 km return creek-side walk between Fortescue Falls and Three Ways Lookout, with rough ground, steep sections and rock hopping; allow 1–3 hours. The separate 2.4 km Gorge Rim Walk links Circular Pool Lookout with Fortescue Falls Lookout along the edge above.

Dales Gorge is about 100 metres deep. From its rim, the falls sit among red, terraced walls; down by the pool, you can see the cascade stepping through natural rock shelves and ferns marking the damp pockets. Karijini’s red landscape was slowly carved by erosion from rocks more than 2.5 billion years old. For a close waterfall photo, go down to pool level; the rim lookout shows how the falls fit into the much larger gorge.