Nhamarrunha (Kalamina Gorge)

Nhamarrunha (Kalamina Gorge) is a 3 km (1.9-mile) out-and-back from Kalamina Road down to the gorge floor and on to Rock Arch Pool, then back the same way. Allow about three hours. It is a Class 4, difficult walk: the mileage is short, but the access drops steeply and later stretches cross water and squeeze onto ledges. If you only want a quick waterfall stop, the five-minute descent to the first pool is a much shorter outing. The main walk continues downstream to Rock Arch Pool; Kalamina Falls is a short upstream side trip near the entrance and adds some backtracking.

The route starts on steps and a steep track to a small permanent pool and waterfall at the bottom. For Rock Arch Pool, head downstream along the stream. This first stretch is relatively open, with a broad channel, mature snappy gums and grasses along the banks. The park says lemon-scented grass grows here and that fish may be visible in the rock pools. Those are things to look and smell for, not a guarantee on a particular day.

The track crosses the stream and alternates between the wider gorge floor, rocky banks and ledges beside pools. Circular markers on rocks show which side to follow, especially where the walking line changes banks. Keep looking for them at crossings; it is easy to keep following a tempting ledge after the marked route has moved across. Some patches are wet or muddy, and water-smoothed rock can be slippery. Where the ledges narrow, there is little room to pass someone coming the other way, so wait for a wider section.

Farther in, the gorge closes around you. Layered red walls rise beside the stream, and smooth ledges run past broader pools. The contrast is the walk's appeal: you start in an open, grassy channel, then spend parts of the route close against the rock before the gorge opens again. There are no long climbs once you are on the floor, but the repeated uneven footholds and crossings make the walk slower than its distance suggests.

Rock Arch Pool is the natural turnaround, where the ledge runs out beside reflective water and a natural arch spans the end of the gorge. Take a moment before turning back; the pool and arch make the clearest sense of the walk's destination. This is the route's signature view: frame the arch above the water with some of the red gorge wall in the picture. Return the same way rather than treating the pool as a through-route.

Start from the Kalamina Gorge access car park on Kalamina Road. The approach is unsealed, and visitors have reported rough or corrugated sections; conditions vary, so check current road access before the drive. A toilet and picnic area are at the access. Park entry fees apply. No food service or drinking-water source was verified at the gorge, so plan those before you set out. Pets are not allowed in the national park, apart from certified assistance animals.

Flash flooding is a serious gorge hazard. Do not enter a gorge when rain is in the area, and leave immediately if rain starts. Karijini summer temperatures often exceed 40°C, while gorge pools can be extremely cold, especially from April through September. The pool is listed for swimming, but do not jump or dive into gorge water.