Hamersley Range · Karijini — The way we ride

The road & its landscape

Karijini’s Hamersley landscape combines low red ridges, spinifex country and deeply cut gorges. This roadbook uses the sealed regional approach and visitor-road access to the eastern Dales area; it does not treat every road in the national park as sealed.

The WA government records 41 km of visitor-road sealing in 2024, so older maps can be misleading. Hamersley Gorge, Kalamina and Mount Bruce side approaches require separate surface checks and are excluded here. Gorge walks remain walks; Wittenoom and Yampire are not suggested detours.

VIEWS FROM THE ROAD

Scenery along the road

Karijini Drive provides broad views of the range across an open, dry foreground. Turning north towards the visitor centre brings lower ridges closer. At Dales, much of the celebrated gorge scenery lies below the plain and is reached after parking, rather than being visible continuously from the motorcycle.

Karijini Drive range views

Watch the red uplands across the open plain while staying on the regional sealed approach.

Visitor-centre approach

Use eastern Banjima Drive to reach park information before deciding on further visits.

Dales parking and walks

Finish the motorcycle section at the visitor parking; the gorge scenery is a separate walk.

Road conditions & preparation

Check DBCA Park Alerts, the Ashburton road report and Main Roads WA before riding. Carry ample drinking water and plan fuel in the service towns; heat, storms and flash flooding can interrupt access. Verify motorcycle park fees and any camping booking. A sealed lower car park elsewhere does not prove that its entire approach is sealed.

Confirm the detailed road line, fuel and current access before using this chapter to plan a ride. Scenic-area transfers and off-road riding may require separate arrangements.

THE LANDSCAPE AROUND YOU

Mountain landscapes

3 photographs

Photographs identify their actual location, author and licence. Viewpoints away from the riding corridor are stated in the captions; photographs are not verified ride records.

Dales Gorge in Karijini, viewed after parking; the gorge is a walking visit
Graeme Churchard from Bristol (51.4414, -2.5242), UK · CC BY 2.0 · Thumbnail / display crop · Licence

Hummock grassland near Mount Bruce / Punurrunha; separate mountain context beyond the Dales corridor
Muliany · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thumbnail / display crop · Licence

Layered rock walls of Joffre Gorge; separate western Karijini walking context
Muliany · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Thumbnail / display crop · Licence

Sources & provenance

Summarised from public sources. A historic tourism plan describes a corridor, not current road access. Track authors retain ownership of their files.