Fitzroy River

The mighty Fitzroy River is one of the Kimberley region’s most important and iconic waterways, carving out ancient gorges and flowing through rugged hills and plains for a distance of 750 kilometres. It flows through Geikie Gorge National Park and discharges into the sea at King Sound, south of Derby. At many places along the banks of the Fitzroy River you go camping and fishing for barramundi. It has a catchment area of 90,000 square kilometres of which half is above the township of Fitzroy Crossing. In flood, the Fitzroy River becomes one of the world’s biggest rivers. It’s an awesome sight with 30,000 cubic metres of water per second gushing over the bridge at Fitzroy Crossing. During the dry season, much of the river stops flowing, leaving permanent waterholes along the river and surrounding floodplains. These pockets of water are critical for waterbirds, fish and other wildlife to survive – and also make for refreshing swimming holes. You can access the Fitzroy River at Fitzroy Crossing, Geikie Gorge National Park or at Derby where it meets the ocean.