Fern Pool

These cooling waters are fed by a natural spring and framed on all sides by lush green ferns, with a cascading waterfall completing the serenely beautiful setting. You’ll find Fern Pool just above Fortescue Falls in Dales Gorge, on the eastern side of Karijini National Park. Descend the staircase into this ancient cavernous gorge and follow the clear path for 300 metres from Fortescue Falls. To reach this tropical oasis from Perth, you can take a two-hour flight to Paraburdoo or Newman (two to three hours’ drive from Karijini), or a 15-hour drive via the Great Northern Highway. Enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking Fern Pool or Fortescue Falls, follow the four-kilometre trail (two hours return) to Circular Pool for a second swim, or take the Gorge Rim Walk for an eagle’s eye view of Circular Pool. If you have more time to explore the natural and cultural highlights of Australia’s North West, follow the 2,480 kilometre Warlu Way interpretive trail to Karijini and discover the mysteries of the mystical Warlu sea serpent and other Aboriginal legends.