Fitzroy Crossing

Set on the banks of the mighty Fitzroy River, Fitzroy Crossing is a true outback town, and a great base for exploration of the nearby Devonian National Parks – Tunnel Creek, Windjana Gorge and Geikie Gorge.

North east of Fitzroy Crossing, the Mimbi Caves are also part of the 350 million year old Devonian Reef system.

The Fitzroy Valley is home to five language groups – the Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Nyikina, Wangkatjunka and Walmajarri, each with their own distinctive language and customs. Aboriginal art and culture is strong in the area, with several galleries open to visitors.  

How to get to Fitzroy Crossing

Fitzroy Crossing is on the Great Northern Highway, 391 kilometres east of Broome and 647 kilometres west of Kununurra. The closest town to Fitzroy Crossing is Halls Creek, 298 kilometres to the east. Domestic flights from Perth to Broome depart year round, and direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are available during summer months. Direct flights from Perth to Kununurra are available year round. Car hire is available in Broome and Kununurra.

Heritage

Crossing the Fitzroy River before the bridge was built was no small undertaking – particularly during the wet season when the river level rises. The original Fitzroy Crossing town site sprung up around the river’s narrowest point in this area and soon became a hub for travellers. The Crossing Inn, still in operation today, was opened on 5th July 1897 by Joseph Blythe as a store and inn to serve drovers, pastoralists and prospectors in the area. The original causeway was built in 1935, and the Old Fitzroy Crossing Post Office and Police Station Group buildings followed in the 1940’s.

With the construction of the new bridge in the 1970’s, the town’s focus shifted south to its current location, but many travellers make the short journey towards the Crossing Inn to see the town’s early beginnings and its pioneer cemetery, as well as the old concrete crossing, which kept the Kimberley accessible in the dry seasons from 1935 until the new high clearance bridge was built in 1974. The old post office building and the memorial to for the Australia Inland Mission Hospital also tells the story of the town's early days.