Emma Gorge in The Kimberley: There is something you need to know!

Have you ever been to Emma Gorge? Only an hour's drive from Kununurra in Western Australia's Kimberley region, it is one of the easiest gorges to get to and one of the prettiest - but there is something you need to know. Before you start imagining yourself floating alone in a perfect rock pool under the southern sky, revelling in the warm waters of the Australian outback (it never gets cold in Australia - right!) consider this. Emma Gorge Pool is deep, very deep - and it is in a gorge. The red rock cliffs surrounding the water hole are 65m high - much of the pool never sees the sunshine. All this means that stunning as it looks, Emma Gorge Pool is cold, very cold - icy is a word which comes to mind.


David doesn't swim. He can swim. He just doesn't. I, on the other hand, am drawn to water wherever I find it. Unless it is likely to be inhabited by man eating crocodiles, and sometimes even then (Did you read my post on Would you go swimming with a crocodile?), whenever I come across a body of water the first thing I want to do is get my gear off and dive in.

For once however David got it right. Our Emma Gorge trail fact sheet said the water temperature varies between 15⁰C and 25⁰C - yeah right! On the day we visited, I estimate it was just marginally above freezing. Two minutes after plunging in I turned blue, then purple, then I think I just went numb because I quite enjoyed it after that. And don't let anyone fool you with the line that there is a thermal spring which seeps through the rock on the far right hand side and warms up the water around it. It doesn't! If it does, the extra warmth is so marginal I couldn't feel it. Perhaps I was so anesthetized by then it didn't register.

Emma Gorge Pool

There is one other thing about Emma Gorge - you won't be alone. Like Zebedee Springs, Emma Gorge has been discovered. We arrived at the pool about 12.30 p.m., having hiked for about an hour to reach it. Although we passed a few other people on the way, most of them were on their return leg. I was quietly confident that having chosen (foolishly) to attack the gorge in the heat of the midday sun we might have the place to ourselves - not a chance! The pool was like Pitt Street on a Saturday morning with people everywhere. Just finding a spot to spread out my towel was a challenge. Word had obviously got around about how cold the water was though, because there were a lot more people clambering around the rocks at the edge of the pool than in the actual water. Once I took the plunge I more or less got the place to myself.

Notice from the photo above this one how most of the people aren't actually in the water!

Fast Facts and My Tips:

Where is Emma Gorge?

Emma Gorge is an hour's drive from Kununurra in Western Australia's Kimberley region. 

How do you get there?

You can reach the gorge by ordinary car. Unlike Zebedee Springs, Chamberlain Gorge and Amalia Gorge you shouldn't need a 4WD. The road from Kununurra is sealed, including the first part of the Gibb River Road, until you get to the Emma Gorge turn-off. From the turn-off it is a couple of kilometres on a good dirt road.  Just before the car park we had to negotiate a small body of water. I was glad we had a 4WD but I don't think it was absolutely necessary.

Can you stay at the gorge?

Yes. Emma Gorge Resort has what they describe as 'safari-style tented cabins with en-suites'.

Emma Gorge cabins. We didn't stay at Emma Gorge so I can't tell you what they were like inside. They didn't seem to have much in the way of ventilation which makes me wonder whether they are hot.

How long does the walk take?

Without stopping for photos or having a swim at the end, the walk takes about two hours for the round trip. 

How difficult is the walk?

Some sections of the walk involve scrambling up and over large rocks. It isn't difficult but if you are old or infirm this isn't the walk for you.

The trickiest bit is staying on the trail. The trail is signposted by small blue triangular flashes attached to the occasional rock. It is easy to lose sight of them. At one point on the return leg we failed to notice the trail crossed to the other side of Emma Creek. On our side of the creek the boulders got harder and harder to negotiate until we realised we must have gone wrong somewhere. David slipped and, unusually for him, got a bit stressed but we back-tracked, found the trail and no real harm was done. He made me edit that last sentence to include the word 'bit'. Actually he got a lot stressed however, unlike our much more frightening experience getting lost at  Amalia Gorge we had plenty of daylight left.

Emma Gorge Creek. We crossed this several times on the walk.

Are there crocodiles in the pool?

No. There are two swimming holes: Turquoise Pool, about 200 metres from the end of the trail, and Emma Gorge Pool where the trail finishes. As far as I know there are no crocodiles in either pool so you can enjoy the water without worrying about being eaten. Have you read my post on Amalia Gorge: Would you go swimming with a crocodile?

The Turquoise Pool, about 200 metres before Emma Gorge Pool, was in the sunshine so the water was probably warmer. We pressed on to swim in the icy, but stunning, waters of Emma Gorge Pool.

What do you need to take?

Take plenty of water as well as a hat and sunscreen. This is outback Australia - the sun is hot and unforgiving.

You will also need an El Questro Visitor Permit. A day permit costs $12 for each adult. You can pick up a permit at Emma Gorge Resort next to the car park. While you are there grab an Emma Gorge Trail Fact Sheet. This has numbered paragraphs corresponding to signs along the trail which tell you a bit about the walk.

Would I recommend Emma Gorge?

Absolutely! The scenery is lovely on the walk and stunning once you get to the end with its towering red-rock walls.

Click on the links below for my previous posts on the Kimberley region: -

• Berkeley River Lodge: A wilderness resort in the Kimberley.

• Amalia Gorge: Would you go swimming with a crocodile?

• Zebedee Springs and Chamberlain Gorge: Disappointment in the Kimberley

• Wille Creek Pearl Farm & The Perfect Pearl

• El Questro Station Bungalows: The best kept secret in the Kimberley

Click on the links below for posts on the Coral Coast and  south-west of Western Australia, from Perth to Esperence:- 

The Coral Coast


• The Abrolhos Islands Fly & Flipper Tour
• Where to stay in Geraldton: Mantra Geraldton
• Hutt Lagoon: A pink lake you can drive to
• Pinnacles and Stromatolites: Ancient formations and living fossils


The South West: Perth to Esperance

• Springtime tulips at Araluen Botanic Park, Western Australia
• Wildflowers in Western Australia: Kings Park, Perth
• Fraser Suites, Perth - a review
• The National ANZAC Centre, Albany
• Albany Harbourside Apartments and Houses
• 7 things to do in Amazing Albany
• 2 Weeks in Western Australia: A road trip itinerary

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