Located 2686 km north of Perth, 258 km from Derby and 110 metres above sea level, Fitzroy Crossing is one of those places which sprung up for a single very good reason. It was a suitable place to cross the huge Fitzroy River which, during the wet season, was capable of stranding travellers for weeks. Once a decent bridge was built the town's raison d'etre vanished. It is now a small, predominantly Aboriginal settlement, on the banks of the Fitzroy River with very little to commend it to the visitor apart from the beautiful Geikie Gorge which lies 15 km to the north of the town and the unusual Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge which lie 63 km and 95 km, respectively, from the town on the alternative Derby-Fitzroy Road.

The Fitzroy River was first explored and named after Captain Robert Fitzroy (a former commander of the HMS Beagle) by Captain Stokes in 1838. However its upper reaches weren't explored until Alexander Forrest travelled through the area in 1879. Forrest's reports on the pastoral potential of the area resulted in Solomon Emanuel (a grazier and banker from Goulburn, NSW) founding the Gogo station 20 km downstream from the present day site of Fitzroy Crossing.

From the web at; http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/WAFitzroyCrossing.shtml