The Kimberley

One of the world's truly unique wilderness areas

In Australia’s far northwest, the Kimberley is an ancient landform of rugged ranges with deep, spectacular gorges and pristine sandy beaches that fringe the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.  Mighty river systems produce thundering waterfalls during the wet season and pockets of lush rainforest can be found.   The area has fewer people per square kilometre than almost any other place on earth but is home to a huge variety and quantity of wildlife.  Rich in Aboriginal art and sacred sites, the Bungle Bungles is a unique formation of sandstone beehive domes striped with orange and black bands.  On spectacular scenic flights glimpse this otherwise hidden world or in the company of local Aboriginal guides take a camping safari through the majestic gorges.  The Buccanneer Archipelago is often referred to as “Thousands Islands”.  Scenic flights reveal this spectacular coast with its huge whirlpools and amazing horizontal waterfall, both results of the massive 11 metre tides.   On the remote northern coast the King George River provides an incredible scene of cliffs and gorges, tranquil bays and the King George Falls that plunge from a plateau 100 feet high.
The Kimberley is also home to the remarkable Bradshaw and Wandjina paintings, usually found together and near permanent water holes.  The Bradshaw paintings, dated at more than seventeen thousand years old, are amongst the most ancient rock paintings on earth.
The Mitchell Plateau is home to 50 mammal species including the Warabi, smallest of our rock wallabies, and the Scaly-tailed Possum, both unique to the Kimberley.  Some 220 bird and 86 reptile and amphibian species further enhance the richness of this magnificent area with its deep gorges, permanent pools and waterfalls.
Most famous of the Kimberley towns is Broome, a unique and exotic seaside town with a romantic and often flamboyant history. Established as a pearling port in the 1880’s, Broome now boasts a multicultural population and is home to some colourful characters and a wonderful choice of gourmet cuisine.   In Broome take time to soak up its outpost atmosphere.  

Access

• Access to the Kimberley is via Kununurra from the east or north and via Broome from the southwest.  
• There are regular scheduled flights from Perth to Broome and some scheduled flights from other Australian capitals to Broome.  Kununurra has daily flights with Broome and Darwin.

Seasons

• According to the locals there are only two seasons –
• “The Dry” is from May to October when days are mild, nights are cool and humidity is low’ it is a time of sunshine and fresh breezes
• “The Wet” occurs between November and Aprils and is a time of high humidity, thunder and lightening storms, gushing waterfalls and lush green countryside

Travel Tips

• Combine a few nights in each of Broome, on an outback cattle station such as Bullo River or El Questro, with a coastal camp such as Faraway Bay or Kimberley Coastal Camp
• Take a private charter flight over the Buccaneer Archipelago to see the Horizontal Falls (generated by massive tidal extremes)
• Broome is one of the great birding destinations in Australia, particularly with the migrants that spend the summer months from late September to April in Roebuck Bay.
• The Gibb River Road is one of Australia's great 4WD trips, taking in the best of the region's gorges, waterholes and rivers, while roughing it on an overland camping expedition.
• Search for the Gouldian Finch, one of Australia's most endangered and arguably most beautiful birds, with a researcher on a conservation sanctuary
• At the end of the wet season (March/April) take a boat trip from Faraway Bay up the King George River to see the spectacular falls that crash from the plateau above
• Aboriginal guides and conservation projects help explain some of the mysteries of this ancient land