The Kimberley

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The rugged Kimberley at the northern end of Western Australia is one of Australia's last frontiers. Despite the technology advances of the twentieth century, this remains an untravelled area of wild coastline, river gorges, massive eroded rock formations magnificent scenery and huge cattle stations. If you're looking for quintessential Australian landscapes of red earth, rock, gum trees and blue skies, this is the place to come. Wildlife includes freshwater crocodiles, wallaroos and the rare black-footed wallaby. Attractions include the spectacular gorges on the Fitzroy River, Wolfe Creek meteorite crater, the Gibb River Road and Bunge Bungle National Park. Halls Creek is the largest town in the Kimberley. Derby, 220km (136mi) away at the mouth of the Fitzroy River, is a useful base for excursions into the area. 

Picture: Bungle Bungle National Park

Travel in the region is dominated by the extremely hot, monsoonal Wet Season between November and April which turns most of the creeks and rivers into impassable barriers for days and sometimes weeks. The most popular time to visit is between April and September. Although the Wet (the rainy season in the north) offers ethereal thunderstorms and a magic carpet of wildflowers, rains make many watercourses impassable. 

Attractions in this region are often hundreds of kilometres apart and usually require permits for entry where the site is under Aboriginal ownership.

Self drive opportunities are available for the adventurous traveller capable of being self sufficient in this environment. However, given the nature of the region most travellers will obtain best value from their visit by booking with a tour operator with the knowledge of local conditions and highlights. Access to the Kimberley's is usually via Broome in the west or from Darwin in the east and most of the tour operators are based in those two centres.