By Land
and Sea
Two Beyond writers embark on a captivating journey through the heart of Australia’s northwest, delving into the unparalleled adventure of exploring the Kimberley – one traversing by land, the other setting sail by sea. With both options, the Kimberley unveils its splendor in unique and captivating ways, and you can experience the two with Journey Beyond.
Set Adrift
WORDS Louise Goldsbury
PHOTOGRAPHY Tourism Western Australia, Lauren Bath
Afloat on a Ponant ship, the shift to the sea is a refreshment for the soul. As we sail from Darwin (Garramilla) to Western Australia, I ease into the sounds and scent of the ocean. The red-rock entrance to the Kimberley at King George River (Tucoerah) carves through a billion-year-old sandstone gorge. The water becomes clear and glassy, revealing crocodiles, turtles, dugongs and snubfin dolphins along the way to King George Falls (Oomari).
I hear their thunder before I see them: two single-drop cascades plunging down the cliff. Inaccessible by land (one of the many highlights of seeing the northwest by sea), these twin waterfalls are best viewed from our cruise ship’s Zodiacs, spraying us with nature’s cooling mist on this hot and humid day. The more famous Horizontal Falls (Garaangaddim) are, more accurately, a tidal phenomenon that occurs in Talbot Bay. Intense currents squeeze through a narrow passage in the surrounding McLarty Ranges, creating sideways rapids that foam like a waterfall. This unusual formation can be viewed from the air (by helicopter or seaplane) or by boat.
Our excursion is aboard a high-speed jetboat, operated by local experts. I hold on tight as we ride across the frothing, fizzing whirls, feeling the force of the roaring engines that fight the flow.
There are no roads or walking trails on the land that we cruise around, so our small group has whole sites to ourselves. At Vansittart Bay, we visit Jar Island(Ngula), home to rarely seen examples of Gwion Gwion indigenous art, which dates back more than 30,000 years.
The Kimberley’s ancient rock, where the colours and textures change with the light, is an enduring canvas for Aboriginal artists. These distinctive drawings of elongated figures, adorned with tassels, bags and headdresses, are considered the oldest detailed depictions of humans. It’s a mind-boggling privilege to experience such an up-close view of this renowned art.
Nearby, on the Anjo Peninsula, lies the wreckage of a US Air Force aircraft. In 1942 the pilot lost his bearings flying from Perth (Boorloo) to Broome (Rubibi) and made an emergency landing on the salt pan, where the plane remains remarkably intact. We poke around this piece of wartime history in situ, while our guide tells the story.
For me, the region’s most impressive natural wonder is Montgomery Reef (Yowjab), a 300-square-kilometre marine ecosystem off the Kimberley coastline. As the world’s largest inshore reef, it can only be reached by boat to witness its dramatic transformation. The magic happens when the tide rapidly drops by four to 10 metres, causing this gigantic mound to emerge from the ocean. The dramatic movement exposes the reef ’s flat-top surface pitted with rockpools and rivulets. As the water drains off, it pours down the sides in fast-flowing channels, like hundreds of mini waterfalls.
An astonishing array of wildlife is revealed by the receding water. Fish, stingrays, sea snakes, green turtles and reef sharks are scrambling in the commotion. White-bellied sea eagles swoop down for a feed while wading birds stalk the edges. Our fleet of Zodiacs takes passengers through the heart of this aquatic valley. We zoom across eddies, almost like white-water rafting, to watch the mind-blowing scenes.
After a few hours of this wild, watery spectacle, the tide comes in and the reef starts to sink below the waves. As we head back to the ship, I turn to watch the mysterious mass disappearing in the distance, soon to vanish like an outback Atlantis.
THE DETAILS
Journey Beyond’s 15-night Outback to Ocean tour combines a rail journey through Australia’s Red Centre with a voyage across the Kimberley coastline. The itinerary includes two nights on The Ghan, from Adelaide (tarntanya wama) to Darwin, a 10-night cruise aboard Ponant’s luxurious small ship, and one night in a Darwin hotel. Prices start at $15,855 pp, departing May – July 2025.
“For me, the region’s most impressive natural wonder is Montgomery Reef (Yowjab), a 300-square-kilometre marine ecosystem off the Kimberley coastline.”
Traversing Terrain
WORDS Carolyne Jasinski
Exploring Western Australia’s Kimberley Ranges is on many bucket lists, and there’s no better way to get to the heart of these ancient lands than by land.
Driving the notoriously rough Gibb River Road, following in the footsteps of our First Nations people, witnessing rock art that tells Aboriginal Dreamtime stories and depicts life as it was thousands of years ago… that’s priceless.
My journey begins in an unexpected way – by being strapped into a helicopter tighter than a baby in a swaddle. Below us are 360-million-year-old sandstone structures known as the Bungle Bungles (Purnululu). They’re famous for looking like beehives and are impressive from above, stretching far off into the horizon. When the pilot dips to one side, grins widen as we stare into the abyss and get an even better indication of how immense this range is.
Back on land, we’re driven to the start of the 3.5km Cathedral Gorge (Purnululu) hike. It follows the river bed at the base of the beehives, now towering over us. Down here we add crimson and tan to the orange and charcoal bands that dominate the conglomerate rock from above. Eons of pressure and heat have melded these ranges from layers of rock and sediment that once were at the bottom of an ocean. At the end of the track is an opening to the cathedral – a spectacular red-rock amphitheatre. You could play a game of footy in here. Visitors find quiet spots along the walls to sit and contemplate or wander, taking photos. Some sing their hearts out.
‘Tough going’ is an understatement when it comes to seeing the Kimberley by land. The right equipment can cost a fortune and you need to know what you’re doing. Or you need to travel with someone who does. Cue Outback Spirit’s Jewels of the Kimberley tour. It’s a 13-day, five-star expedition from Darwin to Broome (Rubibi), or the reverse direction, in an all-terrain vehicle that’s strong enough to take on almost anything the Outback can dish up but luxuriously appointed so it’s done in style.
Favourites like Mitchell Falls (Punamii-unpuu), Horizontal Falls, El Questro, Purnululu, Cathedral (Nanadhong), Geikie (Darngku), Emma and Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek (Dimalurru), Kununurra, Wyndham with its Five Rivers Lookout, and Broome are our destinations. But getting to them proves to be just as big a thrill. We travel on the infamously rough Gibb River Road that runs east to west through the heart of these ancient ranges. There are endless corrugations, dips, and potholes, but no one is complaining. The seats are comfy and mandatory seatbelts hold us snug … sort of. We cross rivers and dried creek beds, passing a few of the Kimberley’s 99 cattle stations. The landscape changes from a sea of spinifex and spindly gums to bloated boab trees that only grow in north-west Western Australia.
Despite the rugged surroundings, there is no doing it tough out here when it comes to accommodation. Safari camps like Ngauwudu set the luxurious standard with permanent glamping tents built on raised decks and stylish interiors. A huge communal dining room and outdoor deck overlook the barbecue and firepit.
Mitchell Falls (Punamii-unpuu) is a 45-minute (bumpy) drive from the resort. There’s a 4.5km hike to the river for a welcome swim and spectacular vistas and another chopper ride (minus doors), gives a heart-pumping bird’s-eye view on the way out. The perfect way to end another action-packed, adventure-filled day in this remarkable place. Now, my luxurious bed awaits.
“The landscape changes from a sea of spinifex and spindly gums to bloated boab trees that only grow in north-west Western Australia.”