ENDLESS
HORIZONS
Combine a rail journey through the heart of Australia with a Coral Expeditions cruise through Australia’s remote Kimberley region, famous for its dramatic, untouched scenery, wild coastlines, and spectacular Indigenous rock art.
WORDS Carolyne Jasinski
It’s cool and dark when I step out on deck ready for another kaleidoscope sunrise. What will it be today? Pink, apricot, lavender? We’ve had all sorts of delicate hues as the light kisses the surrounds and bounces blue and green off the water. We have just spent three days and two nights on the iconic Ghan, traversing the belly of Australia from Adelaide (Tarntanya) to Darwin (Garramilla). The train carried us from the rolling plains of South Australia, through the ochre-red deserts of the Northern Territory, and finally to the lush tropics near Darwin, offering front-row seats to the continent’s diverse beauty. On board, we’re treated to meals that celebrate local flavours, with menus crafted to bring a taste of the landscapes we pass.
Now, our 10-night adventure aboard Coral Expeditions’ Coral Adventurer has begun, and the colourful daily sunrises are just one of many things to rave about as we explore the country from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Broome (Yawuru ) in Western Australia. There is joy to be found in choosing an all-inclusive experience like this one; combining rail and sea means unpacking just twice, allowing for stress-free travel where every detail is taken care of. There’s no need to plan or navigate—just relax, enjoy, and immerse yourself in Australia’s coastlines and rugged interior.
There are 100 guests on board and when I ask about their favourite moments, they’re almost all different. Some are surprised that they love geology as much as they do, but who could blame them? This part of the country is rugged, ancient, ever-changing and so dramatic. And with each new discovery, the crew and guest lecturers are there to explain what we’re looking at. Take our excursion up King George River: to us, it’s a fun 14 kilometre boat ride through a valley of towering cliffs to Oomari Falls, but to those who know, we have just journeyed back 1.8 million years to a plateau that predates life on Earth. We learn that the Kimberley region, with its 3,000+ islands, hasn’t always been part of Australia. Two land masses collided aeons ago and became one. Perhaps that’s why the landscape is like nothing else on this continent.
Some guests love history, others art, so it’s a bonus when the two combine on Jar Island (Ngula) in Vansittart Bay. Phillip Parker King is the explorer credited with charting much of the Kimberley region. He named Jar Island after finding clay pottery left by Makassan trepangers (men who collected and processed trepang, also known as sea cucumbers) from Eastern Indonesia. For centuries, they used the jars to process their sea cucumber catch. But it’s the rock art that has us scrambling over boulders and under ledges and laying on our backs in thin spaces to see straight back into human history. These alien-like Gwion Gwion characters are remnants of an ancient world, on show just as they were painted. The elegant long figures adorned with headdresses and bangles are shrouded in mystery. Who drew them? What do they represent? We happily agree not to photograph them. You’ll have to venture here to see the magic.
Life on Coral Adventurer is best described as adventure by day and luxurious comfort by night. Twice a day we are split into two groups to board the 60-seat Xplorer boats. Thanks to a special hydraulic system that lifts the boats in and out of the water, we walk straight on and off.
Then there are the not-so-easily-mountable zodiacs (rubber dinghies) that steer us into tighter spaces like under Oomari Waterfalls for a “Kimberley Shower” and along the length of Montgomery Reef (Yowjab). Getting so close to “Monty” as the tide drops and walls of coral reef rise out of the sea is a trip highlight. It’s a 450m2 waterfall that causes a feeding frenzy for sea turtles, birds and fish. Our zodiac rides through Horizontal Falls, standing underneath the heaving King Cascades waterfalls and an upgrade option of helicopter flights to Mitchell Falls (Punamii-unpuu) offer more pinch-me moments.
Seeing the unique Top End wildlife is the highlight of most guests’ wish lists – especially the infamous saltwater crocodiles. Porosus Creek offers one of the best chances to see it all – especially in a zodiac meandering along mangrove-lined creeks alive with bright red fiddler crabs. Ospreys and white-bellied sea eagles fly overhead and plenty of Brahminy kites are spotted in the trees – usually a sign that a larger, more fearsome predator lurks in the Kimberley waters. Almost on cue, saltwater crocodiles slowly break the surface.
We are spoilt every day with wildlife sightings – even from the ship. More crocodiles on sandy beaches, flying fish defying evolution and flashing through the air, snub-finned dolphins nursing in calm waters, tawny nurse sharks and bronze whaler sharks swimming under lights at the stern and hundreds of turtles. Birders are in heaven, identifying small blips darting across the sky. They tick off flying crested terns, sacred kingfishers, red-headed honeyeaters, sandstone shrikethrushes, pied butcherbirds, imperial pigeons and mangrove robins calling mournfully.
As if in a parting gesture, our last Kimberley sunset is celebrated with humpback whales cavorting in the distance. They’re slapping fins and breaching high into the bright orange glow on the horizon. They’re having a whale of a time – just like us.
“We are spoilt every day with wildlife sightings – even from the ship.”
The Details
TOUR The Ghan and Kimberley cruising is a natural pairing for those wanting to dive into spectacular landscapes from both land and sea. Travel through the dusty red heart of Australia from Adelaide to Darwin on board The Ghan, stopping for immersive exploration along the way. Then cruise the Kimberley with Coral Expeditions, Australia’s pioneering cruise line, witnessing a unique blend of wonders, from cascading waterfalls and ancient rock formations to rich Indigenous cultural sites. This 14-day journey promises to be an unforgettable adventure, with unique experiences in some of Australia’s most remote and captivating destinations. Prices start at $16,095 per person for travel in 2025.