North West

Remote, ancient and wild – The Kimberley region of Western Australia’s North West corner, spanning an area almost twice the size of Victoria, is Australia at its most challenging and most rewarding. For the intrepid visitor prepared to seek out its treasures it offers adventure and spectacular experiences with dramatic landscapes, stunning natural features and curiosities, all interwoven with the art and legends of Aboriginal culture and heritage.

Those adventures begin in the former pearling outpost turned tourist hotspot of Broome. It’s the largest of the Kimberley communities and the eastern gateway while further north, also on the west coast is Derby. On the banks of the Ord River, close to the Northern Territory border is the region’s eastern gateway of Kununurra.

Broome lies at the southern tip of the Dampier Peninsula in Yawuru country. For travellers, Broome is a destination that fills the imagination – a haven in the steamy tropical heat of a distant coast with a past laced with adventurous tales in the quest for fabulous pearls. Pearls still play a strong role with outlets for the region’s glossy gems, visits to a local farm and sunset cruises aboard the Intombi restored pearl lugger as a popular activity.

Today Broome is a tourist-friendly destination offering an array of stylish, luxury resorts at nearby Cable Beach. Take a camel ride along this fabulous 20km of white sand or enjoy a cooling drink and watch the sunset or enjoy a refreshing local brew at Matso’s in Broome overlooking Roebuck Bay. Broome and Cable Beach offer a relaxing holiday or the launching point for bigger adventures with a variety of tours, 4WD safaris, scenic flights and cruises.

The Kimberley is Australia’s greatest tract of untamed wilderness, home to Aboriginal people for over 40,000 years, their history captured in some of Australia’s oldest rock art. Some of the highlights for those who go exploring include the spectacular tidal rush known as the Horizontal Waterfalls at Talbot Bay; more typical water displays at Mitchell and Merton Falls. There are the curious rock formations of Bungle Bungle Range in World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park; the vast expanse of Lake Argyle; the 100m high cliffs of Windjana Gorge National Park that are part of a 375 million-year-old reef; and the world’s second-largest crater spanning 880m across at Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park where a massive meteorite hit Earth some 300,000 years ago.

The Pilbara region of Western Australia covers twice the area of the United Kingdom, nestled between the iconic Ningaloo region to the South and the Kimberley region to the North, it is a nature lovers’ playground.

Highlights of the region include 80 Mile Beach, the longest uninterrupted stretch of beach in Western Australia at 220km long; Marble Bar an inland town 195 km from Port Hedland, renowned for having the hottest temperatures in Australia; their most famous inhabitant is the beloved Red Dog. Spending his life roaming the Dampier peninsula, the Dampier Dog befriended locals, hitching rides on trucks during the 70’s. His legacy has been immortalised in statue in Dampier, while his story has been recreated in two Australian produced movies.

Evidence of 40,000 years of Aboriginal history with thousands of archaeological sites, with rock engravings known as petroglyphs, make this region of the Burrup Peninsula, the largest rock art site in the world.

Undoubtedly the most famous National Park in the region is the stunning Karijini National Park. This jewel of the Pilbara is over 2 billion years in the making, full of geological wonders with breathtaking gorges, magnificent waterfalls and emerald coloured rock pools.

While the Pilbara mainland is an annual breeding ground for three species of turtles, 22 km off the Onslow Coast is the Mackerel Islands – a haven for marine and nature lovers. Two of these ten islands offer accommodation options and secluded beaches often to yourselves.

Australia’s North West is breathtaking on every level.