The Kimberley region is one of the most vast and remote wildernesses on the planet and covers an area of nearly 423,000 kilometres. This immense and ancient land encompasses a diversity of attractions from rugged ranges to gently cascading waterfalls, spectacular desert plains to unexpected rainforests, mighty rivers to dazzling white beaches that stretch much further than the eye can see.
There’s a breathtaking range of flora and fauna in the Kimberley’s diverse terrain. Huge turtles and prehistoric crocodiles share this land with Australia’s unique marsupials and prolific birdlife. Flowers proliferate including wildflowers, palms and the unmistakeable Boab trees.
The majestic Boab trees feature in Australian legends, where they are seen to be proud and were punished by being re-planted up-side down, and made to be fat and grotesque. Important to indigenous cultures, the Boab tree is a strong spiritual presence, and a source of food and material. The distinctive trunks have girths of up to 20 metres and have been put to some unusual uses by Europeans, such as the hollowed-out Boab near Derby which was once used as a ‘Prison tree’.
The ‘dry’ is the best time to go stargazing in the Kimberley. Move away from the city lights and see how many constellations you can find, or just sit back and watch the constantly changing patterns of light as the night sky moves around you.
Unique Aboriginal rock art can be found in remote locations in the Kimberley region. Some is so ancient and unusual that its origins are still disputed.