Untamed Kimberley

The capital of the Northern Territory is beguiling; its balmy tropical climes, fiery sunsets, laid-back locals and surprising attractions. Take in the sights on a tour, your guide revealing the city’s distinctive architectural style along with the events that have shaped it over the years. Did you know you can still witness damage from 1974’s Cyclone Tracy, and that the city was bombed in 1942? Prepare yourself for an exploration of Darwin's top attractions, including the botanical garden, the breathtaking views from East Point Reserve, and a dinner-with-a-view experience at a beloved waterfront restaurant favored by locals.

As you begin your sojourn south, yet more reminders of the impact WWII had on the region are outside your window. The headquarters of a military base once stood along the banks of the Adelaide River, and there’s a cemetery nearby to remember those who lost their lives here. It’s a sobering sight. Then nature takes over at Nitmiluk National Park bordering Kakadu. This is Jawoyn land, and a place where you’ll feel your spirit soar. Particularly when you’re cruising through dramatic Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, your boat the only sound echoing around this enormous chasm. Remarkably, this is one of 13 gorges carved through the national park, and at every bend in the river, the sun casts soaring sandstone cliffs a different colour. There’s no time to catch your breath – you’re off to meet Tom Curtain on a vast working outback station. Tom’s quite the entertainer, and regales visitors with songs and stories during his Katherine Outback Experience. Fun, engaging and insightful.

Say goodbye to the NT and hello to WA, your introduction to the state the unexpected delights of Kununurra. It’s in the middle of nowhere, and only exists because of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. Before it was a twinkle on the map, farming pioneers came here to establish vast cattle stations. The life of one such family is chronicled at the Durack Homestead Museum, revealing how the property was dismantled then reassembled on higher ground when much of the countryside was flooded for the dam. The project not only helped water the countryside, but created Lake Argyle. A sunset cruise here, surrounded by tens of thousands of freshwater crocs and an astounding array of birds, is something you won’t forget in a hurry. Well, until the next expedition: from Kununurra, all roads lead to some of WA’s most postcard-worthy sights, the Bungle Bungles among them.    

How active and adventurous do you want today to be? Rise early to enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the beehive-like rock formations of the Bungle Bungles on an optional scenic flight over World Heritage listed Purnululu National Park. Or stay grounded on a 4WD tour through the ethereal landscape. Otherwise, lace up your walking shoes and wander with your Travel Director through Mirima National Park, known as the ‘mini-Bungles’ for its rocky resemblance. Both destinations reveal the mind-boggling geology of this part of the world. Whatever direction you go, be sure to join the locals atop Kelly’s Knob for views over the town.

It’s not every day that you have the privilege of glimpsing the inner workings of a rum distillery with the family that owns it. Thanks to our AAT Kings connections, we’ve organized for you to meet the makers and discover how Hoochery Distillery prepares its lip-smacking, award-winning rums and whiskys. Try a tasting paddle to get your heart started or sit down to a slice of rum cake – morning tea sorted. The Gibb River Road is the stuff road trip legends are made of. You’ll see why, your route to El Questro Wilderness Park covering a few kilometers of the epic expanse. Now exhale – your safari-style tents for the night are backdropped by the Cockburn Range, surrounded by an oasis of pandanus and palms. When darkness falls, expect a bedazzlement of stars overhead.   

The best way to wake up? With the sun streaming through your tent, wildlife all around. The Kimberley’s sounds follow you across the mighty Pentecost River, a mecca for those who love a spot of barramundi fishing. Arriving at Chamberlain Gorge, an enormous fresh waterhole, your cruise chariot awaits. Jump aboard to feel very small indeed, your boat dwarfed by soaring 60-metre escarpments, a brilliant shade of orange in the morning sun. When it’s time to cool down, take an afternoon dip, whether in the resort pool or at a waterhole within Emma Gorge. Take your pick. The latter is a challenge to reach – you will work up a sweat hiking there. But diving in at the end is worth the effort. Be back on your patio in time for sundowners.  

Until recently, the Argyle Diamond Mine was the world’s largest producer of rare, and dazzling, pink diamonds. While operations have ceased, you can still visit and go behind the scenes. Your Aboriginal guide will not only point out where the magic once happened, but also explain the significance of this land – the traditional Barramundi Dreaming site – to First Nations communities. Equally important to Aboriginal communities is the Great Sandy Desert, which Halls Gap perches on the edge of. This place is small in population, but big in personality.

The remote town of Fitzroy Crossing acts as the gateway to Danggu (Geikie) Gorge. But before you cruise the waterway, continue your deep dive into culture at the Aboriginal art gallery here – it’s an important part of the community, supporting local creatives. Then embark your boat to discover how this remarkable part of the Kimberley was formed by the Fitzroy River carving the Napier Range, leaving behind a dramatic chasm with 30-metre walls, home to a plethora of wildlife. This all happened in Devonian times, some 350 million years ago. Keep watch for all creatures great and small, from freshwater crocs to fruit bats and wallabies. Look up to see white-bellied sea eagles and rare, purple-crowned fairy wrens.

Among the most multicultural cities in Australia, Broome became a base for fortune-seekers the world over during its ‘pearl rush’. Many of them never left. The pristine waters here grow great oysters, and the resulting pearls are prized by lovers of all things that gleam. A city tour will give you your bearings, taking you through colourful Chinatown and pointing out the legendary outdoor cinema (back in the day, it used to flood, and locals would bring along fishing lines). Then it’s time to settle in for Broome’s other attraction: its sunsets. Follow locals to the sand on Cable Beach – there’s 22 kilometres to explore here, with space for 4WDs, camels and foot traffic. Grab a drink to salute the end of another spectacular day in WA.

The hardest thing you have to do today is decide how to spend it. We have a few ideas. Head north to feel the full force of nature on an optional scenic flight over (or heart-starting cruise through) the magical Horizontal Falls. Enlist to do both, to grasp just how mighty the tides are here, ramming through two narrow chasms and creating a waterfall that appears to have been tipped on its side. It will take your breath away, in more ways than one – those boats move fast. Or simply enjoy Broome’s tropical climes, strolling along Cable Beach, hunting for dinosaur footprints and browsing the pearl boutiques in town. It’s hard to resist a purchase; even harder when you go straight to the source at a pearl farm, to see how they’re painstakingly grown and harvested.

Eleven days, countless memories, a bunch of new friends… you’ll leave Broome with your travel wanderlust ignited.