Kimberley (Western Australia)
From World travel guide
The most northern region of Western Australia is called the Kimberley. This spectacular region has an area of over 421,000 square kilometres. It is bordered by the Northern Territory to the East, the Pilbara to the South, the Indian Ocean to the Northwest and the Timor Sea to the North.
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Understand
The Kimberley is one of the world's last great wilderness areas, & covers an area large enough to fit the U.K. twice! It features several large towns from Kununurra in the east to Broome on the coast in the west. Highlights of the Kimberley include magnificent wilderness scenery, rare fauna and flora and a rich and colourful history. The Kimberley thrives as a tourist destination with 85% of the population being tourists!
Talk
Get in
HOW TO GET HERE (Broome Gateway to the Kimberley) - Train, plane, automobile
FROM SYDNEY, MELBOURNE OR BRISBANE Weekend flights with Qantas are direct. Qantas also fly via Alice Springs on the weekend. Alternatively, you can fly any day of the week via Perth with Qantas, Skywest or Virginblue.
FROM PERTH Daily direct flights with Qantas, Skywest and Virginblue. Morning, lunch and night!
FROM DARWIN Daily flights with Skywest or Airnorth, and also Airnorth flights via Kununurra some days.
FROM KUNUNURRA Daily flights to Broome and Darwin, twice weekly flights direct to Perth
Get around
See
Join a luxury Kimberley cruise for the adventure of a lifetime! Go calm water cruising through 1000 islands to huge waterfalls and ancient Aboriginal art sites. Fish inlets for Kimberley Barramundi & other huge fish.Join daily shore excursions, then enjoy succulent fresh seafood & champagne as you watch a beautiful Kimberley sunset aboard your luxury cruise vessel.
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Eat
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Stay safe
The Kimberley has 2 seasons: The Wet (November - April) & The Dry (May - October). The Wet is hot, humid, rainy and cyclonic. The Dry is the ideal time to visit, with 30 degree days. April is a great time to see large volumes of water in the falls, while July and August is a great time to experience temperate weather, while still experiencing great fishing and wildlife spotting, especially as August is the Humpback whale migration period.
Get out
Located 300 kilometres out to sea from Broome are the Rowley Shoals -One of the world's best yet least known dive sites The Rowley Shoals are a chain of coral atolls on the edge of 1 of the widest continental shelves in the world. The 3 pear-shaped atolls have shallow lagoons inhabited by corals and abundant marine life. Each atoll covers an area of around 80 - 90 square kms, rising with nearly vertical sides from very deep water. Mermaid Reef rises from about 440 metres, Clerke from 390 metres and Imperieuse from about 230 metres.
The coral atolls of the Rowley Shoals are famed for their almost untouched coral gardens, giant clams and other shellfish. Giant Potato Cod and Maori Wrasse wait to be hand fed while colourful reef fish show little fear. Drift diving in and out of the atolls sweeps you through pristine reefs with schools of Trevally, Mackerel and Tuna. See Barracuda, Morays turtles and many species of shark. As well as being inhabited by a number of species found nowhere else, the coral and fish communities of the Rowley Shoals are unique in their composition, and in the relative abundance of species.
External links
Kimberley Cruises - Contact the Kimberley Cruise Centre for a selection of over 20 vessels to Kimberley Cruise "www.kimberleycruises.com" Freecall 1800 677 830
Kimberley Sailing - Exclusive sailing safaris through the remote & rugged Kimberley Coast "www.kimberleysailing.com" +61 8 9192 8590
Kimberley Safari Centre - Luxury Coach & 4wd Safari's throughout the Kimberley's and Western Australia. "www.kimberleysafari.com" Freecall 1800 677 830
