Broome has become a trendy destination in the recent years. It buzzes in the dry, especially in the cooler July and August. The famed Cable Beach, from which you can admire the sunset while riding camels, is indeed a nice place. You will also find various historic sites and shops focusing on the world-famous pearls produced in the town. The town has a few interesting restaurants, and boosts the only nightlife for a few hundred kilometers around. Do not get too overexcited however, it is very far from the excentricity of the East Coast. Overall, it is a nice place to have a break before going to the Wild.
The main reason to come to Kimberley is to enjoy the surrounding wilderness. Drive only a few kilometers on an unsealed track and you can quickly feel the immensity of the region. You can also observe wild birds by the thousands (provided you are not too far from a water source, you will hear them when the sun rises anyway) and wander through unusual flora (baobs all around...). Saltwater as well as freshwater crocodiles are found in numbers in the region, so observe if you can, but be very careful at all times near waterholes.
The UNESCO world heritage Purnululu, with its multitude of dome formations, is one of the star attractions of the Kimberley. The park has been only "explored" recently (mid 1980s!), though it was known by the aboriginals for a much longer time. Be warned that the 4WD track to the park will put your vehicle to the test.
Be it the spectacular (but very tough to access) Mitchell Falls on the Mitchell plateau, the dozens of gorges on the Gibb River Road, including the Bell Gorge, the Geikie Gorge close to Fitzroy Crossing and the Windjana Gorge in the eponym Windjana Gorge National Park, the area is simply a feast of Gorges and falls.
Strictly speaking, the Horizontal falls are not falls, but very strong tidal currents through very narrow gorges giving the strange impression of horizontality. There is no road access, you will have to go through a tour operator with a turboprop or an helicopter.
North Kimberley is the place to see the Gwion Gwion or Bradshaw FiguresAboriginal paintings, some of which are believed to be around 50 000 years old. You will probably need the authorization of the traditionnal owners, so enquire beforehand, for instance with a tour operator. Some of these paintings are located in very remote areas.
In Derby, on the road to Broome, the huge Boab Prison Tree is believed to have been used as a staging point for prisoners.
From Broome, a rough 4WD track will lead you through the Dampier Peninsula up to Cape Leveque. There are splendid beaches, nice snorkeling and good Barramundi fishing in the area. Accommodation is available at the tip of the cape at the aboriginal owned .
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Kimberley (Western Australia)
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Kimberley (Western Australia) - updated May 2024
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Kimberley (Western Australia) Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
