The Kimberleys WA

The Kimberleys is a vast (over 420 000 sq km) and rugged wilderness region in Western Australia’s remote North West. Located some 3 000 km n-e of Perth, the region extends from Broome (west) to Kununurra (east) and is bounded by the Indian Ocean (west), Timor Sea (north), Great Sandy Desert (south) and the Northern Territory (east). European settlement began in 1880s with cattle stations and nearby gold finds while main industries over the years have included pearling (Broome), mining, agriculture (Ord River Irrigation Area) and tourism.

The Kimberleys is home to many spectacular natural attractions amongst them Bell Gorge (King Leopold NP), Bungle Bungle Ranges (Purnululu NP), China Wall (quartz outcrop near Halls Creek), Geike Gorge, Mitchell Falls, Windjina Gorge, Lake Argyle, Wolfe Creek Meterorite Crater. Towns in the area include Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Kununurra, Wyndham and there is also a wealth of Aboriginal rock art both in the Bradshaw (around the Drysdale River) and Wandjina styles (Kalumburu, King Edward River and Panda-Goornnya, Drysdale River).

The Kimberley experiences two distinct seasons – the ‘Wet’ (Nov-Mar) and ‘Dry’ (Apr-Oct). During the Wet, a number of roads (sealed and unsealed) national parks and attractions may close if flooded. The region supports a population of about 25 000.

Visitor Information Centres:
Cnr Bagot St & Broome Rd, Broome. Tel (08) 9192 2222
2 Clarendon St, Derby. Tel (08) 9191 1426 or Coolibah Dr, Kununurra. Tel (08) 9168 1177