Description
The Kimberley region of Western Australia was the last great empty section of Australia to be explored, with European settlers arriving only just over 100 years ago. Ignored by the early settlers, the Kimberley is today one of the richest areas of the continent with record gold and diamond rushes, great cattle drives and hauls of pearl shells having put the region well and truly on the economic map. However, for all its latterly discovered wealth, it still remains one of the most untouched areas in the world. Covering nearly 423,000 square kilometres, the region has fewer people per square kilometre than almost any other place on earth and is truly one of the world’s last great wilderness areas with a complex landscape which encompasses spectacular gorges and waterfalls, fascinating cave systems and an incredibly diverse variety of wildlife.
Due to its wild and undeveloped nature, the Kimberley is a wonderful place for the genuine traveller to explore and it is perfect for expedition style cruising. There are so many highlights, it is difficult to know where to begin when extolling its virtues. From the tidal phenomena at the Montgomery Bay Reef to the Horizontal Waterfalls near Talbot Bay, from the hundreds of islands in the Buccaneer Archipelago to the gorges of the King George and Hunter rivers. The whole vast area offers a cornucopia of natural world delights on a scale seldom witnessed anywhere else in the world.