8 ways to see northwest Australia in a new light
Whether you’re a foodie or a history buff, exploring the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia with an Indigenous guide deepens your visit and cultural understanding of this very special part of the country. Here are eight must-do experiences.
Host Johani exploring the coastal region of the Kimberley with a couple, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
1. Mabu Buru was conceived to reveal Broome / Rubibi’s Aboriginal history through the eyes of Johani Mamid, a proud Karrajarri, Bardi, Nyul Nyul and Yawuru man who was raised in this part of Western Australia and has an intimate knowledge of its flora, fauna and stories. You can partake in experiences that last from a few hours to four nights. “I decided that to be unique, I needed to make Mabu Buru really personal and hands-on. I wanted it to be focused on sharing stories about us and our culture,” Johani says.
Guide Bart Pigram preparing a fire with guests in Broome, the Kimberley, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
2. Be prepared for the unexpected when you visit Broome / Rubibi, says Yawuru man Bart Pigram. Bart’s tours through his company Narlijia Experiences focus on Broome / Rubibi’s 52 mangroves. “Most people drive straight past them. But this is still an abundant food bowl. When I take people foraging here I show them how my people have been living and eating for 20,000 years – in just two hours. We collect shellfish like pipis, cockles, mangrove snails, razor clams, crabs and molluscs and chuck them straight on the fire and eat them.”
Guide Robbie Dann from Kimberley Cultural Adventures explaining the uses of Australian plants to guests. © Tourism Australia
3. If you want to take a deep dive into Broome / Rubibi’s history, join Robert Dann’s Kimberley Cultural Adventures tours. Discover how the region became the centre of the world’s pearling industry and the role Aboriginal communities played, explore forgotten roads and historic landmarks, and hear the local stories connected to them. Robert has a passion for native Australian plants, and has launched a side company that makes produce from boab fruit. You’ll get to sample his delicious iced tea or ginger beer at the end of your adventure.
Guide Terry Hunter showcasing the Cygnet Bay pearl bounty with guests in Western Australia © Tourism Australia
4. Borrgoron
Coast to Creek Tours is led by Bardi man Terry Hunter, who has lived on Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, 220km north of Broome / Rubibi, for most of his life. Terry knows this corner of the Kimberley region intimately, and his walking tour combines stories of his childhood, the teachings of Aboriginal cultures and bush knowledge, and reveals how his family history is tied to the pioneering beginnings of the region’s pearl trade. You’ll eat fresh oysters, enjoy an art lesson on pearl-shell carving and discover the marine biology projects underway on the pearl farm.
Australian Geographic Kimberley Air Safari ex Darwin © Tourism Australia
5. Choose your Kimberley adventure with Kingfisher Tours: Perhaps soaring over the Buccaneer Archipelago, Montgomery Reef and the Horizontal Falls on a scenic flight before taking a dip in remote waterholes. Maybe joining expert Aboriginal guides for a 4WD adventure to Echidna Chasm, World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park or on the Mini Palms walk. Or alternatively traversing Kununurra to Bullo River Station via Lake Argyle. All the while, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of this remarkable place as well as its people, wildlife and the immense passage of time etched into every crevice of the dramatic landscape.
Guests exploring the Kimberley coastline with Ngurrangga Tours © Tourism Australia
6. The vast landscapes and Dreaming stories of the Pilbara, Burrup Peninsula and Millstream Chichester National Park are brought to life with Traditional Owners on a Ngurrangga tour, revealing astounding rock art dating back as far as 40,000 years. Owner Clinton Walker’s experiences in Murujuga National Park show off some of the stunning Aboriginal images that document everything from first contact with Europeans to megafauna and other extinct species.
Southern Cross Cultural Tour at Lullumb, Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
7. Explore the Kimberley’s Dampier Peninsula with Bardi Jawi man Bolo Angus on his Southern Cross Cultural Tours at Lullumb. Bolo’s off-road 4WD tagalong tours journey unfold through cultural stories, songs, hands-on experiences and survival skills including hunting methods. The experience culminates with a cook-up of bush tucker that has been collected during the tour, from mud crabs to oysters. It doesn’t get any fresher than this.
El Questro - Injiid Marlabu Calls Us, Kununurra, Western Australia © Tourism Australia
8. Experience the vast and untamed beauty of El Questro Wilderness Park on an Injiid Marlabu Calls Us tour with Traditional Owners of the land. The walking experience brings to life the stories and spirit of reconciliation, incorporating a burning and cleansing ceremony that is important to Ngarinyin cultural and spiritual methodology. It awakens the senses to the call of Marlabu and invites guests to listen, breathe, speak, see and immerse themselves in the culture and Country of El Questro through the perspective of its Traditional Custodians.
