“The Kimberley”
The very words conjure up a collection of mind images – red sand, boab trees, tropical savannah scrub and open woodland scattered with termite mounds, mining, cattle stations larger than many countries, the outback.
The Kimberley is in every aspect a region of long distances and wide-open spaces. It is also remote, very remote.
Mention Cable Beach and immediately most Australians know where you are talking about. Its west facing beach and sunsets are a special attraction to those from Australia’s eastern states who can only experience a beach sunset if they travel. It defines Broome as much as the pearl industry, the long-standing indigenous culture and the Japanese air raids during 1942.
The Kimberley hosts over 12,000 kilometres of coastline – white sands and red cliffs, wide beaches, tidal shoals and mudflats and the clear turquoise waters. It is home to the largest tropical tides on earth with a range of around ten metres.
These massive tides give the Kimberley one of its most special features – an intertidal zone of considerable diversity and complexity.
These intertidal zones are accessible in areas such as Roebuck Bay (Broome) and King Sound (Derby). From the ground the mangroves and mudflats can appear drab and unenticing, the sand shoals barely visible from a boat. The beauty unfolds when taking to the air – elevation grants a perspective not otherwise available.
This is where the magic happens.