Page 302 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

300  WESTERN A USTR ALIA

The Kimberley

One of the last truly remote regions in Australia, the
Kimberley in northwestern Australia covers 423,000 sq km Key
(164,000 sq miles), yet has a population of less than 40,000. Highway
Geologically it is one of the oldest regions on earth. Its rocks Major road
formed up to 2,000 million years ago, with little landscape Unsealed road
disturbance since. Aboriginal people have lived here for National park boundary
thousands of years, but this unique land has been a tourist
attraction only since the 1980s.

The Bungle Bungles
The tiger-striped beehive mountains that comprise the Bungle Bungle range
were only discovered by tourists in the 1980s. These great geological and scenic
w w
wonders are now protected in Purnululu National Park (see p335)onders are now protected in Purnululu National Park (see p335)onders are now protected in Purnululu National Park . The large,
weathered sandstone domes are most easily viewed by air from Kununurra
or Halls Creek, but visitors who make the effort to explore this 4WD-only park
will also encounter some stunning narrow gorges and clear pools.

The black and orange moulded domes of the Bungle Bungles
Windjana Gorge National Cape
P P Park is one of the three ark is one of the three ark Leveque
harn
stunning Devonian Reef Charnley Riv er
h r
national parks.
The Great Northern King Isdell River
Highway is a sealed Sound
road that runs from Windjana Gibb River Road
the Northern Territory Gorge
border to Broome and Derby National
Perth beyond. Meda River Park Tunnel
Creek
National
Park Geikie
Gorge
GREAT National
Broome SANDY Park
Broome
DESERT Fitzrov Rive ve v r
Fitzroy Crossing

Cable Beach at Broome
attracts many visitors
with its vast white
beaches and gentle surf.
Tourism in the Kimberley
is still growing, but
already 350,000 tourists
enjoy Broome’s tropical
atmosphere each year.