66 AUSTRALIANTRAVELLER.COM
DETAILS
Gettingthere
QantasfliesdirecttoBroome
fromSydney,Melbourne,
BrisbaneandPerthbetween
AprilandOctober.KIMBERLEY
QUEST(kimberleyquest.
com.au),HORIZONTAL
SEAPLANEADVENTURES
(horizontalfallsadventures.com.
au) andGOHORIZONTAL
(gohorizontalfallstours.com.au)
willtransferyoufromyour
accommodationtotheKimberley.
Stayingthere
CABLEBEACHCLUBRESORT& SPA
(cablebeachclub.com) is hardto
beat– it facesBroome’smost
famousstretchof sand– but
a worthysecondoptionis
thetown-basedMANGROVE
(mangrovehotel.com.au) forits
white-themed,garden-partyvibe.
Eatingthere
JOHNNYSAUSAGE(johnnysausage.
com.au) is anatmosphericItalian
restaurantthatrunsfromMay
toOctober.Findthebestcoffee
atTHEGOODCARTEL(3 Weld
Street,Broome),hiddendown
a street-artsplashedlaneway.
Playingthere
Asclichédas it looks,a
sunsetcamelrideis hard
tobeat,followedbyanicy
drinkatSUNSETBAR& GRILL
(cablebeachclub.com). If your
cruisedoesn’tincludetimeon
theDampierPeninsula,a visit
toKooljamanwildernesscamp
orCygnetBayPearlFarmis
worththebumpyjourney(the
CapeLevequeRoadshouldbe
fullybitumenby2021).
Youshouldknow
TheKimberleycruiseseason
runsfromMarchtoOctober.of vehement denial among guests. None of us wants
to give up the reviving balm of being removed from
the fluorescent glow of the office, voluntarily off emails
(none of us took up the $100 wi-fi service) and away
from clogged traffic. I’d never have believed we could
fit in so much of the Kimberley in less than four days,
nor that we’d feel so transformed.
Another winning element of the new ‘Taste of the
Kimberley’ expedition is that it’s appealing to a younger
demographic – as we return to land, two recognisable
rugby league stars and their girlfriends are waiting in the
pearl farm’s cafe, ready to board, and Ralston says they’re
not the only non-retirees to sign up.
With Kimberley snapshots gaining in popularity, there
are other ways to savour the beguiling region in shorter
timeframes and with smaller budgets. Both Horizontal
Falls Seaplane Adventures and Go Horizontal run different
day trips through the region, and while they don’t grantthe
same level of luxe and relaxation as a cruise, it’s the most
affordable way to see the sights, from the air andthewater.
So if ever you’ve been looking for an excuse totickoff
that bucket-list item, I’d say your time is now.WEEKENDS | The Kimberley
PHOTOGRAPHY: FLEUR BAINGERFROM TOP:
Horizontal Falls
Seaplane Adventures’
base at Talbot Bay;
Exploring the wilds
of the Buccaneer
Archipelago;
Catching supper
at sunset.