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Australia - Western Australia - Broome and the Kimberley
The Kimberley is one of the world's last great wilderness areas. The region covers an area of nearly 423,000 sq Kilometres with a population of about 30,000 people. Its immense and magnificent landscape encompasses spectacular gorges and waterfalls, pockets of lush rainforest, magnificent pristine beaches and a huge variety of wildlife. Open space, vast distances and a distinct lack of crowds are a pleasure when supported by excellent accommodation and tours.
Linking the two major townships of Broome and Kununurra is the sealed Great Northern Highway and the rugged Gibb River Road. Both of these routes offer adventure, however 4WD vehicles are required on unsealed roads.
The Bungle Bungle Range is one of the most fascinating geological landmarks in Western Australia. From an aircraft, the Bungle Bungle Range is an imposing sight. The orange and black stripes across the beehive-like mounds, encased in a skin of silica and algae, are clearly visible as you approach from the south. As you sweep further over the range a hidden world of gorges and pools is revealed, with fan palms clinging precariously to walls and crevices in the rocks.
Although the range was extensively used by Aboriginal people during the wet season, when plant and animal life was abundant, few Europeans knew of its existence until the mid 1980s. The area has been a national park since 1987 and its unique appearance has captured the public imagination. The park, which is open only between April and September, offers a remote wilderness experience, with limited facilities and no accommodation.
Broome is a pearling town in the Kimberley
famous for its beautiful Indian Ocean beaches and wonderful dry season climate. The town has an interesting history based around the exploits of the men and women who developed the pearling industry, starting with the harvesting of oysters for mother of pearl in the 1880s to the current major cultured pearl farming enterprises. The riches from the pearl beds did not come cheap, and the town's Japanese cemetery is the resting place of more than 900 Japanese divers who lost their lives working in the industry.
The West Australian mining boom of the 1960s, as well as the growth of the tourism industry, also helped Broome develop and diversify; Broome is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia.
At Gantheaume Point and 30 metres out to sea are dinosaur footprints believed to be from the Cretaceous Age approximately 130 million years ago. The tracks can be seen only during very low tide.
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