Coral Frontiers & Kimberley Icons

Start your Kimberley adventure from either Darwin or Broome. Settle into your cabin and meet the expedition team over Captain’s Welcome drinks as we cruise into Western Australian waters.

Meet at the Mangrove Hotel at 3:30pm where you will be transferred to the ship for a 4:00pm embarkation and 5:00pm departure.

Spend two days at Clerke, Mermaid and Imperieuse Reefs, 170 nautical miles offshore. Captain Phillip Parker King named these atolls, offering some of Earth’s best underwater adventures. Shallow lagoons contain 233 coral species and 688 fish species, many of which are found nowhere else. Giant potato cod and Maori wrasse patrol these waters.

Visit this protected Class-A nature reserve, significant for brown booby and roseate tern rookeries. Four low-lying islands provide crucial breeding habitat for green turtles. Australian pelicans, frigate birds, egrets and gulls frequent these waters. Weather permitting, explore lagoons by Zodiac tender vessels, observing wildlife in their pristine environment.

Witness rapids through narrow gorges where massive tides create horizontal waterfalls. David Attenborough called this “one of the greatest natural wonders of the world.” Ocean water builds up and forces its way through bottlenecks in the McLarty Ranges, creating rushing seawater falls. Talbot Bay is situated among 800 islands, many of which contain rocks that are over 2 billion years old.

Twice daily, tidal shifts reveal a massive reef in cascading waterfalls. Named by Phillip Parker King, Montgomery Reef emerges from the Indian Ocean, exposing rock pools and rivulets. Our Zodiacs position you perfectly to witness the spectacle as expedition guides explain the formation of the reef and the behaviour of its wildlife. Birds feed in exposed pools while turtles, dolphins and dugongs hunt in swirling eddies.

Explore Scott Reef on the continental shelf. Weather permitting, snorkel and dive outer reef walls where diverse coral habitats thrive. The sheer drops and pristine ecosystems showcase nature at its most spectacular. These Timor Sea atolls offer some of the clearest water you’ll find anywhere.

Visit uninhabited islands where 100,000 seabirds flock annually. This marine park encompasses the West, Middle, and East Islands, as well as their surrounding territorial waters. Declared a National Nature Reserve in 1983, the reef hosts over 70 fish species and 255 coral varieties. Watch for nesting marine turtles and migratory birds while snorkelling pristine waters.

Land at galleries showcasing Wandjina and Gwion Gwion art. These sandstone shelters hold some of Australia’s oldest continuous cultural stories. Our expert guides share the significance of figures painted on rock walls thousands of years ago. Stretch your legs exploring magnificent rock formations that provided perfect canvases for ancient artists.

Cruise down this scenic river through steep gorges carved 400 million years ago via Xplorer tender. Our Zodiacs get you close to honeycomb erosion patterns in towering sandstone cliffs. The flooded river system carved this path through the Kimberley landscape, creating dramatic walls that dwarf our small ship. Look for freshwater crocodiles basking on rock ledges.

Disembark Fort Hill Wharf at 9:30am with transfers included. Enjoy the tropical city’s waterfront and harbourside Wave Pool.