Kimberley Expedition

02 Sep 26
Departs: 06:00 AM

03 Sep 26
Arrives: 12:00 PM
Departs: 06:00 PM

The Iron Islands in Yampi Sound offer the opportunity for a Zodiac cruise to admire the rugged precipices and bluffs. Some quite tawny-orange color, they have been shaped and sculpted through millions of years by ocean currents and tectonic forces. The rocks contain on average 67% iron and these rich deposits led to the naming of these islands. Mined periodically for the last 60 years, they lie just north of Nares Point – a craggy peninsula of ancient rock stretching out into Yampi Sound on which we may be able to offer a landing to explore a pristine beach and these unique rock formations with expedition team members as guides.

Please Note: Included Expeditions cannot be booked in advance. The ship's Expedition team will communicate finalized content and departure information. Shade is limited; to avoid sunburn, wear light, long clothing suitable for use as a cover-up. Bring a hat and sunglasses; wear biodegradable/reef-safe sunscreen. Bring bottled water. Life jackets are provided and must be worn. Wildlife sightings are likely but are not guaranteed.

04-05 Sep 26

Arrives: 05:50 AM
Departs: 04:20 AM (the next day)

Talbot Bay is the site of the Horizontal Waterfalls, which lie about 20 miles to the east of Cockatoo Island in the Buccaneer Archipelago. The effect of the waterfalls is created by the rapid tidal fall on the ocean-side of gaps in the sandstone cliffs. Waters on the inland side of the gaps cannot escape fast enough and so a ‘’horizontal waterfall’’ is created by the cascades, with water levels differing sometimes by several meters on either side of the gaps.  The gaps themselves were once layers of siltstone in the strata of the sedimentary rock. It is through these gaps that tide movements push sea water to create the Horizontal Waterfalls.

05 Sep 26

Arrives: 06:30 AM
Departs: 11:00 AM

Montgomery Reef is a reef off the Kimberley coast of Western Australia. It is situated at the southwestern Camden Sound end of and surrounds Yawajaba (Montgomery) Island. With its total area of 400 square kilometers (154 sq mi) it is the world's largest inshore reef. The reef and island were named by Philip Parker King, the first European to sight the island, aboard the HMS Mermaid while exploring the area in 1818. King named the island after the ship's surgeon, Andrew Montgomery.  When the tide is out, vast lagoons, sandstone islets, and a central mangrove island are revealed. The outward movement of the tide forms a torrent of water, creating a river cutting through the reef and hundreds of cascading waterfalls. At low tide, more than 4 meters (13 ft) of reef can be exposed.

While the tide is going out, the waterfalls attract migratory wading birds, feeding turtles manta rays, black tipped reef sharks and dugongs. 

EXPEDITION SHORE EXCURSION:
Zodiac Cruise

Arriving on high tide, we leave the ship and head out by Zodiac to the edge of  Montgomery reef. As soon as the tide drops it exposes the “river” a narrow channel we will explore by Zodiac. We will witness torrent water and endless cascading waterfalls. As the water drops further, the reef is exposed, and fish are trapped on the reef and in pools. They brings in an array of birdlife. Keep a look out for the white and grey morph eastern reef egret, ospreys, white bellied sea eagles and the beach thick knee. In the water we hope to see dugongs, stokes sea snake, tawny nurse sharks and hammerhead sharks. When the tide is out, many turtles are concentrated into the "river", and over a few hours one can see dozens and dozens of them. They are often found both in the water and stranded on the reef.

05 Sep 26
Arrives: 12:45 am
Departs: 06:00 PM

Wiggingarra Butt Butt (Freshwater Cove) lies on the mainland adjacent to Montgomery Reef. Named appropriately, as fresh water pours from out the ground all year round, making this an ideal area for a traditional camp.

The area is managed in partnership with the Damibmangari traditional owners, who have strong cultural connections to the Lalang-garram / Camden Sound Marine Park and Montgomery Islands.

06 Sep 26
Arrives: 07:00 AM
Departs: 05:00 PM

Swift Bay lies within the maze-like Bonaparte Archipelago off Western Australia’s northwest coast. This is land of the Wunambal Gaambera people, whose ancestors were among the first to settle Australia. It also is home to some of the oldest and most abundant rock art in the world. When Aboriginal marine voyagers first arrived in the remote Kimberley from Africa upward of 50,000 years ago, they started decorating the fractured sandstone walls with paintings. Some of the finest adorn the rock shelters, caves and overhangs found around Swift Bay, which early Australian explorer Phillip Parker King named in honor of Jonathon Swift, author of Gulliver’s Travels. The T-shaped bay features massive galleries with both Wandjina and Gwion Gwion art, offering a unique opportunity to compare these two distinctive styles. Wandjina spirit images, created about 3,500 years ago, are wide-eyed, richly detailed, and often appear alongside fish, turtles, crocodiles and other creatures. The much older Gwion Gwion paintings are unique to the Kimberley region and feature elongated humanlike figures, some of which are hunting, dancing, and even sailing in ships.

07 Sep 26
Arrives: 07:00 AM
Departs: 05:00 PM

The Hunter River was named in 1820 by the explorer Philip Parker King aboard the Mermaid Cutter, while making charts in the area. The river was named after the surgeon on Mermaid, James Hunter. The river is home to a large mangrove estuary, that forms part of Porosus Creek (Crocodile Creek) and home to several bird species, Osprey, Brahminy Kite, and White-tailed Sea eagles.

Mitchell River National Park is one of Kimberley's two national parks. The park lies in some of the most remote and inaccessible country in Australia. It is about 350 km north-east of Derby, and 270 km north-west of Wyndham. The park of 115,300 hectares lies in a remote part of the Kimberley and contains some of the region's scenic jewels. The Mitchell Plateau is one of the most scenic and biologically important areas of the State. Small patches of rainforest grow around the margins of the plateau, where they are protected from fire and receive additional moisture.

INCLUDED EXPEDITION--NO BOOKING REQUIRED^*
Zodiac Cruise
Leaving the ship from its anchorage position, we will start our Zodiac tour of Hunter River, passing first Naturalist Island and then Indian Head. (a sandstone headland depicting the head of an Indian) You then start to enter the mouth of the Hunter River. Near the end of Hunter River, we turn left down Porosus Creek named aptly after the many saltwater crocodiles that call the area home. Depending on the tide, we will have the opportunity to head into the mangroves and explore this unique environment, coupled with detailed interpretation of the area. Keep a look out, as sightings of saltwater crocodiles, osprey, White Bellied Sea Eagles and Brahminy Kites are quite common. This is a magnificent Zodiac cruise show casing one of the Kimberley highlights.

*Please note this expedition experience is exclusively available on our expedition ships, Seabourn Venture or Seabourn Pursuit. All shore excursions shared here are subject to availability and are weather and conditions permitting.

08 Sep 26
Arrives: 08:00 AM
Departs: 01:00 PM

Ashmore Reef Marine Park is an Australian marine park that covers the Ashmore Reef, which is located about 630 km (390 mi) north of Broome and 110 km (68 mi) south of the Indonesian Islands of Rote. The marine park covers an area of 583 km² (225 sq mi). It is one of 13 parks managed under the North West Marine Network.

The marine park comprises several marine habitats, including seagrass meadows, intertidal sand flats, coral reef flats, and lagoons, and supports an important and diverse range of species, including 14 species of sea snakes, a population of dugong that may be genetically distinct, a diverse marine invertebrates fauna, and many endemic species, especially of sea snakes and mollusks. There are feeding and nesting sites for loggerhead, hawksbill, and green turtles.

INCLUDED EXPEDITION--NO BOOKING REQUIRED^*
Snorkeling
*Please note this expedition experience is exclusively available on our expedition ships, Seabourn Venture or Seabourn Pursuit. All shore excursions shared here are subject to availability and are weather and conditions permitting.

09 Sep 26
Arrives: 09:00 AM
Departs: 05:00 PM

10 Sep 26
Arrives: 07:00 AM
Departs: 05:00 PM

Explore the King George Falls, the two highest twin waterfalls in Australia at 80m/250ft in height. The river was named in 1911 by explorer Charles Conigrave after a privately funded expedition in the area. The river is named in honor of King George V. This incredible sandstone gorge is a highlight of any Kimberley Expedition.

INCLUDED EXPEDITION--NO BOOKING REQUIRED^*
Zodiac Tour
Join the expedition team as we leave our anchorage position in Koolama Bay and head into the entrance of the King George River and falls. The 10 nautical mile Zodiac expedition takes us through a winding sandstone gorge, with incredible honeycomb and vertical erosion. Keep a lookout for Saltwater crocodiles, sleeping on the banks of the river. A wide variety of birdlife will also be pointed out by your Zodiac driver/naturalist. The highlight is of course the King George Falls, the two highest twin waterfalls in Australia at 80m/250ft in height. Depending on conditions we hope to get the Zodiacs close to the waterfalls for a refreshing spray to cool us down. This zodiac tour really is one of the highlights of the Kimberley region and a wonder of nature.

*Please note this expedition experience is exclusively available on our expedition ships, Seabourn Venture or Seabourn Pursuit. All shore excursions shared here are subject to availability and are weather and conditions permitting.

11-12 Sep 26
Arrives: 06:00 PM

​Capital of the Northern Territory (NT), with an estimated population of 150,000, Darwin is home to most of the Northern Territory population. The Darwin region, like much of the Top End, experiences a tropical climate with a wet and dry season and boasts a vibrant multicultural community, where Indigenous heritage blends seamlessly with the influence of diverse international populations.  Darwin's rich history provides an incredible background for the diverse cultural and historical activities. On the 9th September 1839, HMS Beagle sailed into Darwin harbor during its survey of the area. John Clements Wickham named the region “Port Darwin” in honor of their former shipmate Charles Darwin. The city has been rebuilt almost entirely four times, following cyclones and Japanese air raids in World War II.