The Kimberley Region
The Kimberley region is one of the most unspoiled natural environments in Australia, and perhaps the world. The region’s national and marine parks are important national assets and a major tourism draw-card for nature-based tourists. The Kimberley is considered to be the world’s ‘last living wilderness’.

In the past few years both State and Commonwealth governments have recognised the importance of protecting the Kimberley and improving the opportunities for visitors to experience the wonders of the region. Several major initiatives have been unveiled to address conservation and tourism issues including the Kimberley Science and Conservation Strategy (KSCS), the listing of the west Kimberley as a National Heritage area and the inclusion of the Kimberley region as a National Landscape.

Under the KSCS new marine parks are being planned for Eighty Mile Beach, Roebuck Bay and Camden Sound. A further marine park is planned for the far north Kimberley coast. Tourism development initiatives include developing new tourism corridors, four-wheel-drive expedition routes and aerial touring opportunities as well as assisting existing Aboriginal tourism businesses to capitalize on growth opportunities, and two coastal communities to develop tourism product to service the expedition cruising sector.

Many Kimberley pastoral properties, are seeking to diversify into tourism to supplement their pastoral operations and the Kimberley Aboriginal tourism industry is one of the most progressive and active in Australia.

While the value of tourism in the Kimberley region is widely recognised, so is the need to protect the “Kimberley experience”. As more people discover the Kimberley and the unique experiences it offers, it is important to get the balance right between conservation and development, while also providing the highest possible quality of facilities and services, that contribute to making each and every visit to the Kimberley a truly memorable and enriching one.