The Australian cruise that sends you 40,000 years back in time
Radiating from a big red dot, a series of concentric circles fanned above me. A bicycle wheel? A spider’s web? The eye of a swirling hurricane? There were many interpretations. My favourite was a nod to Yowjab (Montgomery Reef), the natural wonder dramatically exposed at low tide, draining away to trap fish in a natural net.
Hundreds of drawings decorate the caves of Wiggingarra Butt Butt (Freshwater Cove) in north-west Australia, documenting the life of First Nations communities up to 4,000 years ago. Beneath the overhang of Cyclone Cave, indigenous guide Neil Maru pointed out images of fish swimming in whirlpools and dots representing drops of rain.
The rock art gallery is a highlight of a tour through the Kimberley, a celebrated wilderness three times larger than England at the top end of Western Australia. In a land crafted 1.8 billion years ago, steep sandstone gorges slice through deserts, waterfalls flow sideways, and remote islands are ringed by ancient reef systems double the age of dinosaur footprints found along the coast.
Unsurprisingly, the region has become popular with expedition cruise ships, presenting a warm-water alternative to intrepid polar voyages. One of the newest to set sail is Seabourn’s Pursuit, carrying 264 passengers to extreme outposts between Broome and Darwin in utmost comfort during the dry, pleasant months of May through to August. I’d joined their inaugural voyage.
Although it’s hard to imagine any human has ever lived in the Kimberley, this was one of the earliest parts of Australia to be settled. Historians believe the first people arrived 40,000 years ago from Indonesia, making use of famously high tides to move between islands on mangrove log rafts, and collecting luminous pearl shells for ceremonies. Respectful of nature, they never tampered with the landscape. The only evidence of their presence is a wealth of rock art.
“A few of us take care of the paintings,” explained Maru, referring to fresh colouring on several drawings. Characterised by Wandjina, a rainmaker spirit typically depicted by a haloed figure with no mouth, this is living art; refreshing works keeps these “sky-beings” alive.
Maru belongs to the community of Dambimangari people, one of the few groups permitted to paint Wandjinas. Displaced during years of European colonisation, these “traditional owners”, like all indigenous communities across the Kimberley, have been fighting for a return to their country, only receiving native land titles from 2011 onwards.
In recognition, every ship passing through the area must pay a levy and request visitor permits. Seabourn has gone several steps farther by establishing longer-term relationships. Adrian Lane and his nephew Lau Umbagai – both Dambimangari people – have been recruited as members of the expedition team. Through their eyes, I saw landscapes in a light even more dramatic than the peachy sunsets streaking the sky every night. Sand spits became serpents. Rocks transformed into spirits. On a trip to Yowjab, Umbagai recalled the first time he hunted a turtle while we watched water cascade from the world’s largest inshore reef system.
The 25-year-old expectant father advocated the power of storytelling as a means of connecting different generations and diverse cultures. “When my son is born, I’ll spoil him with stories and songs,” he insisted, as we stepped onto a shallow island that would soon sink beneath the waves.
A force far more powerful than this region’s extreme tidal changes, spiritual beliefs are equally shaping how and when tourists should visit some of the Kimberley’s key sites. From 2026, the majority of vessels will no longer be permitted to pass through Talbot Bay’s Garaanngaddim (Horizontal Falls); the last licence will expire in 2028.
Respecting the wishes of traditional owners, Seabourn has stopped with immediate effect. It’s a move in the right direction at a time when cruise ships are under scrutiny for exacerbating issues of overtourism. Lane, who also works as a ranger for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, is acutely aware of the damage visitors can do.
Back onboard Pursuit, he lamented past agreements with exploitative mining companies: “I cried with regret, but my signature was already on the paper.” Lessons have been learnt. Tourism, he now believes, presents far greater possibilities and opportunities.
A Zodiac ride along the Hunter River introduced me to recovering populations of some of the Kimberley’s oldest inhabitants: saltwater crocodiles. Lounging on mudflats below a tangle of mangroves at the base of soaring ochre cliffs, the scaly, man-munching predators slumped like Cheshire housewives in the sun. On every excursion, epic sights were guaranteed, along with a celebratory glass of champagne. Grand offerings, from in-suite marble bathtubs to sunset opera performances and 24-hour caviar on demand, put Pursuit in a different league to other ships.
A bigger spend has, however, given Seabourn the financial muscle to push through grand plans. In partnership with the Western Australian government, parent company Carnival has committed to building an information centre and accommodation for trainee First Nations guides, offering members of the Wunambal Gaambera community a chance to get back to the country.
“This is their vision,” explained Michael Mihajlov, the senior destination director at Carnival Group Australia, as we followed a trail leading to more rock paintings on Ngula (Jar Island), where the centre will be based. Mihajlov hopes tours on land will one day be led by First Nations guides. Unperturbed by the scale of his ambitions, he shrugged: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”
Besides, everything in the Kimberley is super-sized. From sea level it’s impossible to get the full perspective. A true understanding of the region runs much deeper. I found it through stories, paintings and human bonds with the land far stronger than any geological formations.
Embracing the challenges that lie ahead, individuals such as Adrian Lane are forging a path for future generations to return home. “Some people care about money. But I’m rich; I have everything I need right here,” he told me as we stood on Pursuit’s bow at sunset. “But we have to work out a way where we don’t lose our culture. Thirty years down the road, I want those rocks to be exactly where I left them.”
Essentials
Getting there Malaysia Airlines offers twice-daily flights from Heathrow from £1,009 return, for travel until June 30 on bookings made before Oct 24
Cruising there A 14-day trip to Western Australia with Audley Travel (Tel: 01993 838810) includes an 11-day all-inclusive Seabourn Kimberley Expedition cruise (seabourn.com) and costs from £11,615 per person (based on two travelling). The price includes flights, transfers and a night in Darwin. More information at westernaustralia.com
