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West Coast Australia
  • Julie Fisher

West Coast Australia

A 26-day adventure by Julie Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 16, 2025
    Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Arrival Perth
    National Hotel

    Stage one, get to Fremantle

    August 19 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Flying from Melbourne going West we gain two hours arriving in Perth. $100 cab ride to Fremantle is a good decision, not only was it cold it was pouring when we arrived. I knew it was likely to happen so was prepared.

    Two hour time difference meant we're ready to eat at 5.30 local time. Our 3* hotel is in the center of Fremantle. An old restored Victorian pub, looks promising. The bar looks grotty, dark and uninviting but has the benefit of serving meals all day. Surprisingly good food and ok wine.

    I am always exhausted by the time we finally leave. A combination of tension around , 'have I thought of everything that needed to be done' and actually trying to do it. I sleep for nearly 11 hours.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Tudor arcade Fremantle1Tudor in the shadow of modernBell tower

    Around Fremantle and Perth

    Aug 20–22 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    It is nice to have time to just relax and decide for ourselves what we want to do with the day. I find it stressful just getting organized to get away. It's there for a luxury to have an uncommitted day.

    Fremantle has beautiful architecture and buildings thanks to the m gold rush. It's easy to spend time wandering around and looking at the historic buildings which have not just been retained but preserved as well. It's easy to forget that Fremantle was also a penal colony. In the center of the city, evidence of its convict past is everywhere. We're undeterred by the rain and showers that come intermittently throughout the day.

    We are not due to board the ship until 4:00 p.m. tomorrow so a decision has to be made as to what we do with the time between checking out of the hotel and going to the ship. Taking the train to Perth seems like an obvious thing to do, not very stressful as the station is nearby and the train is just a 30-minute ride from the center of Perth.

    This trip is really just an excuse to do something other than hang around the hotel, Perth is a modern wealthy City with some quirky architectural decisions. Sometime in the 1930s somebody decided to build an arcade based on Tudor, England. It looks quite strange amongst all the modern buildings. A little bit further on from here is a really interesting modern take on a bell tower. We don't spend a lot of time in Perth, wander through the gardens down to the river and then back to the train

    Although the port is close to our hotel, as everything else is in Fremantle, we're still forced to take a taxi to get to the ship. Over the course of the day I have been feeling increasingly unwell. I do manage to get through all the formalities of boarding and even unpack case but I declined dinner and go to bed early, hopefully a restful sleep will be the cure.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Coral and shell path

    First zodiac ride in the Abrohlos Island

    August 22 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    It is the time of the year when the whales migrate from the Arctic to the Southern Ocean. They were quite close to the ship this morning and we saw several humpback whales breaching.

    A zodiac ride is always an experience and certainly makes you feel you're alive. In stepping off the ship you know you are going to be, usually, surprised and entertained. They will always be something and I try to think about the highlight or highlights of any given day. You never quite know until you get there what you will face. For this trip it is even more true as no one including the captain or the naturalists have sailed in this part of Australia before. No doubt adjustments will be made after the trip. It was quite cool on the zodiac and I regretted not wearing more clothing. At the end of the day I also regretted not applying more sunscreen. It was not surprising that we saw many seabirds, my particular favorite are the terns they are so pretty as they flit across the water and dive to catch fish.

    The Abrolhos Islands off the coast of Geraldton consist of some 210 coral atols. Our visit is to Post Office Island. Typically of a coral atol, there is no real sand or Beach to speak of just a lot of coral rubble. So much in fact that the paths are made of coral and wind between low shrubs which somehow manage to survive in this very hostile environment. There are a number of buildings on the island which house the family for a short period of time each year that they are here, not the sort of place you would want to spend very much time unless you wanted to totally switch off from the world.

    This tiny island was occupied for the purposes of lobster fishing but lately the family have diversified into Pearl farming. Having heard so many presentations on how pearls are cultured, I wasn't particularly thrilled with the idea of hearing yet another. Much to my surprise, however, the person presenting was excellent and for the first time gave us far more detail about the oyster itself rather than the process of producing a pearl.

    Gala dinner and show so back to the ship    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Cairn marking the wreck of the Batavia
    Terns on the gangwayA very curious sea lionCliffs off Turtle BayMore illustration of the harsh landscapeThere was some vegetationImpossible for a picture to tell the tale of the ride back3A very, very wet Julie

    Excitement every day

    Aug 23–24 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    The Abrolhos Islands stretch a long way north in an area famous for the shipwreck of the Batavia. To get to the shipwreck, at least that's what I thought, given the wreck or what is left of it, is now in Fremantle, was a two stage journey. A zodiac ride to Wallabi Island and then a small boat to the wreck site at Beacon Island. On the island there was a brief telling of the story of the Batavia. We were provided with much more detail later in the lecture. As with most croral islands, it is very tiny with some vegetation but of course no trees.

    During the talk two osprey flew over us one with a fish clearly visible in its talons, quite a sight and a distraction from the commentary. Wildlife is still plentiful, apart from the osprey there were many terns, cormorants and gulls. At Wallabi Island a sea lion was enjoying the attention of arriving passengers. It frolic in the water for quite some time and completed an acrobatic maneuver jumping out of the water, flipping over and landing back in the water. Our naturalists also enjoyed the show and as they never go anywhere without their cameras were lying in the zodiac taking pictures.

    The real highlight of the day however, was the zodiac ride back to the ship. The plan for the afternoon was to snorkel in Turtle Bay which sounded very inviting even though the water temperature did not promise to be very high. Those plans however were soon scuttled when a violent thunderstorm approached and all excursion activities, including those that were about to start were canceled. The waves were quite high and the wind pushed them up towards the zodiacs, drivers doing their best to get us back quickly but safely. The zodiac pounding through the water was lifting up at the front and then crashing down on the other side of what were now very high waves. The sky, black overhead, eventually sent down hail and rain. If we hadn't been wet before we were now and even more so as the waves broke over the front of the zodiac soaking all inside. A hot shower was very welcome. We were luckier than some who did not make it off the ship because the storm broke just before they were due to leave. A snorkel in Turtle Bay was planned for the afternoon but the weather put paid to that.

    The visit to the two islands and journey to get there provided an excellent context for what it must have been like for the passengers and crew on the ill fated voyage of the Batavia. The journey from Holland to Indonesia ended when the ship ran aground in the Abrolhos Islands. There was an attempted mutiny and various passengers and crew were put ashore on different islands and left to survive. Many did not as there was no food, no shelter and no water and one particular Island. All those who were put ashore died. It was a horrendous journey for everyone.

    There was much appreciation on the part of the expedition team leader for the good humour of the passengers after what had been such an exciting ride back to the ship.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    View from the ship
    View from a zodiacDark area is seagrass, dugong behindDugongDugong and calf1Seagrass relatively fresh and some driedSeagrass1Bob made it to the lookout

    Cape Peron and Dugongs

    August 24 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    The world heritage site of Cape Peron, south West of Carnavon WA has a large area of seagrass. The largest living organism on earth is the seagrass growing in Shark Bay which stretches some hundreds of kilometers. Such an amazing plant. It is one organism that has reproduced itself across a vast distance. It is the home of the dugong.

    The storm which hit yesterday has forced the captain to change our itinerary and we are now sheltered in the relatively calm waters of Shark Bay. Again we can see more of the spectacular geology of the area. The red sand cliffs strongly contrast against the blue of the sea and the white of the beach sand below. It looks so desolate and rugged. By zodiac we move gently through the seagrass. Although this is quite a bright green in color from the zodiac it looks like a dark shadow. We are here not so much to look at seagrass however but to see dugongs if possible, a shy and elusive animal that feeds almost exclusively on the seagrass. It is not very long before our eagle eyed naturalist guide sees a dugong. Soon we see more including a mother and calf. As they come to the surface to breathe we see a light grey pink coloured back. We are so fortunate, they are a threatened species and not easy to find. It is exciting, I was not thinking we would be so lucky.

    Next stop is the beach and a walk. I didn't bring a walking pole which was silly so I am reluctant to tackle the walk to the top as the sand is slippery. Bob has no qualms. There is a walk along the ridge to a lookout. I walk along the edge of the water looking at the vegetation. It isn't apparent from the ship just how many different plants there are here. This is a hot, dry climate yet small and medium sized plants cling to these sand dunes making it an interesting walk. In particular I am looking for seagrass recently washed ashore. There is evidence of dried seagrass on the beach, brown long ribbons, relatively thin. I would like to see something that gives me a better idea of what it really looks like. I find some I think is seagrass and confirm this with one of the naturalists. It is not quite what I was expecting because some of it looks like seaweed, not thin ribbons as I had seen dried on the beach.

    After yesterday it was so nice to have a relatively calm, sunny day and an uneventful zodiac ride. At the briefing we were told however that the weather had not really improved and the ship would reposition again to Dirk Hartog Island and take shelter for the night.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    2Remains of a megaherbBush has high salt content growing in the sandEarly wattleThe blowhole

    Dirk Hartog Island

    August 25 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    Dirk Hartog Island and Cape Peron are small relatively sheltered islands off the West Australian coast. Powerful waves hit the western side of this Island, the battering of the ocean shapes the western side in particular. Southern Western Australia has experienced unseasonably high rainfall for the last three years and the result can be seen in the relatively lush vegetation and in particular the wild flowers which are starting to bloom. This is never more evident than on Dirk Hartog Island. The island is now a sanctuary for many endangered birds, lizards and tiny mammals. The successful reintroduction of these creatures was possible because a major project over a number of years has rid the island of invasive pests, particularly cats and rats.

    There is a down and an upside to having an early start. The downside is getting up early enough to get breakfast and get organized before leaving the ship. Because the conditions are still rough a local operator has been engaged to take groups of passengers closer to land where we are then loaded onto a zodiac to then take us to the beach. Each trip takes just over 30 passengers at a time.

    It is still quite overcast when we leave but there are hints of sunshine. The transfer from ship to ferry and to zodiacs works very well and we land safely. There is a small settlement that has taken advantage of the location and setup a small tourist operation. There are options for people to camp or stay in cabins facing the ocean. Coffee is available from a small cafe overlooking the ocean and near a white sandy beach curving around to the north.

    The walk along the beach highlights more of the geology of the coast and the unusual flora. Woolsheds and sheep shearing holds no mystery for me and if I never see another set sheet of shearing clippers it will be too soon. Another coffee was very appealing. Bob however headed off to the woolshed for something there which unfortunately for me turns out not to be what I thought. It was a summary of the history of the people who had set up the operation not how to shear a sheep.

    There are a few dirt tracks on the island, one heads west from where we are to a blowhole. The road is rough but the young driver keeps us entertained with stories of this place. This Western side of the island is such a contrast to the other side. There are no beaches, just very rugged cliffs carved out by the sea. The harshness of the climate here is never more evident than where there is no rain, close to where we stop the hills behind us are barren. At a number of places you can see blowholes because there is such a strong wind the effects of the water pounding into the space creates a significant spout of water, very dramatic.

    Gin is made here on the island, flavored by one of the flowers we see on our drive. A tasting is possible and it's a very interesting and pleasant flavour. Our zodiac back to the ship has been held up because there seems to be a problem with the small vessel that brought us here. It turns out they have had a major fire which has taken out their motor. This means we travel back to the ship by zodiac. An engineer from our ship was sent over to the stranded vessel but no repair was possible. For the passengers expecting to come out this afternoon this is now not possible the waves are so high the zodiacs are not able to take people all the way to shore. The upside of being in one of the first groups.

    The pianist on board this trip is of course excellent and tonight she gives a concert which is quite superb.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Entrance to Exmouth
    Communication towersTiny red flower on a ground cover

    Exmouth, Ningaloo and decimated coral

    August 27 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    A major attraction for me to come here was snorkeling at Ningaloo. A major bleaching event in 2024-25 saw coral decimated on both sides of our continent and right up north to PNG. The extended heat wave kept the water temperature well above the limit corals can survive in. If the coral can recover it could be a decade before it returns to anything like it was and that assumes no future bleaching events. Grateful we saw the corals, east of PNG when we did.

    Exmouth is a small town of just 2000 permanent residence but swells to up to 10, 000 during school holidays. Judging by the number of caravans, camping trailers and caravan parks, a good number of the tourists who visit come by road. No doubt there is a healthy number of grey nomads who are traveling around the country. There is not a lot to see in the town as you would expect in this part of the country it has been built primarily on sand. There are many trees and some low shrubs, housing is very basic and made of steel, everywhere there is evidence of termites. The sun is at least shining but there is a stiff breeze. Not exactly hot weather, I'm sure we will encounter some later.

    Exmouth is located at the tip of North West Cape on Exmouth Gulf. Ningaloo is on the other side opposite the Exmouth township. Overlooking the western side of the cape is a lighthouse which would have been essential in the early days because as with the other coasts we have seen, it is very rugged in places. We can see clearly an array of 400 meters tall radio communication towers for submarines these continue to be important. Some of the vegetation is in flower, not showy European type flowers but very small sometimes bright colored flowers on silvery grey bushes often growing in rocks. I find this interesting because it is such a contrast to the native plants we have in our garden.

     There is a beach at Turquoise Bay not far from here where we will snorkel. This will be a drift snorkel as there is a current running south to north. It's a windy day and it turns out the current is very strong. My preference for snorkeling is to be able to drift and hover at my own speed over the coral to observe the life below however this was not possible as the current dragged us very quickly from our starting point to where we were to finish. We were advised where to get out of the water and buoys were set up to tell us where otherwise we were warned we might end up in Broome. It wasn't particularly pleasant battling against the current and the sea was very cold. I found myself swimming sideways and further out than I intended to be which wasn't a problem and I was able to get back however I did see a lot of large fish. Unfortunately because so much of the reef had been damaged by the bleaching event the fish numbers were clearly right down. At least we have now been there and despite the level of difficulty I had, I was pleased we had done it. It was a cold journey back to town as we were wet.

    We didn't see a lot of point in going back into town to walk around so we spent the afternoon on board. We were a little fed up with the relatively low quality French wine and bought a decent bottle for dinner, an Argentinian malbec which we shared with another couple making it a very pleasant evening.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Rugged coastline
    Wood swallowHigh up is a blurry ospreyMangrovesOyster catcherBob managed to take this of the turtlesBob relaxing after a tough zodiac ride

    Montebello Iles, British nuclear testing

    August 28 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 20 °C

    The Montebello Islands are a small group of islands 130 kms off the Pilbara Coast so very remote. They were the location of three nuclear tests conducted by the British in the 1950s. One of those blasts was so strong that there was evidence of radiation as far as the Gold Coast. If we go on land we would not be allowed to stay more than 1 hour because of fear of radiation poisoning. Needless to say this is not on the itinerary. Today the islands are a marine park and nature reserve and as with so many of the small island groups near here, because cats, rats and other feral animals have been eradicated this has enabled endangered local wildlife to be reintroduced.

    The wind in the morning is still very strong making the sea very choppy. Zodiacs go out to assess whether a ride for us is possible this morning. Watching from the ship it becomes apparent that this won't be happening. For the zodiac drivers, driving the zodiacs must be like riding a a bucking bull. The front of the zodiac rises at the top of a wave often well over a meter and then comes crashing down the other side. The drivers are very skilled and yet these conditions still present a challenge. By the afternoon the sea is much calmer and the plan is for us to sail around the islands. From the ship and we are looking from the Westerly side, the islands don't look like they will offer very much of interest. There is a little low vegetation clinging to the rocks but it is otherwise quite barren. This is our last zodiac ride so we were never going to miss it.

    It's a beautiful sunny day with little wind now. These zodiacs trips are usually a really tranquil way to discover a place and so it is with this one. Our driver takes us in and out between the islands. We see numerous birds, a pair of osprey on top of a cliff and although a long way off still clearly visible. There are herons, oyster catchers and a swallow called a wood swallow. The guide saw a dugong but we didn't. A surprise for me was that in sheltered areas on the other side of the islands away from the Indian Ocean, there is a significant cover of vegetation including mangroves. From the mangroves dart stingrays and two different types of shark. One is the black tipped reef shark and the other we were told what it was a guitar shark, quite a large one. Some later zodiacs saw whales but there are so many here that wasn't a surprise.

    There were numerous small bays and mangroves which we explored, the 2 hours passed quickly and I think most people in our zodiac would happily have stayed longer. As we turned to go back there was a zodiac strategically parked and those on board offered us mimosas which turned out to be I think, champagne and orange juice. A very nice end to a lovely afternoon. We had one more surprise however, as we were heading back two large green turtles were mating right in front of the zodiac and at one point both heads were out of the water. They seemed unperturbed by us.

    Given the remoteness of this place and the fact that it had been a clear day it was suggested that we do a little star gazing with one of the guides. On the top deck the blinds of the bar were closed and we stood outside to to gaze in awe at the Milky Way and other stars. The guide provided commentary and had a laser pointer so he could point out interesting things    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Bush tomatoesFlower of the bush tomatoNot always sure what a carving is about, bottom left but top right is believed to be a quollI think this is of sea creaturesBelieved to depict an ancient fat tailed kangaroo, near the top on the leftMale tribal banding around the neck ( left and right side curved)Explains how to cut up a kangaroo, right at the topLooks like a snakeFrom their information booklet

    Dampier and Murujuga

    August 29 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 21 °C

    Dampier is in the Pilbara region of WA a small settlement on the coast with one tourist attraction, a statue of the Red dog made famous in a movie. The color of the town is red as the town is surrounded by red rock. Murujuga National Park, now a world heritage listed site as of a month ago, is home to what is considered the largest and oldest collection of petroglyphs in the world some believed to be some 47,000 years old. There are millions of petroglyphs in the park spread across an extensive area of land. The rock is extremely hard and for images to be carved it was necessary to chisel away the outer layer of the rock to reveal a lighter area below the surface. It is a beautiful tranquil place, the green of the vegetation and trees contrasted against the red of the rocks and the blue of the sky. It made it such a photogenic place.

    The national park is owned and managed by the traditional owners who have continually occupied this land for some 50,000 years. The guides on our walk are traditional owners and have extensive knowledge of the area. The petroglyphs depict many different images. They document the animals people saw some we see today, a thylacine which lived in this part of the country at one time as well as animals that existed thousands of years ago. Apart from animals, however, the carvings were an important communication tool providing information to the local people. Such things as areas they could or could not go depending on if they were male or female, young or old, information relating to punishment and even what we might think of as early recipes such as how to cut up a kangaroo. The carvings were also important for communicating stories and song lines and tribal decorations. The morning is pleasantly warm which is a change from the weather we have come through making a walk through the park very pleasant. There are quite extensive walks and we do walk-on further looking for more carvings. They are hard to see and really the only way you can spot them is if you look very carefully at individual rocks. We see many more. I regret not having brought the binoculars.

     Apart from what looks like a very rugged landscape, there are also reasonably sized trees and very grassy areas with small shrubs as well as wallabies. During our presentation while looking at the rock art, two rock wallabies charge across the face of the rocks darting in and out, turning with agility on the rocks, not possible to photograph. One of the plants we are shown is a bush tomato. It's a relatively low growing plant with a very large green fruit, I can see the similarity with a tomato. . It is cooked and eaten but minus the seeds which apparently can upset your stomach.

    We go back to the ship for lunch and we have the option of going back into Dampier but decide that there isn't enough there of interest to warrant going into town. Tonight is the final dinner, again, a magnificent feast including eye fillet served with lobster tail. Disappointingly the wine is just the normal relatively low quality French wine they serve at every meal.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Solar powered boat
    Brahmany kiteZebra finchesMyzomela red headed honey eaterTwo finches drinking, one thinking about it and a honey eater arriving1Tug boat pulls us away from the dock into a beautiful sunset

    Broome arriving and leaving

    Aug 30–Sep 1 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    We have sailed over 2,500 km to get from Fremantle to Broome. From our last stop at Dampier it has taken a full day and most of an evening to reach Broome. Most of the passengers will have taken this time to pack in preparation for a very early disembarkation the following morning. Because we are going on, we could spend a leisurely day as few activities were scheduled.

    What I'd been looking forward to on this trip was the opportunity to swim at Ningaloo. Even though this was possible only once reflecting on where we have been and what we have done, the journey has been a remarkable one. We have been taken to remote places generally inaccessible except with a relatively small ship or via zodiac. Some of the excursions have been quite unusual, particularly sailing around Montebello Islands where the nuclear testing took place, I had no expectation we would see anything, but in fact it was a very nice experience. The wildlife we have seen has also been a highlight. Whales are everywhere of course because they are migrating South and we are sailing through the same waters. They are often very close to the ship. We have also seen a wide variety of birds and one land animal, the wallabies. The weather caught everybody by surprise, but the captain and the expedition leader were able to always come up with a plan b and in some cases a plan c. It will be interesting to see when they do this again, if they do, how the trip might change.

    It has been more than 10 years since we have been to Broome but not a lot seems to have changed, although there is much more development around the outskirts of the town and particularly the port. Given how many small cruise ships now sail up and down this Coast, it isn't a surprise that the port facilities had to be upgraded. I think more than anything else to get us off the ship while cleaning etc. was done, we were offered a trip to Willy Creek Pearl farm. My initial reaction to this was oh not another bloody Pearl farm. However, the day turned out to be a lot more interesting than I expected.

    The drive to Willie Creek was really interesting, a lot of low scrub and quite substantial trees in places contrasting against the red sand. It's a beautiful day and finally we have a 35° day but it is surprisingly mild as there is no real humidity. We see brolgas at a distance challenging to get a picture. I am surprised that there is actually a very wide tidal creek. At the farm itself we are introduced yet again to the process of seeding an oyster and harvesting. What was interesting though with this demonstration was a camera was placed over one of the skilled workers who retrieved a pearl and reseeded the oyster. Even more fascinating is that they have been participating in a research project with the University of WA investigating how the calcium carbonate of the oyster shells can be used to help with the repair of bones in people. They're very close to the trial stage.

    A small electric powered boat is used to collect the oysters, which are taken in, cleaned, pearls harvested and reseeded before being taking back out to sea, The roof of the boat is made just of solar panels. We're given more information about the maintenance of oysters, it's quite a process to make sure they are clean and in good condition. Of course there is always the retail opportunity and of course their pearls are the best in the world. One long string $32,000.

    The family's a little way out of town and there are numerous birds. A small bird bath attracts the attention of zebra finches and a red-headed Honey eater Myzomela, I manage to take pictures of both which has its challenges because they pause to drink water for only a second. Also discover how to identify a bird from a photo I've taken. Also a kite observes us leaving the small boat used to show us oyster beds.

    There is a shuttle from the port to the center of town, I want to pick up a couple of things from a chemist and so we're dropped a little way out of town to find a chemist that's open because today is Sunday. That's all good but to get back to the ship we need to take a taxi. Not really a problem. It's always good to be back on board before the next lot of passengers arrive.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    A whale fluke
    1Turtle tracks and BoobiesBirds on the water's edge1Brown boobies1Brown booby1Masked boobySo many birds very hard to photograph

    Lacepedes Islands - birds and & turtles.

    September 1 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    It is easy to forget how many very remote places there are in our large brown land. The Lacepedes Islands stretch in total just 12 km, are 30 km off the Dampier coast and 120 km north of Broome. The group consists of four small islands and we are here because it is a nature reserve, a major breeding ground for birds with over 50 species of birds on the islands and an important breeding habitat for green turtles.

    The ship's clock was set on Darwin time last night 1.5 hours less sleep and if that's not enough we are awakened by the captain, he has stopped for whales. This is an important place for whales to calve. There are many whales and several close to our balcony. The change in time we are told is usually closer to Darwin, changing now gives us more daylight for excursions.

    Unlike the previous trip, it is a calm, still, warm day. There are so many birds here. This is a major nesting place for Brown boobies and Noddies. They fly in large numbers in and around the ship totally disregarding our presence. The Brown boobies are an unusual looking bird, they are quite large and stand probably half a meter tall. They have dark brown wings and back, and a white front. Their large white beak makes it look like they have their head covered. One unusual thing about these birds we are told is that their eyes look directly at you. They stand very still quite high on the shoreline and are easy to photograph. The noddies are smaller and a little bit darker. There are so many Brown boobies here, hard not to get good photos.

    Our zodiac tour of the islands takes us right around. There are visible lines in the sand which are turtle tracks. Female green turtles make a nest and lay their eggs above the tide line for obvious reasons. We see many small turtles around our zodiac. Impossible to photograph as our expedition leader said we can play snap a photo of a turtle head game, when they do come up for air it seems like it is for less than a second.

    Around the other side of the island is a reasonable sized crocodile. We see other smaller ones. Lots of food for them here. I am more interested in birds. We see so many different birds, the smaller birds are at the edge of the water (Turn stones, Roseate terns, Egrets and Oystercatchers ). The little Turn stones are a brown and white bird, they dart quickly across the rocks close to the water. The Terns are also near the edge of the water. The oyster catches and egrets are a little further back. They stand out because the oyster catchers are a dark black and the egrets white. Much easier to see than the smaller birds at the edge of the water. Our guide knows his birds and has sharp eyes, sharper than mine.

    Further up the bank we see more Boobies, Gulls, Cormorants, Herons grey and white. Above are Frigatebirds are harassing the Boobies hoping they will drop their catch. Unfortunately using the phone zoom was not a great idea the birds are not clearly visible except when we were closer. Hopefully Bob has better shots than mine.

    These islands are such a surprise, rocks and limited vegetation and no trees yet here are all these birds. It was a great afternoon and to cap it off we see two Masked boobies, a rare sight. One however, was being harassed by a large number of Brown boobies.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Zodiac approaching the reef
    Grey heronTurtle head is on the rightEgretLater in the morningRocky shore line at Freshwater coveSmoking ceremony fireSmoking ceremonyPandanas and fresh water bubbles up where algae are, green area

    Montgomery reef & Freshwater cove

    September 2 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Tides in this area are quite extreme and that has influenced what we do. After visiting Lacepedes Island instead of going to the horizontal falls we went further north to explore other parts of the region. Had we gone to the falls earlier there would have been very little visible tidal movement and the point of going there is to see this geological phenomena. Timing our zodiac ride was also essential at Montgomery reef which is the world's largest inshore reef system and the tide can be up to 14 metres.

    Montgomery reef is made primarily of guano so very little can grow here. On the zodiac ride we witness the tide changing and see the torrent of water that cascades off the reef as the tide goes out. The crew have managed the timing very well. As we approach we can see the effect of the tide with water now running off the reef like a waterfall. It is quite a sight and we see more and more channels emerging as the tide recedes. Wildlife on the reef is limited. It is hard to imagine what the birds find to eat. We see gray and white herons and egrets and in the water there are stingrays and turtles.

    Our afternoon adventure is in complete contrast to the morning. Freshwater cove is an area renowned for indigenous rock paintings. These can't exactly be dated because they are regularly repainted but retaining the original image but in this area at least 8,000 years old. This is a little like what we might consider restoration work in churches and cathedrals. Only one person in a tribal group is provided with the knowledge and skill to undertake this task and this is to ensure continuity of the work.

    On the beach we are greeted by two of the local Aboriginals whose land we are on. There is a welcome to country ceremony and each of us are dorbed with a little bit of ochre. When we leave we also have the option of a smoking ceremony. A fire is lit at one end of the beach and if we walk through the smoke, any spirits that may have attached to us during our visit will be removed.

    There is a walk from the beach up to the cave where the drawings are. I want to see all the rock drawings I can on this trip because I think it will be a highlight. We have been warned that the walk will be challenging in places. I begin with good intentions but I don't get more than 25% into the walk before my heart starts racing and I'm finding myself falling behind. There is always a guide in front and behind and the guide at the back is concerned both that I am able to continue but also aware that we are falling well behind. I decide it is better to go back. Bob does go all the way and he said it had became even harder closer to the cave. Turning back I think was a good decision.

    On the beach I join the group doing a shorter walk. There are pandanas growing near the beach and these indicate fresh water, which of course enabled a local tribe to live in this area. We are shown where freshwater is coming out from the rocks near the beach, there is a small pool of water and I watch as someone comes to collect water. I had intended to taste the water but that would have meant bending over and it wasn't going to be as easy as perhaps it looked. I had an opportunity to speak with the young Aboriginal woman who did the welcome to country ceremony, she talked to me about some of the paintings in the cave and what they meant. They depict the Wandjina spirit which is found only in the Kimberly.

    I'm disappointed I can't do the full walk but it was a very pleasant afternoon    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Tiny bird is a Sandpiper1Black things are mud skippers1Contrasting colours of mangroves reflecting high tide markAustralian darter1Australian darter2Sun is starting to set11

    Hunter river& Prince Frederick's Harbour

    September 3 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    The Hunter River, not to be confused with the one in New South Wales, is one of the most scenic parts of the Kimberly Coast. This is a sheltered area and therefore no whales to be seen until we get into the open sea again. The excursions Naturalist Island and Porosus Creek are both zodiac rides, morning and afternoon. We have time to take in the spectacular geology, the tropical vegetation, the birds, reptiles and other strange creatures. This is classic Kimberly country. The sandstone rocks contrasting so dramatically against the blue of the water and even more blue sky. Between the river and the sky is vegetation in various shades of green. The high and low tides are reflected in the color of the mangroves down the bottom a greeny /grey color above the water line more green.

    The birds and animals are not always easy to see however as they are often well camouflage even crocodiles can be hard to see. Some of the passengers are disappointed because we only see two crocodiles and both are juveniles. They are very gray in color and blend perfectly with the mud of the banks on which they sun themselves, mouths open to help moderate body temperature.

    On other muddy banks are mud skippers, a black slimy slug-like creature from which it is likely we evolved. A mud skipper is an amphibious fish spending most of its time out of water. I have never seen one before and despite being very unattractive they are fascinating to watch. They are about 20 to 30 cm in length, a shiny black color but are still hard to see against the grey mud. They have a fin which rises up from the top of their body when about to fight and it is clearly visible as they skip along the mud.

    Our guide spots a tiny bird on the rocks this is a Sandpiper. It is so small and the same color as the rock, the only way I can pick it out in my photos is its shadow on the rock. A Long neck and head appear out of the water quite near our zodiac, it's an Australian darter it's fishing and not bothered at all by our presence continuing to look for food, poking its head out of the water and then darting back in. Also looking for food on the banks, are White egrets. They are not so difficult to see. Raptors in this area are much harder to spot because they fly so high, there is a White-breasted sea eagle and a number of kites.

    Because our group is the last one out for the day we cruise back as the sun begins to set. The rocks now glow a different shade of red, it is such a special place.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Not an easy place to land so many of usBob working out his next shotLunch on the pool deck, mushroom risotto being cooked

    Swift Bay

    September 4 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    This is a very sheltered part of the coast and it's no surprise that it therefore was an attractive place for the Wunambal Gaambera people to settle. It is yet another glorious day and the sea is calm. We are here to see the paintings in a cave a little way up. To get there however, we have to scramble up rocks. The zodiacs land in water but that still requires us to disembark from the zodiac and then make our way up. The crew have been very thoughtful and put down towels to help us with stability. I was a little bit concerned that this part of the excursion would be too challenging for me, but it was in fact fine. There was always someone to help you on to the next Rock and I felt perfectly secure.

    It is clear when we get to the top why people would have spent time here. Evidence of settlement can be seen everywhere with ancient middens all around. There is a large overhang which would have provided shelter and a perfect place for the local people to document their lives here. We do however have to duck and be careful not to rub against the walls or the roof of the cave lest we damage the paintings. It is a very scenic place.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Rock wallaby at the top
    Rocks uplifted now on an angleMangroves grow out of rocksRock pigeon hard to see middle to the topSilt stone so unusual the wave formKimberly roseContrasting ranges one side has less vegetationThis side more vegetation1Eddy in the middle of rising tideLooking into the gap high tide1Zodiac driver holding the zodiac with motor in the rip as low tide rushes throughTide going outTide going out

    Horizontal falls both high and low tides

    September 5 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    This trip has been a combination of Aboriginal paintings, wildlife on land, in the sea and in the sky as well as glorious scenery. Today it's Talbot Bay famous for the horizontal falls. This really describes a geological feature where water at high and low tide flows through a narrow passage between the cliffs creating a strong current. At low tide because there is so much water it rushes back through the narrow passage even more rapidly out to sea. The tide can be as high as 10 m which gives the impression of a waterfall when you look at it from either side. It was described by David Attenborough as "one of the greatest wonders of the natural world".

    Timing is everything so the day is structured around us having both the best high tide and low tide views of this natural phenomena. We are fortunate and have an early morning longer zodiac ride first. We're fortunate because as the day warms up, it becomes hotter and more humid, in the zodiac however, we are quite comfortable. The first part of our zodiac ride takes us up Cyclone Creek a gentle ride to observe the geology of this place and some of the wildlife. We are very fortunate the guides are very good at spotting wildlife and we see short eared rock wallabies. They are quite small compared with wallabies we are used to seeing. From the zodiac they look to be about the size of a brush tail possum, in fact, they're a little bit larger than a quokka. They sit quite still in the shade making them very easy to photograph once you can actually locate them. Further down the creek we see a group of humpback dolphins. Dolphins like to play and there is a calf with the group and they are playing with a sea sponge, throwing the sponge in the air and catching it on their nose this is clearly visible because the sponge is orange. The back of the dolphins are a silvery pink color and we can see a tail that looks like at the tail of a small whale, perhaps this is where they got their name from. I don't even try to take a photo rather just sit in the zodiac and watch. In the Kimberly Rose was a Friar bird, a type of Honey eater because it was taking nectar from the flowers, flitting from flower to flower, making it very difficult to photograph. The Kimberly also has its own species of pigeon, a rock pigeon and there was a pair nesting high up on the rocks. We see Osprey circling overhead and other raptors.

    It was hard to capture the power of the water going through the gap both at high and low tide. Our first view was the water flowing at high tide. To demonstrate the power of the current, our zodiac driver took the zodiac to the middle of the current and had the motor on full just to maintain our position. Earlier in the morning she demonstrated the very strong eddies by turning the motor off and just letting the zodiac be swirled around was really good. The was second excursion was later in the day to see the tide going out through the falls. We didn't spend as much time out there. It was just to look at the impact of the power of the water. We watched one zodiac driver hold her zodiac in the middle of the current which really demonstrated again how strong the force of the water through the gap is.

    When we were in Broome some 10 years earlier, we took a flight from Broome in a seaplane which landed in Talbot Bay. At the time you could take a speed boat which would speed through the falls there and back which we did. However the view we had from the zodiacs both at high and low tide was a more interesting spectacle because it highlighted this phenomena far more clearly. The local tribe are calling a halt to the high powered craft and when current leases expire they will not be renewed. It is a far more pleasant experience in a zodiac which can continue.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Low tide and no evidence of water
    Thick area of mangrovesMouse holeBower bird up high200 years on and we look at a Boab carved by sailorsGrey rock indicates high tide markTough plants here1

    Repair of the Mermaid 1820

    September 6 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Careening Bay was named because this was the place Lieutenant Philip Parker King chose to beach the ship the Mermaid for repairs. His name has come up a lot during this trip and he seems to have traveled extensively in this area. The word careening means to turn over a ship for repair. The crew spent 90 days in this area repairing the Mermaid and then they continued on their journey. While they were here, they carved into one of the Boab trees, the name of the ship, and the date. I could only think looking at the tree and given that this was carved more than 200 years ago that the tree at the time would have been quite old, unfortunately it's very hard to date bowab trees so we don't know how old this one is. It is still alive.

    This was not one of the most exciting onshore excursions, but it was nonetheless interesting. This is a very tidal area, at high tide the water comes up several meters and we see evidence of where the water has been. The walk takes us past mangroves which because the tide is so high small sharks hide in them. In order to land zodiacs however we must land at low tide. Most mangroves I have seen have been quite low growing here they are tall with roots high above the surface reflecting the high tide. There are dingoes in this area and our guide shows us tracks.

    It is quite an arid area and yet there are flowering plants growing out of the rocks. A bower bird has built a bower well inside the mangroves. It is an amazingly large curved Bauer made of sticks with a large pile of rocks, shells and pieces of coral in front of the bower. It is surprising because the bird itself is quite small. The eagle eye of one of the passengers spots the bird high up in a tree. In another tree high up, the guide points out a dark hole. Inside the hole is the golden-backed mouse, we see a picture of the mouse in one of the presentations. I use my binoculars and I think I can see something but I'm not sure. It's nice to at least know that it's there.

    The evening concludes with a glorious tropical sunset.    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Challenging place to walk throughNo one is sure what these depictFaint figures on the leftBelieved to be an echidna1Had to lie on my back for this one, not a lot of space

    Gwion Gwion rock paintings

    September 7 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    This is such a remote part of the Kimberly and here are more rock paintings this time by the Gwion Gwion people. Their style of art is quite different compared to the Wanjiina paintings we saw earlier. Many painted some 16,000 years or more ago. Unfortunately, there has been no preservation of the pieces by the local tribe, not part of their tradition. Those that are there have been in part preserved it is believed by fungus and microbacteria that has grown in the paint providing a protective layer.

    The first excursion of the day is to look at a plane wreck which happened during the second world war. The pilot was off course and ran out of fuel but managed to land the plane on the beach and they all survived. I wasn't much interested in a plane wreck, Bob went of course I can see the photos later. It's often a mistake to miss out on an excursion as it was in this case, after looking at the crashed plane there was a walk. He saw a flock of brolgas and wallabies (not rock wallabies but about the same size as we would see in Victoria).

    It is quite hot and humid in this part of the country at this time of the year. The walk to see the rock paintings is quite short, but there is no shade. The paintings themselves are not as clear and detailed as those of the Wanjiina. They depict ornaments and weapons although it is often quite hard to work out quite what the paintings are depicting. For researchers it isn't obvious either. They include what are believed to be the oldest representation of human figures in Australia. There are two caves and both are challenging to actually get into as the top of the caves are both quite low and there are rocks on either side of the area that we need to pass through in order to see the paintings. Most of the paintings are on the roof of the cave which requires some agility to actually see and take pictures of. Our group is quite small so the guide stops at one point where there is a conveniently located flat Rock and invites us to lie on the rock and look at the ceiling. It is the only way we could possibly have seen the paintings.

    We have one last excursion tomorrow then we're heading to Darwin    Read more

  • Julie FisherWest Coast AustraliaTraveler
    Mangroves below the cliffs
    Spectacular rock worn by the water and tidesSilver streak of a crocodileDark cliffs where the water will flowMoss and other plants growing where there is waterA trickle of waterFearless passenger collecting water1

    King George falls

    September 8 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We are at these falls later than our program schedule to make sure we had the best experience at the Horizontal falls. This place continues to surprise me, the King George River is an extraordinary geological feature, during the wet season water flows at what must be an extraordinary force over 50 m high cliffs. In the dry season, which is now, there is but a trickle of water. Our expedition leader speaks enthusiastically about this river and the point at which the falls start. We're shown a video of the falls in full flood. One of the guides saw them at the end of one wet season but could not get very close because of the force of the water and the mist from the water meant they could not see a lot.

    Bob he signed up for 2.5 hours in the morning with an 8 am start. I did not. It would have been much cooler and he saw more wildlife particularly birds. This trip, Bob's second is also a two and a half hour zodiac ride down the river and back, it was very pleasant despite it being a hot humid day with little opportunity for shade.Fortunately we start just after lunch which would have been slightly cooler than later groups. The zodiac moves relatively slowly most of the time which does provide some breeze and protection from the heat and humidity. We see more of this extraordinary landscape that is the Kimberly. It is quite difficult to describe, the red rocky cliffs looking like piles of rocks tower above the water on both sides. There is a surprising amount of vegetation growing within the rocks and trees higher up growing out of the cliffs. There are small bends in the river where there are mangroves adding to a sense of a green cool landscape which of course it was not.

    Our zodiac driver said at the start that at this time of day we shouldn't expect to see much wildlife. We do spend a little bit of time looking in and around the mangroves but there is not a lot of wildlife there. A large turtle puts its head out of the water and there are raptors a long way up, impossible to identify though. We see egrets and herons often patiently waiting on the rocks watching for fish. Rock wallabies would be around but at this time of day they will be keeping cool and hiding deep in the rocks. Crocodiles are around, not on land as we have previously seen but in the water presumably looking for food. They are oblivious to us and glide quietly by. We watch them for quite some time in two different parts of the river. They are re not easy to see because even though one of them is quite large, they look silver against the water and could easily be mistaken for a log. However, the point of the journey is less about the wildlife and really it is about the end of the river where the falls would be if there was water at this time of year. The wildlife is a bonus.

    Finally we turn around a bend to see massive cliffs, dark grey where there will be water later in the year and on either side more red rock cliffs. There are several places where the water flows and here moss, ferns and very small bushes grow. I understand now why this place is special. Even in the dry season we can't help but look in wonder at the majesty of this place and imagine it in full flood. It is a surreal, very quiet and imposing place. We sit for a while and just take it all in.

    There are some places where there is a trickle of water and our zodiac pulls over and water is collected for us to taste. It tastes like cooled water, nothing special but I just had to do it. I wasn't quite prepared as were others, to climb onto the front of the zodiac to collect the water. There are other people in other zodiacs collecting water in what looks like champagne flutes, I thought how did they come so prepared. The answer was nearby, bar manager and staff handing out champagne cocktails. Very happy to have one, Ponant know how to pick the location.

    The journey back from the falls is uneventful. A few birds around but it's now quite hot. I spent the journey just looking at the cliffs. I can't seem to stop taking pictures. It is our penultimate day and tonight is the last gala, we are eating at the captain's table. I feel for him having to do this, he looks tired. This has been more challenging than most trips with all the changes forced by the weather. Usually the wine on these nights is good but not this time so much so Bob asks the waiter for a Chilean wine we had last night.    Read more

    Trip end
    September 10, 2025
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