TUNNELS, GORGES AND JANDAMARRA

Length of Tour:
2 Day Self Drive (Tag-A-Long ex Fitzroy Crossing)
3 Day Self Drive (ex Fitzroy Crossing or Broome)
Private Charters ex Broome available on request

Tour Dates: On Request

Departure Months: May to October

Cost: Self Drive (Tag-A-Long)
AUD $ per person (1 person)

Pickup Point:
2 Day Tours depart Fitzroy Crossing 8:00 am on Day 1
3 Day Tours start at Windjana Gorge at lunch time if coming from Broome or 8:00am from Fitzroy Crossing

Includes:

• All Meals
• Guiding
• Camping Equipment

Highlights Include:

Includes:

• Guests of the remote area community of Biridu on Leopold Downs Station.
• Visiting the majestic Tunnel Creek, following its path as it cuts its way through the Napier Range.
• Marvelling at the vertical cliff faces and rock formations of Windjana Gorge.
• Following in the footsteps of Jandamarra, a Bunuba freedom fighter.
• Learning of the traditional survival skills used in the west Kimberley.
• Gaining an Aboriginal perspective on life and landform of the west Kimberley.

Overview:

The rugged and remote Kimberley region in far north Western Australia holds intrigue for the adventurous traveller. A 2 or 3-day tour with Bungoolee Tours takes you into this country sharing the mystique of an ancient West Kimberley Aboriginal culture and following in the footsteps of the legendary Jandamarra.

You will visit gorges cut into 350 million-year-old Devonian reef, see rock art and share Dreaming stories. You will be taken to historic ruins that mark sites of the inland movement of European settlers in the late nineteenth century. As guests of the remote Biridu community you will learn about traditional life and share the contemporary aspirations of Bunuba people who reside in this area. You will learn first hand stories of Aboriginal life on Kimberley cattle stations.

The Bunuba people are proud of their ancestor Jandamarra, who in the 1890s led a fierce and sustained resistance to inland advancement and European settlement on tribal lands. Traditional Bunuba man Dillion Andrews, of Bungoolee Tours, will take you on a very special journey, relating the history of the area, sharing his spiritual connection to land, and visiting the caves where his ancestors lived.

Dillion takes pride in showing and sharing his culture and beliefs. Guests are welcomed and provided a unique and privileged experience. Bungoolee Tours observes strictly the cultural protocols of Bunuba people. Guests experience a smoking ceremony, and are provided traditional entry to places of spiritual significance. For cultural reasons Indigenous Australian women are not permitted to enter Tunnel Creek.

Day 1
On the morning of day one you depart Fitzroy Crossing and head off the beaten track into Bunuba land, into the heart of West Kimberley cattle country and the spiritual lands of your local guide.

You will explore old living areas and historic sites and to gain an Aboriginal perspective on life and land.

In the late afternoon you will arrive at your base camp near to the remote Biridu community. Here you will share billy tea around a camp fire. Following an evening meal you will be ready for a well earned rest under the Kimberley sky.

Accommodation at the base camp will be tents and swags. All sleeping arrangements including swag, linen, pillows and rugs are provided. Arrangements at the camp will be basic but comfortable with bush toilet and shower facilities available.

Day 2
After breakfast you will be guided through the majestic Tunnel Creek, following its path as is cuts its way through the rugged Napier Range. This is your introduction to the wonders of the spectacular Devonian reef.

You will be guided into Windjana Gorge, marveling at the vertical cliff faces and rock formations. In the cooler months you may be lucky enough to observe, at close range, fresh water crocodiles as they bask in the sun on the sand banks. You will visit the ruins of the Lillmaloora police outpost, a critical site in the Jandamarra story.

Your 2 day tour concludes at Windjana Gorge early afternoon, providing time for you to make your way west to Derby or Broome. You may wish to extend your stay in this country by camping overnight at Windjana Gorge or continuing along the Gibb River Road to other Kimberley highlights.

Additional Comments:

Exclusive charter may be arranged.
Variations to the itineraries may be arranged under some circumstance.

For any enquiries regarding booking this tour, or for more information about what Diverse Travel Australia can offer, please contact us.

top ^

For additional itineraries that feature more of Australia - Just ask!