Willis's Walkabouts - Kununurra

Facilities for Willis's Walkabouts

• Public Telephone
• Waiting Area

Services for Willis's Walkabouts

Bungle Bungles and the Osmond Range

This trip is divided into three sections, two in the Bungle Bungles and one in the Osmond Range immediately to the north of the park. Each section consists of a single long walk taking you far beyond where any four wheel drive will go. Section One: The Osmond Range - Seven Days Although this area is within walking distance of the Bungles, it could hardly be more different. Most of the creeks are spring fed and flow well into the dry season. The vegetation remains green and includes the southernmost monsoon forest in the Kimberley. Section Two: Piccaninny Gorge - Eight Days The start of our Bungles walks is about 130 kilometres from Warmun. The last 80 kilometres is a four wheel drive track, so the drive will take some hours. These gorges offer a variety of delights — some are palm filled, some are very narrow and require swimming. There is at least one gorge that allows us to reach a high point. No words can do justice to the beauty of the area. Section Three. Piccaninny East - Eight Days In this section, we visit a very different area to the east of Piccaninny where we find a landscape full of pools, gorges, open areas and interesting rock formations. We normally have some excellent sunrise views back toward the Bungle domes the next morning.

Carr Boyd Explorer

We begin with a bus to Lake Argyle and a boat ride across the lake to the beginning of our walk. The next week takes us past some spectacular waterfalls and through some of the most spectacular gorges in the ranges. At the end of the first week, a helicopter brings in our food for the second half of the trip. Scenic flights will be available at an additional charge. During the second week, we walk through more spectacular gorge country in the northern part of the range before finishing on a gravel road where a bus picks us up and returns us to Kununurra.

Pilbara: Karijini National Park

Karijini National Park contains some of the most spectacular gorges in Australia. This trip begins and ends in Tom Price and consists of two separate walks in different parts of the park. Either section may be done on its own. The water is warmer and the swimming is more pleasant in April than in June-July. Section One: Munjina, Dales and Dignam Gorges - Eight Days Our local transport picks us up from our accommodation in Tom Price for a drive of about 150 kilometres to the edge of Karijini National Park where we begin a one week walk combining the Munjina and Dales-Dignam gorge systems. White tree trunks against a background of red rock and a deep blue sky are everywhere around us. Some of the walking is quick and easy, some is slow and scrubby. Section Two: Kalamina to Wittenoom Gorge - Eight Days This section takes us into and/or along some of the most spectacular gorges in the park. From Fortescue Falls we are driven to the Visitor Centre and then to Kalamina Gorge where we begin our walk, passing along Knox, Red and Wittenoon Gorges.

Green Kimberley Light

Section One: Darwin to Kununurra - Three Days Darwin to the Victoria River Roadhouse where we spend our first night. We will explore an almost unknown waterfall where there is a cool rock shelter and some Aboriginal paintings. Section Two: Hidden Valleys - Two Days We begin with a day walk along a creek and through our own Hidden Valley near town, stopping to view some Aboriginal paintings and enjoy swimming in a lovely pool. The next day, a short four wheel drive and walk brings us to Andy’s Chasm, one of the most spectacular gorges in the Carr Boyd Range. Section Three: Deception Range - Two Days The following day, a relatively short drive and a three to five kilometre walk brings us to a pool in an area which bears a striking resemblance to the Bungle Bungles. Section Four: Ord River Canoe - Five Days At Lake Argyle we put the canoes in the river just below the main dam for a five day leisurely paddle back to Kununurra. Section Five: Keep River National Park - Four Days Nestled next to the Western Australian border on the Victoria Highway, Keep River is one of the least known jewels of the Northern Territory Parks system.

Green Kimberley

This trip is divided into two sections, either of which may be done on its own. Those taking part will see an abundance of wildflowers and waterfalls in places which for most of the year are dry rock. The final night of each of the first section is spent in budget accommodation in Kununurra. Section two is slightly more difficult than section one. Section One: Northern Carr Boyds - Seven days Located south of Kununurra and west of Lake Argyle, the peaks and cliffs of the Carr Boyds will be familiar to anyone who has visited the region. From the roads they present a forbidding face, dry and barren, rugged beyond belief. But up close they can show a different nature. Local bushwalkers love the range for the numerous deep cool gorges, lovely waterfalls and beautiful fern lined pools, just waiting for someone to stop and have a swim. Section Two: Cockburn Range – Seven Days Bounded by the King and Pentecost Rivers, the Cockburn Range is a relatively small plateau surrounded by massive cliffs. The view from the road has been described as the "most hauntingly beautiful" in the Kimberley. The interior is even better. The heavily dissected plateau hides deep gorges, waterfalls and shady pools, perfect for swimming.

Bungles in the Wet

This is the only time of year when you have any chance of seeing the Bungles waterfalls and creeks flowing. The pools are deeper and more comfortable for swimming. If you are reasonably fit, enjoy a challenge and want to see the Bungles as almost no non-Aboriginal has ever seen them, this is the trip for you. We begin with a relatively short flight from Kununurra followed by a scenic circuit over the Bungles and land at the park airstrip. From here it is about eleven kilometres to the start of Piccaninny Gorge, almost nine kilometres to the first major creek. Even along the four wheel drive track, we expect it to take three to three and a half hours. With the park road closed, we will have it to ourselves. Our route will be determined by the amount of rain we get. If water levels permit, we will spend the first week exploring Piccaninny Gorge and its many tributary gorges. These gorges offer a variety of delights — some are palm filled, some are very narrow and require swimming, some have caves which require the use of a torch.

Kimberley Coast Explorer

Section One: East of the Berkeley River to King George River - Fifteen Days Head inland and explore the many pools along the unnamed creek which feeds a spectacular the waterfall we have only seen from the air. Section Two: King George to Faraway Bay - Eleven Days A bit of climbing brings us to some outstanding views over the gorge below. Along the way we encounter a variety of Aboriginal art sites. From here we have an easy walk over to the King George River. Section Three: Faraway Bay to and along Lower Drysdale River - Eleven Days A relatively easy afternoon walk brings us to an interesting creek system with some nice pools and an interesting Aboriginal art site at the top of a small waterfall which plunges over a sheer cliff into a tidal creek. These easy days are followed by a much longer and more strenuous days as we make our way west to a major north-south creek. Much of the route is fairly flat, but there is some rough country and a substantial distance to be covered. Section Four: Drysdale River to Kalumburu - Eight Days Depending on the exact route we chose in section three, we may follow the Drysdale upstream through the lower gorge or we may take a short cut along some smaller creeks, a faster route which would get us to the unknown section more quickly.

Mitchell Explorer

Section One: Mitchell Plateau Airstrip to Donkins Falls - Eleven Days We begin with a flight from Kununurra to the Mitchell Plateau airstrip where we hop into a helicopter and fly straight to the top of Mitchell Falls. Walking upstream along the Mitchell River, eventually we reach a rather spectacular but little known gorge and waterfall not shown on any map. The next segment of the walk takes us across some relatively flat country to the headwaters of Donkins Creek. Finally we break into the open and reach a magnificent campsite about a kilometre above Donkins Falls. Section Two: Donkins Hill, the Hunter River and the Unknown - Twelve Days The area around Donkins Hill is extremely broken and slow going but the north end of the mountain is home to a number of interesting art sites so we will get dropped off there and spend the rest of the day exploring. The following day, we drop down to the Hunter River and begin heading upstream, going beyond where we have ever been before. Section Three: Lower Mitchell River & Western Gorge - Eight Days This section begins with a helicopter flight to a place we call the Western Gorge, a shadier and narrower gorge than anything else we know of in the area. This gorge is quite pretty so we’ll spend the rest of the day exploring it before heading across to the Mitchell River.

Gibb River Road Gorges

This is longest and most comprehensive trip on the Gibb River Road, the one that best shows you all that the area has to offer. No other tour operator will take you to many of the places that we visit as many of them can only be reached on walks of two days or more. This is also the easiest Kimberley trip we offer. We will visit the Lennard Gorge which is bounded by the highest cliffs we encounter on the trip. We will do a long day walk there, along a ridge and down to the end of the gorge, returning either along the opposite side or by swimming through. Other gorges we will visit include the Moll Gorge, Sir John Gorge, Diamond Gorge, Manning Gorge and the Upper Isdell Gorge. All feature beautiful scenery.

Durack Explorer

This trip is for adventurous people who wish to explore the unknown. We will not know exactly where we are going until we have finished the trip. Some of the route choice will depend on what we find. We dreamed about this trip for years. We flew over the Durack again and again, each time seeing it from a slightly different angle. We’ve stared down at magnificent cliffs and huge pools and tried to figure out a practical, not too expensive way of getting there. We found a bus to take us from Kununurra to Wyndham and a boat to take us from Wyndham to the mouth of the Durack and then quite a distance upstream. We got dropped off in a tidal area but a short, reasonably easy walk from there got us to a great view point overlooking the fresh water below. Even this close to the tidal zone, we could see only freshwater crocodiles and one of our big safety concerns immediately disappeared. The exact spot we get dropped off on each will depend on the tide at the time. We may not know the exact route but we do know that you will wander through some amazing gorges and that you will visit the single largest Aboriginal art site we have ever found.

Middle Isdell

This is a major expedition with a minor exploratory component based on our previous trips to the region plus information we have obtained from other people who have walked through or flown over the area. Our route takes us through beautiful gorges, lush valleys and a variety of vegetation. For those who take the time to look, there are lots of birds and a number of Aboriginal art sites. Section One: Silent Grove to Isdell - Twelve Days This section is a loop that will take us along a number of minor creeks to a gorge on the Middle Isdell and then back to the bottom of Bell Gorge. The pools, the cascades and the views here are too nice to leave out so we will spend a day walking over to visit them, relaxing and enjoying the area before returning to our base camp to enjoy some of the special extras that come in with the food drop. Section Two: Isdell to Silent Grove - Eleven Days From the bottom of Bell Gorge we continue west along the Isdell along a series of minor creeks where we find numerous pools and several Aboriginal art sites. We finish the walk back at Bell Falls where we began.

Charnley-Munja Explorer

Section One: Munja Track and Bachsten Creek - Eight Days The long drive from Mount Elizabeth is very rough and will take the better part of a day. (Some short sections are so rough that it may take ten minutes to cover one kilometre.) We will, however, have the occasional stop for a stretch or to look at some of the art sites along the way. We will explore Wren Gorge where we find a lovely small waterfall, several beautiful pools and an abundance of Aboriginal rock art. Section Two: The Charnley River - Fifteen Days The Brockman River is only about 20 kilometres from the airstrip, so the drive at the start will be relatively short. A short walk of about one kilometre downstream brings us to the much larger Calder River, hitting it at a point where it passes through some particularly interesting rock formations. We spend the night on the Calder and walk to the Charnley the following day. The terrain is moderately easy but it can be hot. In order to explore the area properly, we will do a number of day walks, the first of which will be down the Charnley to near where it empties into Walcott Inlet. Other walks will be along some of the larger tributaries.

Kimberley Highlights - Number One

Section One: The Bungle Bungles - Seven Days The start of our walk is about 330 kilometres from Kununurra, the last 80 kilometres of which is a four wheel drive track. The drive takes most of the day but we should arrive in time to walk the first few kilometres up Piccaninny Creek. Section Two: The Cockburn Range - Seven Days The Cockburn Range is a relatively small plateau surrounded by massive cliffs. The view from the road has been described as the "most hauntingly beautiful" in the Kimberley. The heavily dissected plateau hides deep gorges and spring fed creeks which flow long after the larger rivers in the surrounding countryside have dried to a few isolated pools. Section Three: The Carr Boyd Range - Five Days Located south of Kununurra, between Lake Argyle in the east and the Dunham River in the west, the peaks and cliffs of the Carr Boyds will be familiar to anyone who has visited the region. Section Four: Keep River National Park - Five Days Nestled next to the Western Australian border on the Victoria Highway, Keep River is geologically part of the Kimberley, the orange and grey banding on the rocks cause some to compare it to a smaller version of the Bungles. Section Five: Ord River Canoe - Four Days Four days are spent doing a leisurely paddle back to Kununurra from Lake Argyle, stopping to do a few day walks up into the hills through which we are passing.

Mitchell Plateau - Number Two

Section One: Lower Mitchell and the Western Gorge - Seven Days The trip begins with a flight from Kununurra to the Mitchell Plateau. We will spend the rest of the week exploring the Mitchell River below the main falls and the Western Gorge, a shadier and narrower gorge than anything else we encounter on the trip. Section Two: Donkins Falls and the Upper Mitchell - Eight Days A helicopter will pick us up and take us to Donkins Creek. We set up a base camp near our landing point and spend the rest of the day exploring the nearby rock shelters and the area above Donkins Falls which plunges over 100 metres into a narrow gorge. On the third day, we break camp and head upstream through a small gorge. The walking here is slow with a number of small climbs and a substantial amount of rock-hopping. We spend the next couple of days working our way along the Mitchell River to the main Mitchell Falls. There are numerous Aboriginal art sites, some of which require small detours. As always, there are many inviting pools so there are ample opportunities for swim stops.

Drysdale River National Park - Number One

Drysdale River is the largest and least accessible National Park in the Kimberley. On this trip you will see a variety of gorges, waterfalls and wildlife. You will visit many Aboriginal art sites in an area which contains one of the greatest concentrations of Aboriginal rock art in the Kimberley. The tour highlights many long pools on the Drysdale, so long that they can be used to land float planes. We plan to fly in and land above Solea Falls, do a long loop walk and fly out from a pool near where we came in. Morgan Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the region. Worriga Gorge is one of the best examples of monsoon rainforest. The diversity of the flora and fauna and the great scenery are both good reasons to visit this area, but there is more. Something else very special appears to be the reason that public access to Theda Station has been closed. Theda Station and Drysdale River National Park both contain an amazing concentration of Aboriginal rock art, especially the Bradshaw paintings, some of which are believed to be at least 17,000 years old.

Mitchell Plateau - Number Three

The Mitchell Plateau is one of the ecologically most important areas in northern Australia. On this walk, you see everything from open woodland and broad river valleys to deep gorges and spectacular waterfalls. You will visit many Aboriginal art sites, the number of which may be a reflection of the diverse habitats and abundant natural food supplies. Different route options are available. One possibility is a one or two day walk to Surveyor's Pool, an isolated pool surrounded by six metre white cliffs. A second possibility is a short walk to a potentially interesting waterfall the map shows only a few kilometres from the road. A third is driving down to the coast for a two day exploration of Crystal Creek where we can find a shady gorge, good pools and a small waterfall which does not appear on the map. The guide will decide which to do based on the interests and abilities of the group, available water supplies and the condition of the four wheel drive tracks. The main walk begins with a relatively short walk from Mitchell Falls car park and takes us to Little Merten Falls where we find a number of Aboriginal art sites. Moving on, we soon come to Big Merten Falls and Merten Gorge and then Mitchell Falls.

Mitchell Plateau - Number One

This is a major expedition at a testing but spectacular time of year. Good physical and mental fitness and the ability to swim at least 100 metres unaided are absolutely essential. The flight, approximately 350 kilometres, takes you across Cambridge Gulf, Drysdale River National Park, the Carson and King Edward Rivers. We will also fly over the Mitchell Falls so that you get to see them from the air as well as from the ground. If time permits, we then drop down to the seven kilometre stretch of Mitchell River between the upper and lower falls. A wealth of known Aboriginal art sites and the potential for new discoveries amongst the stony outcrops make this section of particular interest. We begin the walk on the west side of the Mitchell River; we end it on the east. Somewhere we have to cross. If water levels permit it, we will float our packs across one of the deep pools where the river moves at its slowest. If not, we will use a satellite phone to call in another helicopter to bring us out from wherever we are able to reach.

Drysdale River National Park - Number Two

Drysdale River National Park is the largest and least accessible in the Kimberley. This inaccessibility is the key to one of the park's main attractions — few introduced pests and an ecology that remains relatively undisturbed in comparison to much of the rest of Australia. It is usually easy to spot freshwater crocodiles in the pools below Solea Falls. Fishing is excellent, at its best below the falls. There are many long pools on the Drysdale, so long that they can be used to land float planes. We plan to fly in and land above Solea Falls and fly out from a pool below the falls. We will spend about a week making our along the Drysdale River, stopping to explore a number of side creeks and climb the nearby hills. Moving more quickly would deny us the time to properly enjoy the variety of vegetation, gorges, beautiful pools and Aboriginal paintings. This section will include Solea Falls itself, a great campsite with great views over the river below. Beyond the Drysdale, we have a choice of two routes. The guide will discuss these with the group and make the decision based on the interests and abilities of the group members.

Kimberley Highlights - Number Two

This trip takes you into three very different environments. You canoe along the Ord River, and take part in long walks in the Carr Boyd and Cockburn Ranges. Section One: Ord River Canoe - Four days From Kununurra we are driven to Lake Argyle where we put the canoes in the river just below the main dam. The next four days are spent doing a leisurely paddle back to Kununurra, stopping to do a few day walks up into the hills through which we are passing. Section Two: The Carr Boyd Range - Six days From the road, the peaks and cliffs of the Carr Boyds present a forbidding face, dry and barren, rugged beyond belief. Up close, they can show a different nature. Even after the driest of seasons, spring fed creeks trickle through deep, cool gorges and lovely pools bounded by lush vegetation which stands in stark contrast to the dry plains outside the range. Section Three: The Cockburn Range - Seven days Bounded by the King and Pentecost Rivers, the Cockburn Range is a relatively small plateau surrounded by massive cliffs. The view from the road has been described as the "most hauntingly beautiful" in the Kimberley. The heavily dissected plateau hides deep gorges and spring fed creeks which flow long after the larger rivers in the surrounding countryside have dried to a few isolated pools.

Experiences around Kununurra

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
• Adventure
• Flora/Fauna
• Nature based
• Outback
• Wildlife