A first-timer's guide to North West WA

Explore these hidden gems and must-see destinations when you visit the North West of Western Australia.

The North West is huge, close to the size of Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom combined in fact. Broome and surrounds in the Kimberley’s west has some of the most dazzling beaches on the planet. Surreal colours of the azure Indian Ocean are intensified by big, blue skies and the surrounding red earth. The east Kimberley around Kununurra is one of the world’s last wilderness frontiers, an ancient land that’s rugged and rust-coloured, interspersed with surprisingly abundant trees and the mighty Ord River. Further south, the Pilbara might be famous for its iron ore, but for travellers it’s home to the wondrous Karijini National Park, a playground for hikers and waterfall chasers. Here, find a taste of what’s on offer in the North West.

Unique stays

The post-pandemic world of luxury travel has been redefined; we now want space without schedules, beauty without bling, and to really get away from it all. These properties tick all the boxes without sacrificing comfort.

Berkeley River Lodge, North West WA — The blissful isolation of Berkeley River Lodge.

Berkeley River Lodge can only be reached by boat or seaplane.
Karijini Eco Retreat has safari-style eco tents, cabins and campsites at the edge of Joffre Gorge.
Eco Beach Wilderness Retreat is gloriously situated in the pristine Kimberley, an hour from Broome.

Five top spots

El Questro

Hike the stunning gorges and swim in the freshwater springs during the day at El Questro Wilderness Park and then lose yourself stargazing at
night, either from the luxurious homestead, comfortable cabins or economical on-site tents.
While there, tackle the 1.5-kilometre return walk under a canopy of palms to Zebedee Springs followed by a restorative dip in its thermal waters.

Gibb River Road

A rite of passage for 4WD adventurers, the Gibb River Road stretches 660 kilometres from Kununurra to Derby, most of it unsealed. ‘The Gibb’ crosses vast outback plains, passes the Cockburn Ranges, tracks through epic cattle stations the size of small countries and strikes out across crocodile-inhabited rivers that flood in the wet season.

Broome

Watching the sunset over Cable Beach in Broome, cocktail in hand, is a holiday dream. While there, take a cruise on Roebuck Bay, a protected sea life haven that is home to dugongs, turtles, manta rays and the extraordinary snubfin dolphin, one of only two places in the world where they can be found.

Karijini National Park

Karijini is a magnet for hikers and outdoor adventurists who love to climb through tunnels, scramble over boulders, squeeze through narrow chasms, paddle over crystal-clear waterways and be showered by plunging waterfalls. There are also less vigorous hikes, gentle ambles through shady fern oases to emerald waterholes, waterfalls, dramatic red-rock cliffs and spectacular gorges.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Murujuga National Park

With more than 700 historic Indigenous archaeological sites and a staggering one million rock engravings, some of which date back roughly 30,000 years, the Burrup Peninsula is the perfect place to discover the ancient and transfixing history of the Pilbara.

Where to eat

The Hoochery

Hoochery Distillery, North West, Western Australia — The spirits on offer at the Hoochery Distillery are created entirely by hand. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Located in Kununurra, The Hoochery is home to the oldest continuously operating (legal) still in WA, and its tacos are a perfect filler to accompany a tasting paddle of rum and gin. You must also try Spike’s Famous Beans and Corn Bread, named for the distillery’s founder Raymond ‘Spike’ Dessert III.

Hoochery Distillery Cafe, Western Australia — Dine at the Hoochery Distillery Cafe. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Ivanhoe Cafe

The family-run Ivanhoe Cafe, a Kununurra locals’ favourite, has tables under shady trees and chickens roaming free. Try the house-made buckwheat wraps and fresh mango smoothies.

Papa Fuego

Having opened in 2021, Papa Fuego’s heady mix of signature cocktails, big Argentinian reds and South American- influenced dishes like flank steak cooked over fire and street-food favourites such as empanadas have proven to be a huge hit with Broome locals and visitors alike.

Cichetti Club

You can try a delicious and uniquely Australian take on an Italian staple at the Cichetti Club at Cable Beach Club: Paspaley pearl meat, prawn and crayfish tail tortellini.

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The Aarli

The South-East Asian share plates at The Aarli, including kingfish sashimi, crispy eggplant and coriander pork banh mi sliders, make for a satisfying trip into Broome’s Chinatown, which can trace its origins back to the first camps and corrugated tin sheds set up by pearling crews in the 1880s.

Top things to do

Go wild swimming

Close to Kununurra, there’s Molly Springs, which is said to have fertility powers, or try Black Rock Falls, Valentine Springs, Middle Springs, and Emma Gorge, which is perfect for a post-hike swim.

Go hiking

Choosing one walk is like choosing a favourite child. There’s the World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park, the four-tiered Mitchell Falls, or anywhere in Karijini National Park. But a highlight is Manning Gorge on the Gibb River Road at Mt Barnett Station. Start the three-kilometre walk (one way) by either swimming 100 metres across the river or using the little pull-rope boat to ferry across. The unshaded trail is marked with informal rock cairns and arrows, and the terrain is uneven, requiring scrambling over boulders. Do keep an eye out for rock art along the way. The beautiful deep gorge is best early in the season or after rain when the waterfalls are flowing.

Karijini National Park, North West, WA — The rust-red and green landscape of Karijini National Park.

See the Horizontal Falls

The 10-metre-plus tides in the Kimberley move fast, and when the rushing water is squeezed through two narrow gorges, the twin gaps at Talbot Bay, a naturally occurring horizontal waterfall is created, the only one in Australia. Known as the Horizontal Falls, the best way to view the phenomenon is from the air in a scenic flight or, for a thrill, by taking a boat cruise that rides through the rushing torrents.

Pick up a souvenir

What better souvenir than one you can wear every day and is so beautiful it becomes a conversation starter? Splurge on an impossible-to-resist South Sea pearl or Argyle pink diamond.

Pearls from Broome, North West, WA — Broome’s lustrous pearls make an indulgent souvenir.

A scenic flight over the Kimberley

You’ve taken to the skies on a scenic flight or a helicopter ride over it. The perspective from above showcases the region’s beauty and its colossal size, which is unfathomable at ground level. Whether it’s from Broome out over the Buccaneer Archipelago, or from Kununurra over Lake Argyle and beyond, a scenic flight in the Kimberley is the one thing you can’t miss.

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour. “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour.

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour.

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour, where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.

A first-timer’s guide to North West WA

Explore these hidden gems and must-see destinations when you visit the North West of Western Australia.

Unique stays