PIONEERS IN THE KIMBERLEY
Over two decades ago, Coral Expeditions fell in love with the Kimberley. In this ancient land shaped by the all-powerful tide and life-giving rain, thundering waterfalls and prehistoric art wait to be explored.
Coral Expeditions were amongst the first cruise operators to this vast and wild landscape and have been conducting expedition voyages in the region for 23 years.
In the belief that this vast expanse of Northern Australia is best seen from a small ship, we launched our Kimberley expeditions on the Coral Expeditions I in 1993. In 2006, we added the Coral Discoverer, our Australian-built, 72 passenger, world exploration vessel. We have been continually refining our Kimberley guest experience over the years, one voyage at a time.
Our ships re-trace the footsteps of the early explorers – William Dampier, Abel Tasman, Matthew Flinders and of course Phillip Parker King. Our custom-built shallow draft ships and tender equipment get you up-close to the magnificent Horizontal falls, the great Kimberley rivers of Mitchell, King George and Prince Regent, and the 25,000-year-old Gwion Gwion Rock art.
Our wealth of knowledge of the area and local indigenous communities, together with our Australian crew, allow us to offer our guests a unique Kimberley experience today.
THE HORIZONTAL FALLS
David Attenborough called it “one of the greatest natural wonders of the world”. The world’s only Horizontal Falls are a pair of stunning breaks in the McLarty Range, sitting approximately 300 metres apart. Here, water pours through natural openings in the range, causing a horizontal waterfall with a height of approx. 5 metres on a King Tide.
This natural phenomenon is created when seawater builds up faster on one side of the gaps than the other. Located in the Buccaneer Archipelago, the Horizontal Falls are only accessible by boat. Guests of Coral Expeditions will board a Zodiac to speed through the falls on a thrilling exploration.
