There are many reasons to visit The Kimberley: The Bungle Bungles, Horizontal Falls and incredible helicopter rides over massive waterfalls, to name a small fraction. But a place that you probably haven’t heard about is Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek).
What is Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek)?
About 350 million years ago, the Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) was underwater, forming part of an ocean reef system. These days, the water level has dropped, but not before carving a huge 750-metre limestone tunnel that gets up to 20 metres high and 15 metres wide in some parts. It’s Western Australia’s oldest known cave system.
Besides its ancient history and incredible natural beauty, this is also a place of significant Australian history. In 1897, it was used as a hideout by the famous/ infamous (depending on who you ask) Bunuba Indigenous leader and freedom fighter of the time, Jandamarra .
These caves were carved by water hundreds of millions of years ago. (Image: Tourism WA)
Why explore Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek)?
Dimalurra travels from one side of the Napier Range to the other. And as beautiful as the range is from above, there’s an entirely different type of beauty below.
Wander through large caverns, with beams of sunlight leaking in from the world outside. Large stalactite formations hanging down from the roof add to the drama, as do mini-waterfalls along the tunnel wall. Also, keep an eye out for Indigenous rock art near both entrances of the tunnel.
Along the way, you’re likely to spot many different bat species and even freshwater crocodiles that call this cave home.
See the dramatic structures inside the cave. (Image: Tourism WA)
How to explore Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek)
Napier Range and Dimalurru reside in the West Kimberley, about 2.5 hours (180 kilometres) east of Derby. Head out yourself and take part in a day of hiking. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes that can get wet, and bring a torch (a real one, your phone torch light won’t cut it) as the tunnel gets pitch black in places.
If you don’t want to go it alone, join day trips from Derby, Fitzroy Crossing and Broome.
Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
Discover the perfect road trip stopover between Perth and wine country.
Western Australia punches above its weight when it comes to coastal hot spots, but no other town or city has seen a tourism boom quite like Mandurah. Named Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2023, it’s the relaxed, beachside break you’ve been searching for. And it’s perfectly placed, sitting between Margaret River and Perth, as it’s just a 55-minute drive from Perth’s CBD. Which is why we’ve put together your ultimate Mandurah guide.
Plan your perfect coastal escape to Australia’s Top Tourism Town of 2023.
The best things to do in Mandurah
Wetlands and rivers, ocean and inlet; Mandurah’s laid-back lifestyle centres around the aquatic. Its waterways cover twice the ground of Sydney Harbour – measuring some 134 square kilometres in total – and form a unique environment for oceanic and estuarine flora and fauna to thrive.
In the city’s estuary lives perhaps the region’s most famed inhabitants – a resident pod of 100 bottlenose dolphins – and the inlet’s silty bottom is home to the prized blue manna crab. Spot the former breaching and playing on an hour-long dolphin cruise through the channels, or try your hand at catching the latter by wading through the estuary’s shallows with a scoop net in hand.
While swimming at the circular Kwillena Gabi Pool, chance encounters with the local wildlife aren’t uncommon. The sheltered estuarine pool takes its name from the traditional custodians of the land, the Bindjareb people, and directly translates to ‘dolphin waters’. Jutting out of the eastern foreshore, it’s enclosed by a ring of net-free floating pontoons, which allow the dolphins to swim freely through the attraction.
If that’s a little too close for comfort, book a kayak tour withDown Under Discoveries. The dolphins have been known to cruise beside the paddle-powered crafts, which are a fun, family-friendly way to explore the city’s inner waterways.
Watch dolphins glide by as you explore Mandurah.
You don’t have to be on the water to appreciate the coastal city’s aquatic beauty, with 600 kilometres of cycleways and scenic walking trails traversing Mandurah’s estuary, inlet and coast.
Follow the 30-kilometre coastal trail and you’ll come face to face with one of Thomas Dambo’s headline-making ‘Giants of Mandurah sculptures, Santi Ikto, along the way. There are five sculptures around Mandurah in total, hidden among gum-filled reserves or sitting sentry over the water.
Head to the Mandurah Visitor Centre to pick up a map to pinpoint their exact location and download the traveller’s companion to learn more about the sights along the way. Or join a three-hour e-bike tour from The Bike Kiosk and you’ll stop by two of the giants – Santi Ikto and Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone – as you sightsee central Mandurah.
Meet Santi Ikto, one of the legendary Giants of Mandurah.
Where to eat in Mandurah
Mandurah’s culinary scene reflects its laid-back lifestyle, with large, honest meals and locally brewed beer. After visiting Lake Clifton’s 2000-year-old thrombolites, head to the peppermint and gum-shaded beer garden at Thorny Devil Brewery. Tuck into a platter of house-smoked meats and an ale pulled fresh from the tanks. Closer to town and right on the waterfront is Boundary Island Brewery; here, woodfired pizza, pub-style seafood dishes and easy-drinking brews are centre stage.
On a Murray River Lunch Cruise, the focus is as much on the environment around you as the food you’re filling up on. Help yourself to the colourful salads and freshly cooked meats on the buffet as you meander up the winding, jarrah tree-lined waterway, stopping at the heritage Cooper’s Mill for a quick walking tour along the way.
Keep your eyes trained on the Creery Wetlands as you pass – you’ll spot much of the region’s migratory birdlife, and, as always, might see the playful bottlenose dolphins in the inlet.
The most memorable meals aren’t necessarily always the fanciest, and lunch aboard a self-skippered Mandurah BBQ Boat is a testament to that. All food and beverage prep is left up to you as you cruise through the canals, sausages and steaks sizzling away on the central hot plate.
If seafood is more your kind of fare, board the Wild Seafood Experience, where dolphin cruise meets long table lunch. Eight courses of crab, crayfish and scallops await.
Dine on the water with eight courses of ocean-fresh fare.
Where to stay in Mandurah
With so many waterways comes abundant waterside stays. Like the self-contained Seashells Mandurah on the shores of Comet Bay. The calm, oceanic outlook from the one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments and villas is as close to Maldivian as Mandurah gets. Families especially enjoy the property, bouncing between the protected cove and the beachfront pool for endless hours of fun.
Stay right by the sea.
The Sebel Mandurah , just a hop, skip and jump from the Mandurah Ocean Marina, has a different outlook entirely, overlooking the estuary and lively foreshore on the other side. It’s also within walking distance of the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, cinema and a swathe of waterfront bars and eateries.
But you can’t get any closer to the water than on a vessel from Mandurah Houseboats. You don’t need a skipper’s ticket to hire one, nor do you need comprehensive boating experience; just a full driver’s license and your undivided attention during the pre-departure tuition will do. Then you’re free to take to the estuaries and tributaries for a few nights of peaceful rest, surrounded by the very element that makes Mandurah so special.
Captain a houseboat to explore Mandurah at your own pace.
