Iconic WA Road Trips: The Kimberley Wilderness Loop

There’s an indescribable energy to the Kimberley, an intoxicating feeling that permeates your body the minute you set foot on its iconic fiery-red earth.

Fringed by contrasting azureous waters to the west and north, corrugated the way through by deep gorges and cave systems, and harbouring the world’s oldest surviving culture, the Kimberley is one of the most unique places on Earth.

It’s also one of the most sparsely populated, with some hundreds of kilometres separating towns. Charter flights connect many of them, but the only way to fully immerse yourself in the region’s wonders is to hit the road along the Kimberley Wilderness Loop .

En Route to Halls Creek from Fitzroy Crossing, WA, Australia — The Loop takes you by the region’s most spectacular sites, including Fitzroy Crossing’s Danggu Geikie Gorge. (Image: Tourism WA)

Kicking off in the coastal town of Broome, two and a half hours from Perth by plane, The Loop takes you by the region’s most spectacular sites, including Fitzroy Crossing’s Danggu Geikie Gorge. There, you can spy sun-soaking freshwater crocodiles, brolgas and white-bellied sea eagles. Further to the east, there’s the other-worldly Wolfe Creek crater and the dramatic striped domes of the Bungle Bungle Range. The trip wraps up on the state’s eastern border in Kununurra, where the lakes are the size of seas and the barramundi is plentiful.

The route is the first leg of the Savannah Way that links Broome to Cairns via the Northern Territory. There are intersects with the famed Gibb River Road, too. Its unsealed surface and remote nature are best left to experienced four-wheel drivers.

Roebuck Bay, Broome, WA, Australia — The route kicks off in the coastal town of Broome. (Image: Tourism WA)

Don’t Miss

At 880 metres across, Wolfe Creek Crater (known as Kandimalal to the Gija people) is the world’s second-largest meteor crater. The 300,000-year-old site is approximately four hours out of Halls Head along an unsealed road, so it’s best to allow a whole day for the detour. You can also trade the drive for a scenic flight departing from the town centre for a bird’s-eye view of the landmark and surrounding outback. The aerial tour begins with a fly-over of the crater before tracking north over Purnululu National Park .

Wolfe Creek Crater, WA, Australia — Wolfe Creek Crater is the world’s second-largest meteor crater. (Image: Tourism WA, @aeroture_au)

First Nations

Tour the Mimbi Cave system with the Aboriginal owned and operated Mimbi Cave Tours . Carved out of the ancient fossilised reef over 350 million years, the gaping caves and crystal clear freshwater pools are all that remain of the Devonian Great Barrier Reef. The tour starts between the towering karst cliffs before entering the caves to see marine fossils, ochre-stained walls and ancient rock paintings. Along the way, your Gooniyandi guide will share their local Dreaming story and a bush tucker morning tea.

Mimbi Caves, Fitzroy Crossing, WA, Australia — Tour the Mimbi Cave system. (Image: Tourism WA)

Did You Know?

The Bungle Bungle domes were known only to their traditional custodians until 1983, when a film crew ‘stumbled’ on them and brought them into the spotlight. In 1987, Purnululu National Park where the domes are located was declared a national park.

The Bungle Bungle Range Purnululu National Park, WA, Australia — The Bungle Bungle domes were known only to their traditional custodians until 1983. (Image: Tourism WA)

Kimberley Wilderness Loop Route Details

Distance:

6943 kilometres

Duration:

Seven days one way, 13-16 return

When to visit:

The best time to visit the tropical North West is May to October. This coincides with the Warnka-mageny or Barndenyirriny seasons in Miriwoong and Gajirrabeng Country (Kununurra). On the Yawuru (Broome) calendar, it’s Wirralbulu, Barrgana and Wirlburu seasons. The days are clear, dry and a pleasant 30-35°C.

Getting there:

Qantas and Virgin fly Perth to Broome daily; Qantas flies seasonally from Melbourne and Sydney. 4WD hire from $210/day.

Website:

westernaustralia.com/roadtrips

Time your visit to Margaret River just right, and you can spend the ultimate weekend wining, dining and exploring the region with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

Wine, world-class produce, surf, sun and beaches: it’s an alluring combination. And the reason so many pin the Margaret River region high on their travel hit-lists. There’s drawcard after drawcard to the southwestern corner of Western Australia, and the Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover food and wine festival showcases the best of it over the course of one weekend in November. It’s never been easier to sip, see and savour the Margaret River region.

In partnership with Pair’d Margaret River Region, Range Rover invites you on a seven-day itinerary of refined adventure, where luxury and exploration go hand in hand. It’s the perfect WA road trip, and there’s no better way to do it than in a Range Rover.

Day 1

the pool at Pullman Bunker Bay — Check into Pullman Bunker Bay.

There’s no more popular West Australian road trip route than that between Perth and the Margaret River Region. It’s an easily digestible, three-hour drive, with worthy pit stops along the way.

Make the first of them one hour and 15 minutes in, at Lake Clifton. Here, find a 2000-year-old living thrombolite reef. Drive for a further 40 minutes and chance meeting some of Bunbury’s dolphin population at Koombana Bay.

Pullman Bunker Bay is the final stop, just over three hours south of Perth. This beachfront, five-star resort is the ultimate base for exploring the Margaret River Wine region.

Day 2

After a leisurely morning breakfast with an ocean view, start your Range Rover and head towards the Dunsborough town centre. Browsing the decidedly coastal-themed goods of the town’s many independent boutiques is a great way to while away the hours, breaking up the sartorial with an artisan gelato snack stop, or some good old-fashioned Australian bakery fare.

Leave room; you’ll need it for the Good Natured Gathering dinner at Wayfinder. Indulge in a four-course feast by chef Felipe Montiel, which uses produce from the winery’s market garden to enhance a selection of sustainably sourced seafood and meat. But food is just the support act. It’s organic wine that’s the star of the show, generously poured and expertly paired to each dish.

Day 3

Settle in for cabernet at Cape Mentelle Winery.

With a grand total of 20 wines from vintage 2022 to try, it’s a good thing Cape Mentelle’s International Cabernet Tasting kicks off early. Make your way to the estate for a 10:00 AM start, where a global selection of wines will be poured blind, before a long lunch by Tiller Dining is served.

Given that the Margaret River is responsible for more than 20 per cent of Australia’s fine wine production, it’s only right to delve into it while in the area.

Continue exploring the region via taste and terroir aboard Alison Maree, a whale-watching catamaran, as you cruise Geographe Bay . Admire the rolling green hills and crisp white beaches of Quindalup in sunset’s golden light, all the while sipping through the Clairault Streicker catalogue and dining on canapes.

For a more substantial dinner, venture into Busselton for a seven-course British x Australian mash-up , courtesy of Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion) and Oliver Kent (Updown Farmhouse, UK). They’ll be putting their rustic yet refined spin on the likes of local marron, wagyu and abalone – championing the simple beauty of the world-class ingredients.

Day 4

Wrap your fingers around a wine glass and wiggle your toes into the sand at Pair’d Beach Club x Range Rover on Meelup Beach. Sit down to an intimate wine session with sommelier Cyndal Petty – or a four-course feast by Aaron Carr of Yarri – and revel in the open-air beach club, bar and restaurant’s laidback coastal vibe. It’s a whole new way to experience one of the region’s most renowned beaches.

Follow up a day in the sun with a casual Italian party at Mr Barvel Wines . Purchase wines –including the elusive, sold-out Nebbia – by the glass and enjoy canapes with the towering Karri forest as a backdrop.

If you’d prefer to keep it local, head to Skigh Wines for the New Wave Gathering , where the region’s independent wine makers and their boundary-pushing wines will be on show. Street-style eats, a DJ and complimentary wine masterclasses complete the experience.

Day 5

pair'd Grand Tasting — Taste your way through Howard Park Wines. (Image: C J Maddock)

Spend the morning at your leisure, driving the winding roads through the Boranup Karri forest in your Range Rover. Soak in the views at Contos Beach, and call into the small cheese, chocolate and preserve producers along the way.

Make your next stop Howard Park Wines for The Grand Tasting presented by Singapore Airlines . Numerous wine labels will be pouring their catalogues over four hours, accompanied by food from chefs Matt Moran and Silvia Colloca, with live opera providing the soundtrack.

Cap off a big weekend with one last hurrah at Busselton Pavilion. Six ‘local legends’ – chefs Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion), Mal Chow (Chow’s Table), Aaron Carr (Yarri), Ben Jacob (Lagoon Yallingup), Corey Rozario (Dahl Daddies) and Laura Koentjoro (Banksia Tavern) – will be preparing a dish each. Dance the night away as vinyl spins and the sun sets on another day.

Day 6

Ngilgi Cave western australia — Head underground. (Image: Tourism WA)

After a busy few days of wining and dining, it’s wise to observe a rest day. There’s no easier task than unwinding in the Margaret River Region, also famous for its high concentration of world-class beaches.

Relax on the grassy knoll as you watch the region’s most experienced surfers braving the World Surf League break at Surfer’s Point, or don your own wetsuit and try out one of Gracetown’s more beginner-friendly waves. Swimmers will find their Eden at Meelup Beach, Eagle Bay, or Point Piquet, where the sand is brilliantly white and the water as still as a backyard swimming pool.

Not into sun, sand, and surf? Head underground at Mammoth Cave, just one of the region’s many stalactite-filled caves.

Day 7

Burnt Ends event at Pair'd — Farewell the Margaret River.

Pack up your Range Rover with new favourite wines and newfound memories, ready for the three-hour journey back to Perth.

Prebook your discovery journey through the south-west corner of Western Australia with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.