Kimberley Expedition April 2011 Riviera Owners Escorted by John & Sharon Russell Of
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RIVIERA OWNERS KIMBERLEY EXPEDITION A P R I L 2 0 1 1 ESCORTED BY JOHN & SHARON RUSSELL OF DARWIN TO BROOME Orion Expedition Cruises - 25 April to 5 May 2011 The next best thing to cruising in your own Riviera is to enjoy an adventure in the Kimberley onboard the 5 star expedition ship Orion with Riviera owners from around Australia. John & Sharon Russell from Riviera Syndication invite you to escape to the hidden treasures of Australia – The Kimberley. Nothing can fully prepare you for the dramatic contrasts Australia’s North-West, rich in Aboriginal culture and galleries of ancient artwork. Towards the west, in the historic pearling town of Broome, the colours of nature are vibrant and intense: rich red earth, azure blue seas and brilliant white sand beaches. North of Broome lies the ragged Kimberley coast, a place you can only comprehend from the sea. Rugged gorges, inlets and waterfalls plunging 100 metres, all combine for an awe-inspiring experience you simply can’t have by travelling overland. Mon, 25 April opportunities to discover the East Kimberley. eroded over millions of years. The King George DARWIN - EMBARK Purnululu National Park affords a breathtaking River drains the Gardner Plateau and the falls perspective of the Bungle Bungles. They are an are the highest single-drop falls in the whole of Darwin developed as a frontier town of crocodile incredible sight resembling a beehive forming the Kimberley (100m or 330ft). and buffalo shooters and pioneer cattlemen. deep chasms with palm trees and long gorges. After the city was wiped out by Cyclone Tracy in There are two equally dramatic experiences To appreciate the overall aspect of this strange 1974 it was rebuilt as Australia’s northernmost depending on your timing in the Falls season. landscape, one has to take to the air. Though tropical capital. Litchfield National Park is about Early in the season we will probably hang back the Aboriginal people have lived in this region 2 hours drive and to the south-east are the in the thundering mist to capture the full might for generations, Purnululu was “discovered” teeming wetlands of Australia’s largest national of King George Falls. only in the mid 1980’s. A television crew came park, Kakadu. Much architecture remains from For guests looking for even more adventure upon the unique beehive shaped domes in 1982 the city’s early periods, with museums, markets there is a challenging walk to the top of the and in 1987 it was proclaimed a National Park. and an incredible diversity of restaurants to keep falls where you will have the opportunity to The domes are bordered by great banded cliffs visitors entertained. cool off and enjoy a swim in one of the fresh that glow fire-red in the late afternoon sun. water rock pools. A shuttle bus to Kununurra and around Tue, 26 April Wyndham township will be provided for those JACO ISLAND who are not travelling to the Bungle Bungles Sat, 30 April Orion will make a brief operational landfall at on the included tour. VANSITTART BAY Jaco Island. Guests will remain on the ship. After our wet landing ashore, Orion’s Expedition Fri, 29 April Team will lead us to an outdoor art gallery of Wed, 27 April KING GEORGE RIVER AND FALLS Gwion Gwion (otherwise known as Bradshaw) AT SEA Aboriginal art. Named after Joseph Bradshaw, Orion will drop anchor in Koolama Bay. Originally the first European to record them in 1891, known as King George Bay, the area was Thu, 28 April the rock images are hard to date, but are renamed after the merchant ship Koolama was WYNDHAM estimated to be up to 40,000 years old. Of bombed near here by Japanese aircraft during (for included Bungle Bungles flight) the two primary art forms found along the WW II. The journey by Zodiac will take us up Kimberley coastline – the Gwion Gwion and the spectacular King George River with almost Wyndham is the northernmost town in Western Wandjina – the latter is more contemporary. Australia and, for us, the staging post for vertical sheer canyon walls that have been The Gwion Gwion is known for its graceful in the open eucalypt forest. Orion’s Zodiacs land on a climb up to a saddle of rock that forms a and thick bush. Unless travelling onboard Orion, forms. The Wandjina are instantly recognisable you on the main beach. spectacular outdoor Aboriginal art gallery. Cape Leveque can only be accessed by self-drive for the distinctive haloes around their heads. This region has many crocodiles and you may 4WD (some four hours – and only in the dry One for the trivia devotees, the explorer Phillip season) or by air. be lucky enough to see them on the Zodiac Tue, 3 May Parker King, after finding tamarind trees safari through the mangroves and hopefully TALBOT BAY During your visit to Cape Leveque you will which he recognised as not being native to not on the beach. (Horizontal Waterfalls) enjoy beautiful swimming in rock pools with the Kimberley also found shards of Macassan clear water and abundant tropical fish. You pottery here, inspiring him to name the Island, The Horizontal Waterfalls in the Buccaneer may choose to experience a guided beach Mon, 2 May Jar Island. Archipelago are a product of the huge tides walk with a member of the Lombadina MONTGOMERY REEF/RAFT POINT in the region, and the effect is created by the community or go fishing. rapid tidal fall on the ocean side of gaps in the Sun, 1 May You will embark Orion’s Zodiacs for an cliffs. When conditions are right it is possible HUNTER RIVER expedition team guided safari of Montgomery for a ‘waterfall’ up to 3 metres high to form Thu, 5 May (for Mitchell Falls) Reef, coinciding with the changing of the tide. Initially, you’ll see very little of Montgomery as the waters trapped on the landward side BROOME This is one of the most scenic parts of the Reef, however as the tide drops rapidly away, cascade out through the narrow gap to the (disembark after a leisurely breakfast) Kimberley coast; Prince Frederick Harbour and a raging torrent of water will cascade off the ocean side. the Hunter River are lined with green rainforest, The town is full of contrasts: stroll along top of this 400 square km reef, appearing A flotilla of Orion’s Zodiacs will take you for an mangroves and soaring red cliffs. Cliffs at the kilometres of pristine white sand and swim in to rise out of the ocean. In the channel as exhilarating trip to witness the phenomenon of river mouth are up to 200 metres high. the clear water of Cable Beach or skim across water cascades down on either side, it’s the the falls. Later in the day join expedition team tidal flats aboard a hovercraft to Gantheaume Today Orion will drop anchor close to Naturalist members on a Zodiac excursion to Cyclone Bay, perfect spot to watch cormorants, egrets and Point, home of 130 million year old dinosaur Island, the indigenous name of which is where the tortured geological folds of what sandpipers forage for sea life trapped on the footprints. Spend some time uncovering the ‘Wunumpurramarra’, on the northern side of surface of the reef. Below the waterline, sea was once seabed will be explained. the bay. Mitchell Falls & Plateau is about 50km town’s history at the Broome Historical Society turtles, reef sharks and many larger fish also Museum or reflect on the dangers of the and you shouldn’t miss the helicopter flight over take advantage of this feast. Wed, 4 May some spectacular terrain and waterfalls. From early days of diving at the Japanese Shinto The second half of our day will involve an CAPE LEVEQUE the air you’ll notice the natural bush landscape Cemetery, final resting place for over 900 pearl is littered with an unexpected feature – the expedition to an elevated outdoor rock art Cape Leveque is situated 220km north of divers. Then visit the Paspaley Pearls Boutique palm! Livistona eastonii predominate and grow gallery. After landing ashore by Zodiac at Raft Broome on the tip of the Dampier Peninsula. It to discover how things have changed since Point, your expedition leader will guide you is a remote oasis in the white sands, red earth those days. A r a f u r a S e a Jaco Island Timor Port Essington DARWIN King George Vansittart Bay Falls ABOUT ORION Mitchell Falls Although custom-made for expedition cruising, Hunter River Wyndham Montgomery Reef Kununurra Orion is the epitome of elegance. No expense Bungle Bungles Talbot Bay Raft Point has been spared when it comes to the quality N o r t h e r n Te r r i t o r y Cape Leveque Horizontal of fittings and furnishings, and the range and Waterfalls calibre of onboard recreational facilities are nothing short of five-star. Orion’s luxurious EXPEDITION CRUISES BROOME appointments means she is more mega-yacht than cruise ship and her guests are few; around Escorted by John & Sharon Russell 10 Night Kimberley Expedition Departing 25 April 2011 just 50 couples, all cared for in 5-star comfort Riviera Syndication’s Day 1 Darwin, Northern Territory by a crew of 75. Day 2 Jaco Island Day 3 At sea Every room offers you ocean views, room to Day 4 Wyndham (for Bungle Bungles) relax during the day and a choice of either 10 night cruise aboard Orion including Day 5 King George River and Falls queen or twin bed sleeping arrangements.