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North West

In the tropical north of Western Australia, it is hard to imagine today that ice-capped mountains spanned the Kimberley region 600 million years ago. Nothing much glistens on the rugged landscape these days - but there are many hidden treasures. The region has the world's largest producer of natural diamonds and is also known for its pearls off Broome and its gold at Hall Creek.

It's also a region rich in unusual sights like the mind-boggling Bungle Bungle range in Purnululu National Park (the name Bungle Bungle comes either from a corruption of an Aboriginal name for the area, or from a miss-spelling of one of the common Kimberley grasses found there - Bundle Bundle Grass). One of the most fascinating geological landmarks in Western Australia, it's an awesome spectacle with its large bee-hive shaped sandstone towers which have prominent orange and grey banding. These formations date back more than 350 million years to the Devonian Age.

Four-wheel-drive and scenic flights - by helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft from Halls Creek and Kununurra - are the best ways to view the range which became known to non-Aboriginal people only late in the 20th century. Now adventure-seekers from all over the world are not only discovering the Bungle Bungle but also other rich and unusual sights in this ancient land, one of the world's last true adventure destinations.

After tackling the north and east Kimberley, it's time to stretch out and relax in the west by the Indian Ocean at Broome's Cable Beach. The camel rides along the water's edge as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean are becoming as famous as the 220-kilometre stretch of beach itself.

• Broome

In the Directory

• Accommodation [2]
• Liveaboards [1]

Photos

Mitchell Falls, Mitchell River National Park - Photo courtesy of Western Australia Tourism Commission

Off the beaten Track - Photo courtesy of Western Australia Tourism Commission

Climate

The State's North West has a tropical climate with hot and humid summers and warm winters. There are two distinct seasons: the 'wet' usually from December to March and the 'dry' for the remainder of the year. From October to April maximum temperatures average over 33°C. By contrast winters are mild, with July average maximum temperatures being 27°C.