Kimberley Attractions
Bell Gorge
Bell Gorge is located 29 kilometres off the Gibb River Road some 214 kilometres north-east of Derby within the rugged King Leopold Range National Park.
Wet season rains see great volumes of water cascading down a series of waterfalls. It is one of the most picturesque gorges of the West Kimberley where swimming, photography, bushwalking and bird watching can be enjoyed.
Two campsites managed by the Department of Conservation and Land Management are nearby. Cost of camping is AUD9.00 for adults and AUD2.00 for children. Access to Bell Gorge Falls are reached via a one kilometre path from the carpark.
Bandicoot Bar
Bandicoot Bar is a good fishing and picnic spot on the Ord River just below the Diverson Dam wall.
The grassy beach is popular for fishing and also provides an attractive view of the dam wall and its turbulent waters.
This beach is too dangerous for swimming as it is inhabited by saltwater crocodiles and has strong currents.
China Wall
The China Wall is a natural white stone wall formed by a sub-vertical quartz vein projecting above the surrounding rocks. It is believed to be a section of the largest single fault of its type in the world. Situated six kilometres north of Halls Creek above a beautiful creek it makes a delightful picnic spot.
The wall can be seen to wind its way over some tens of kilometres, appearing like the remnants of a miniature Great Wall of China, hence its name.
Alligator Hole
Named in the early days before the discovery that there were no alligators in Australia.
Swimming was once considered safe when the hole had a small population of freshwater crocodiles but the dangerous saltwater crocodile has started to appear in the water and swimming is no longer recommended.
Alligator hole (now also referred to as Crocodile Hole), is located along Parry Creek, approximately 50 kilometres south-east of Wyndham.
Black Rock Falls
Black Rock Falls gets its name from its rock cliffs which over the years have been stained black from the minerals in the water.
Black Rock Falls is a spectacular wet season attraction (four wheel drive access only) where water tumbles over a thirty metre semi-circular rock cliff into a small pool area. Roads are subject to closure following heavy rains.
During the cloudless days of the dry season, the waterfall is replaced by the beauty of glowing red cliffs.
Blood Drain – Crocodile Lookout
This former outlet from the Wyndham Meatworks attracted many large crocodiles. It is located on the gulf side of the Old Meatworks complex.
The crocodiles are now fed daily for the benefit of tourists, mainly during the afternoon, evening and at night an hour before full tide at the Crocodile Lookout.
Saltwater crocodiles can be seen in their natural habitat. Sometimes they lay motionless basking on the sun drenched bank and other times they can be seen drifting through the water. it is a photographers delight.
Please take note of the crocodile warning notice.
Boab Prison Tree
This ancient and very large (14 metre diameter) boab tree has significance to Aboriginal people as well as being a very interesting botanical specimen.
The tree is believed to be around 1,500 years old and has a girth of 14.7 metres. It is registered as an Aboriginal site. The Prison Tree is situated just over 23 kilometres along the King River Road. This remarkable boab tree was used by the early police patrols as an overnight lock-up. These patrols would take regular trips out to the surrounding stations to collect wrongdoers and ensure all was well.
The boab tree is hollow with a hole cut in its side to form an entrance. It is a day’s travel from Wyndham and with an easily accessible water supply; this natural cell was an obvious choice for a stopover. The prison tree dates as far back as the 1890s.
Its association with the history of interactions with early pastoralists and Aboriginal people is told in a nearby interpretive centre. This centre also tells of the biology of the boab tree and the events that took place in the droving days and World War Two on the adjacent town commonage.
The tree is protected by a fence and visitors are requested not to approach close to the tree as a token of respect for its cultural values.
For day use only. Camping is not permitted.
Adjacent to the tree is a short botanical trail leading to a picnic area and Myall’s Bore – the longest cattle trough in the southern hemisphere.
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