Wildlife & Animals

Imagine seeing a humpback whale breach, turtles nest, snubfin dolphins and incredible bird species in one of the last true wilderness areas on Earth.

That’s a wildlife experience in the Kimberley and Pilbara.

In the Kimberley, the tropical waters of Lalang-garram/Camden Sound Marine Park are the breeding and birthing grounds for thousands of humpback whales making their annual migration from Antarctica. It’s considered to be the most important humpback whale nursery in the southern hemisphere.

In the Pilbara and Kimberley, beaches play host to the nocturnal nesting of marine turtles, followed by the dawn march of the hatchlings as they make they way to the ocean.  

A huge array of fascinating creatures takes sanctuary in and around the pristine waters of the Kimberley. Among them is the Australian snubfin dolphin – recognised as a new species in 2005. They can often be found playing, swimming and fishing in Roebuck Bay and along the Dampier Peninsula coast.

Two types of crocodile thrive on the Kimberley coast, but did you know it was once home to dinosaurs? While some of their tracks remain in secret locations, you can view dinosaur footprints at low tide in Broome.

For snorkelling and diving enthusiasts, Rowley Shoals Marine Park is a must see. The reef is alive with 233 varieties of colourful corals and brimming with 688 species of fish.

And for bird watchers, there’s just as much to spot. Birdlife is particularly prolific in Broome, with more than 300 species recorded at Broome Bird Observatory. That’s more than a third of Australia’s total bird species and includes 50 types of shorebirds, which is nearly a quarter of the world’s total!

The Kimberley is also renowned for some of the best reef and game fishing in the world.