Helicopters, missing camels and a bikini hike: The Kimberley Diaries
- Morgane RGM
- Aug 16
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 25
Next on “Delilah’s Angels“.
Helicopter ride at sunrise? Yes. Helping a stranger crawl under a fence? Yes. Hiking through a gorge in just a bikini? Well… yes, apparently that too. Oh, and we also plunged into water so cold it made me reconsider every life decision.
Day 22 - Warnum Roadhouse to Ellendale Station
Distance so far: 7426 km
Wildlife spotted: Wedge-tailed Eagle
Highlight: The chopper ride, Yeehaw!
The morning was brimming with excitement.
We woke up at the crack of dawn, the air still cool with the first whispers of sunrise. We were about to see the Bungle Bungles in Purnululu National Park and the only way to truly appreciate it? From the sky.
Cue the helicopter ride.
The morning light felt magical as we made our way to the small airstrip, and our stomachs were doing flips. I don’t think either of us could contain the excitement. Morgane, had the camera ready, eager to capture each moment, while Andrew had his gimbal poised, prepping for the perfect after-movie. We were ready, or at least, we thought we were.
As the blades hummed to life, lifting us off the ground, the world below seemed to unfold in a way that felt almost unreal. The Bungle Bungles, those iconic striped domes of orange and black rock, spread out before us. A soft golden light and gorges snaking like veins through the earth.
It was mesmerizing. At one point, we put the cameras down - Yes, really, just to look. Let ourselves sink into the beauty around us. The view stretched endlessly in every direction. It was something you can’t put into words, Neither with photos, but of course we tried anyway.
As we were making our way further West, we came across something unexpected. A - what seemed like - controlled bushfire. The smoke was rising in great plumes, and as we drove past, we could feel the warmth on our faces through the open windows. It was surreal, like something out of a nature documentary. Thankfully, there were no animals or people in danger, but it was a powerful reminder of nature’s untamable force.
We landed after about six hours on the road, exhausted but satisfied at our stop for the day. Our campsite that evening brought its own little adventure. As we were settling in, we heard frantic calls. It was like a scene from a low-budget action film: the dog bolting into the bush, the dad half-committed to hurdling a barb wire fence, and five women forming an impromptu rescue squad. The dog came out fine, the dad came out scratched, and the rest of us came out with a story.
Day 23 - Ellendale Station to Broome
Distance so far: 7729 km
Highlight: Dumplings and sunsets
Broome’s Cable Beach is famous for two things: camels and sunsets. We got one of them, but not the one we expected. Turns out the camels work the afternoon shift, not sunset, so by the time we arrived, they were probably home watching Netflix. The sunset itself was mostly grey thanks to cloud cover. Romantic in a muted, moody way, but not the fiery spectacle of postcards.
The rest of the day was delightfully uneventful. We found a spot on the beach, where Morgane dove into a good book and Andrew, ever the enthusiast, harassed us to play volleyball. The sisters took turns keeping him entertained.
In the evening, we called old friends we hadn’t seen in ages. Hours of catching up reminded me how easily you can pick up right where you left off with the right people.
Broome also has a pearl trade history, and in a stroke of perfect timing, Morgane replaced her pearl ring; tragically lost months ago when Andrew’s enthusiastic splash sent it flying into a waterfall in Litchfield National Park. This one, bought right here in the pearl capital, feels like destiny.
We missed two other local highlights: the dinosaur prints (visible only at low tide) and the Staircase to the Moon (visible only at the right full moon). We told ourselves it’s just a reason to come back.
Day 24 - Broome to Eighty Mile Beach
Distance so far: 8096 km
Wildlife spotted: Salamander crossing roads
Highlight: Delilah holding on strong
Four towns, a rising sense of desperation, and then victory: two bottles of the elusive Japanese sauce. Morgane clutched them like an Oscar winner gripping her trophy. We all had our tasks today; working on school stuff, the website, and the car. Each one of us had a little mission.
Day 25 - Eighty Mile Beach to Port Hedland
Distance so far: 8339 km
Highlight: We have a plan, not just a pla! (‘Friends’ reference; Not the first, definitely not the last. Time to watch Friends if you don’t get it.)
From October to January, Port Hedland’s beaches host flatback turtles nesting under the cover of darkness. We’re here in August; wrong month, wrong show. The Stairway to the Moon also makes an appearance here, but clouds and bad timing kept it hidden.
We did, however, make a big decision: inland to Karijini National Park instead of the coastal route. Campsites booked, fuel topped up, enthusiasm high; we were heading for one of WA’s most legendary landscapes.
Day 26 - Port Hedland to Karijini National Park
Distance so far: 8617 km
We finally made a proper plan.
Yes, you read that right; the two least organised people on the road actually booked something three whole days in advance. I’ll give you a moment to recover from the shock.
Of course, this burst of foresight wasn’t entirely voluntary. Karijini is so popular that both of its campsites were completely booked out, and with free camping off the table inside the park, we were forced into the radical act of planning ahead. We ended up just outside the park boundary for the night; red sand at our feet, rugged hills on the horizon.
Our spot? Classic outback magic: fine red sand under our feet, a green valley in the background, and a hill catching the perfect tan-line.
Andrew, full of restless energy, decided to run up the hill for a better view, while we girls took a slower pace; settling in with books and sketchpads.
Day 27 - Dales Gorge
Distance so far: 8715 km
Highlight: The beauty of Joffre gorge
We started early, walking the rim of Dales Gorge as first light spilled over the landscape. Fortescue Falls appeared first, tumbling into a jade-green pool. Andrew, our eagle-eyed spotter, darted off to photograph a bird. Good timing, because on the way back it had swapped sunbathing for brooding in the shadows.
Next stop: Fern Pool, a hidden oasis fed by gentle waterfalls. The water was 17°C of pure shock therapy, but we plunged in anyway.
We looped back to camp, pausing far too often for “just one more” photo. Later that evening we took a stride into our backyard; Joffre Gorge. Expecting little, we carried one bottle of water and no cameras, which meant of course it was spectacular. We promised to return the next day prepared.
Day 28 : Kermit’s Pool
Distance so far : 8827 km
Highlight : Getting into the spirit of Indiana Jones
No time for breakfast, we meant business. We returned to Joffre Gorge at sunrise for the full photo treatment.
The hike through Hancock Gorge to Kermit’s Pool could be summed up in three words: adventurous, wet, and breathtaking. To reach the pool, we waded through water up to our shoulders. By that time, I’d already fully committed to hiking in just a bikini and dive shoes. Practical? No. Stylish? Debatable. Memorable? Absolutely.
The adventure didn’t end at the pool. We had to swim straight through it to see the beauty hiding around the corner. The moment we slipped in, the cold hit; a bracing 14 degrees. It was so cold it felt like my soul briefly left my body to go sit somewhere warm.
Reaching the end was pure satisfaction.
The final challenge was Weano Gorge to Handrail Pool, where sheer walls forced us to squeeze and scramble until the gorge opened into a secret amphitheatre of still water and rust-red stone.
Karijini quickly claimed the title of “favourite park so far.” Not just for the views, but because you had to earn them; like a treasure hunt where the reward was colour, space, and silence.
The drives between the gorges were almost as rewarding as the hikes themselves; rolling hills, rugged ridgelines, and long stretches of road that seemed to disappear into the horizon.
Leaving Karijini felt like leaving a party before dessert. But the road called, and we answered… mostly because Tom Price was the only place within range for fuel and food. That was our farewell to Karijini.
The photos can’t quite capture the park’s true beauty, but they hint at it. And maybe that’s for the best. To really understand what I’m talking about, you’ll just have to see it for yourself.
Day 29 - Somewhere closer to Exmouth
Distance so far: 9337 km
We may have missed the camels, the dinosaur prints, and the Staircase to the Moon, but we found Japanese sauce, a new pearl ring, and some of the best hikes in the country. The Kimberley and Pilbara didn’t just give us beauty, they gave us detours, surprises, and stories we couldn’t have planned if we tried. I call that balance.
Next stop, the coast, where I’ve heard the turtles like company.
written by Morgane Roggeman. Grammatically reviewed. My English isn't perfect.
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