Following a life time on the land near Coonabarabran in north-western New South Wales, Michael has retired to a few acres near Moss Vale on the Southern Highlands. With more time available, traveling in the west Kimberley of Western Australia has become the author’s most recent passion. His books --- “Wild Horses Don’t Swim” and “Last Horse Standing” are both stories within the shadows of the King Leopold Range. Join him on a west Kimberley safari, ex-Broome. From early May to mid-August each year there will be eight safaris from Broome. They will be six days in duration, returning to Broome the morning of the seventh day. For seasonal departure dates and the fee per person please email keenan.ms@bigpond.com

The King Leopold Range

Mid-winter maximum temperatures reach 33-34 degrees C, but drop off quickly towards evening. Early dawn temperatures can be cool to cold. There are no sealed roads and due to the hard nature of the terrain 4WD traveling can be quite slow. To compensate the author never drives more than 2 hours without a short break, providing numerous opportunities to photograph the red rock scenery.

The Six Day Itinerary
Sunday
The following is a brief description of the daily itinerary
The meeting spot in Broome will be Matso’s restaurant and brewery, on the corner of Hamersley and Carnarvon Streets. With its open air dining and the views of the Indian Ocean, Matso’s captures the soul of Broome. Maps will be produced over delicious coffee, and we will aim to depart Broome by 10:00am for our river camp deep in the King Leopold Range With stops along the way we will reach our destination no later than 4:00pm. This will be our camp for the next four nights.

Monday
Breaking camp early we will drive about 50km and walk to a water filled gorge that few white people have seen. In the book ‘Wild Horses Don’t Swim’, we camped near here before taking the packhorses over the Lady Forrest Range.

Tuesday
About one and a half hours drive from our camp the Isdell River drops into a canyon at Bell Falls. Providing an opportunity for swimming, fishing and bushwalking this location is one of the most isolated in the west Kimberley.

Wednesday
Forming a great split in the King Leopold Range, Lennard Gorge is more like a water filled canyon than a gorge. Open again to the public in 2010 this is one of the most stunning sights in the Kimberley. With our lunch in a backpack we will see this gorge from angles not seen by many others.

Thursday
We will pack up and head for the Mt. Hart Wilderness Reserve, which lies across the western ramparts of the King Leopold’s. In the book –‘Last Horse Standing’, Jack Camp tried in vain to reach Mt. Hart from Walcott Inlet. Mt. Hart was once the most frontier cattle station in the west Kimberley. We will stay in the old homestead and after four nights of bush camping the meals and comforts of Mt. Hart will be greatly appreciated. Activities will include bushwalking, gorge exploring, swimming and a magnificent sunset.

Friday
The most historic gorge in the Kimberley is called Windjana Gorge. It was right at the entrance to this gorge that the fierce Bunuba Resistance to white settlement began in the mid 1890’s. In 2010 a film about the Bunuba warrior Jandamarra is to be made at Windjana.
The gorge cuts through the Napier Range, which is an ancient marine reef. It offers one of the most scenic walks in the region and the Johnstone River crocodiles seem to be always available for close up photographs.
We will arrive in Derby at the King Sound Resort about 6.00pm (three star accommodation and meals.)

Saturday
Depart for Broome after breakfast. On the outskirts of Derby is the famous ‘prison tree,’ which we will visit. We should arrive in Broome about 11.30am and each person taken to their hotel.

Accommodation in Broome
The best information available for accommodation options is the Broome Visitors Centre---08-91922222. Broome varies from five star resorts to backpacker budget. For run about cars you can’t beat Topless Rentals telephone 08-91935017, ask for Garth.

Flights from Sydney
From early May until late August Qantas has been running a direct flight to Broome. Contact the airline for details.