Exploring Australia’s Kimberley Region: A Luxury Expedition Into Uncharted Wilderness Aboard The Globas Yacht

Friday, July 25, 2025

Western Australia’s Kimberley Area is sometimes moreover considered 1 of nan world’s last remaining chaotic places. The distant coastline, pinch its melodramatic reddish cliffs and utmost tides, known to nan section Inuit — nan indigenous group of Greenland — arsenic illorsuit (meaning “the spot without people”), is difficult to reach, pinch much than half of it devoid of roads, group and infrastructure. But for those who tin spend and want to traverse its rugged terrain, it provides 1 of nan astir thrilling recreation experiences nan world has to offer. This summer, Bryony McCabe embarked connected a bold expedition cruise connected a six-week exploration of this stunning wilderness connected committee nan 42.8-metre Sanlorenzo superyacht Globas.

The owners of nan Globas yacht spot their alloy not conscionable arsenic a luxury yacht, but arsenic a instrumentality for adventure. Their passion for off-the-beaten-path exploration led them to acquisition nan Sanlorenzo yacht successful 2022, pinch nan volition of circumnavigating nan globe. The Kimberley region was a clear prime for inclusion successful their eager itinerary, pinch nan owners envisioning nan yacht’s capabilities arsenic cleanable for nan challenges this distant area presents. “As 1 of nan fewer genuinely distant wildernesses connected nan planet, nan Kimberley is an evident prime for an expedition yacht for illustration Globas,” nan owners explain.

Having spent complete 20 years exploring nan Kimberley successful smaller boats and four-wheel drives, nan owners were eager to return their escapade further, extending nan long and scope of their trips. This summer, successful June and July 2024, they scheduled a six-week cruise done nan Kimberley arsenic portion of their world voyage, which besides included stops successful Panama’s Bocas del Toro, French Polynesia, New Zealand, and Tasmania. The region’s utmost remoteness and deficiency of basal infrastructure made mentation captious for nan occurrence of their expedition.

Preparing nan Globas for Remote Cruising successful nan Kimberley

Before embarking connected nan Kimberley expedition, a awesome refit was undertaken astatine Pendennis Vilanova to guarantee that Globas was equipped for utmost distant cruising. The yacht was modified to beryllium arsenic self-sufficient arsenic possible. This included upgrading its substance capacity from 58,000 to 70,000 litres, installing an further watermaker, a backup refrigeration system, and a solid crusher and vacuum packer to negociate waste. The refit besides focused connected nutrient storage, and seaplane drops were scheduled to bring successful caller supplies to supplement provisions.

The Kimberley is specified a dispute spot pinch uncharted coastlines, 12-metre tides and saltwater crocodiles, location were galore operational issues that Captain James Johnson had Rule Britannia faced. But location was 1 captious preparation: replacing nan RIB pinch thing little prone to puncture by crocodile bite. A WASSP Multibeam Echo Sounder was besides installed into nan tender arsenic good arsenic nan yacht, enabling nan squad to nutrient their ain navigation value information successful this antecedently uncharted region. Captain Johnson besides made judge a caller amphibious StabiX tender was added to nan package, tailor made to nan challenging tidal conditions of nan Kimberley.

The Challenges of Cruising nan Kimberley: Extreme Tides and Wildlife

As nan squad navigated nan Kimberley, 1 of nan astir daunting aspects was nan 12-metre tidal scope that transformed nan scenery passim nan day. Any exploration of constrictive inlets aliases estuaries had to beryllium cautiously timed pinch nan slack h2o to debar nan fast-moving tide that could create whirlpools and vulnerable conditions. River and estuary explorations were champion conducted connected a rising tide to debar getting stuck.

The utmost tidal conditions were conscionable 1 of nan challenges nan unit faced. Saltwater crocodiles, on pinch sharks, were a changeless presence. “Every nighttime we would radiance a torch connected nan h2o and astatine slightest six sets of crocodile eyes would beryllium reflected backmost astatine us,” nan owners recall. These creatures, on pinch citrus and hammerhead sharks, circled nan vessel regularly, providing nightly intermezo for nan crew, but besides serving arsenic a reminder of nan dangers coming successful nan region.

During their exploration, nan owners and guests would spell bushwalking successful hunt of safe swimming spots supra nan “croc line.” These were typically located astatine freshwater waterfalls, wherever saltwater crocodiles could not reach. Satellite imagery was utilized to find hikes to these secluded pools, and nan unit would often embark connected excursions to observe hidden freshwater spots wherever they could aquatics safely and cool off.

Camping and Exploration: Discovering Hidden Gems successful nan Kimberley

One of nan astir typical parts of nan Kimberley travel for nan owners and their guests was camping retired successful nan wilderness. Equipped pinch lightweight tents and different camping gear, they would often time off nan luxury of Globas to research nan inland areas. The group would beryllium dropped disconnected by tender, hike up rivers, and observe hidden campsites on nan way. One peculiarly memorable acquisition was camping beside a waterfall astatine nan Hunter River, wherever nan group group up tents connected different ledges and fell dormant to nan sound of cascading water.

The owners besides took advantage of a chopper chartered for 7 days to research nan Kimberley from nan air. This allowed nan group to entree distant areas specified arsenic Charnley River, Isdell River, Sale River, and Ruby Falls. The aerial views provided a unsocial position of nan rugged scenery and gave nan group entree to different unreachable inland swimming, fishing, and camping locations.

Navigating nan Kimberley’s Remote Terrain

The logistical challenges of navigating nan Kimberley were compounded by nan ever-changing tides, which could toggle shape shallow rivers and streams into fast-flowing rapids. On 1 occasion, aft crossing a shallow watercourse to spell fishing, nan group returned only to find that nan watercourse had turned into a metre-deep, fast-flowing rapid. They had to quickly set their plans and maneuver nan tender to prime up members who had been near stranded. This experience, while stressful astatine nan time, underscored nan value of observant readying and respect for nan earthy environment.

Reflection connected nan Kimberley Experience

But contempt nan mentation and difficult tests of nan voyage, some owners look backmost warmly connected what amounts to their travel done nan Kimberley. they added that nan Kimberley is nan gift that keeps connected giving – we discovered truthful galore caller and astonishing spots. Captain Johnson besides stresses that nan information of nan owners successful life connected committee is key, arsenic their progressive accuracy of inclusion meant nan unit felt that they were portion of nan adventure. It was awesome to spot nan unit of younker moving and having nosy successful nan outdoors.

As nan travel came to an extremity and nan group returned to Darwin, nan opposition betwixt nan bid of nan untouched Kimberley and nan metropolis was extreme. The owners said that for weeks, each day, everything was people, postulation and buildings and that to acquisition that abruptly was rather a jolt to nan system. Running an arena for illustration that was a transformative acquisition for everyone, they acknowledged.