Cruise it or lose it

The inaccessible north coast of Australia conceals treasures both natural and man-made

STORY BY ROBERT LA BUA, PHOTOS BY JOHN DOUGLAS, JOHNDOUGLASART.COM

Like Thailand, Australia is a country endowed with a long coastline punctuated by some of the world's most dramatic scenery. Unlike Thailand, though, much of the Australian coast remains unexplored territory for the world's travellers, yet it is home to some unexpected surprises offering richly rewarding travel experiences.

Take nothing for granted, however; with the world's ecosystems under constant threat, fragile destinations are undergoing rapid change. See them while you can.

The Kimberley, that part of Western Australia most easily accessible by sea from Darwin, is one of the planet's most pristine natural areas, as yet unsullied by environmental damage caused by hairless primates.

Sheer red-orange cliffs drop precipitously into the sky-blue sea; colours are striking in their depth and clarity. Seeing crocodile, turtle, and quokka tracks side by side on an otherwise untouched stretch of beach is oddly provocative; such pure reminders of the nature of Earth frequently are.

An amazing phenomenon is Montgomery Reef, covered by the sea at high tide but exposed at low tide when the immense volume of water running off the 400-square-kilometre plateau creates cascading waterfalls in the middle of the sea.

This part of the Australian coast has the third-biggest tidal changes in the world, with many metres difference between the high and the low. Another phenomenon created by this anomaly is the aptly named Horizontal Waterfalls, where a pair of narrow rock passages connecting bay to sea funnel the receding waters into the tight squeeze between the rocks. The volume of water attempting to rush out as the sea falls away at low tide is too massive to fit into such a small opening and creates a wall of water.

It's like a crowd of people all trying to squeeze out a door at the same time. The consequent back-up causes the water on the bay side of the rocks to rise visibly above the level of the sea on the other side.

Impressive aboriginal art sites with beguiling cave paintings are found at sites such as Vansittart Bay, Bigge Island, and Raft Point. While the philistines among us may dismiss rock painting as simplistic and unimportant, others will derive full appreciation of the subtle artistic expression and harmonious communion with the land and sea - and it's so much nicer to see this art in its original location rather than an artificial urban environment known as a museum.

Riding an inflatable zodiac to an uninhabited island hundreds of miles from the nearest convenience store, climbing pathless cliffs to reach cool caves sheltered from the midday heat, and rediscovering the evocative art within these caves brings rich rewards to those who get this far. If it all seems too demanding, the flutes of champagne are never far away.

Best get up there while the going's good. As in other parts of Australia and the world, natural areas such as The Kimberley are under threat from humans in more ways than one. In this case, three.

The term global warming is thrown about with casual disregard these days; witnessing an entire ecosystem trying to cope with the changes thrust upon it dramatically increases comprehension of this catastrophe already in the making.

Even so far removed from human settlement, there are vandals and thieves passing through, taking home works of art as souvenirs or defacing ones left behind. Because of this, there are plans afoot to prohibit entrance to art sites; see them up close while you can.

Lastly, and perhaps most unsettling of all, is the imminent threat of devastation as personified by the presence on the ship of the executive director of one of Queensland's largest coal-mining operations. Crew and guests alike wondered why he took nary a shore excursion, until it was decided the evaluation of access to the coast was far more important to him than any sightseeing.

The turnaround point for my Kimberley expedition is Broome, one of Western Australia's tourism gems. And if it is a gem, it must be a pearl, for it was the pearling industry that put Broome on the map; the pearling industry is still big business in this part of the country to this day.

A brief stop at a Paspaley pearling farm at Kuri Bay during the first part of the cruise is complemented by a visit to its showroom in Broome. Paspaley may not be a well-known brand outside Australia, but the company wholesales pearls to some of the world's most famous names in jewellery and includes Cartier, Chanel, and Tiffany among its clients.

Of course, the products are exquisite; these pearls are regarded as the best in the world thanks to those wild tides; the volume of high-nutrient water rushing past the oysters makes them grow big, and big oysters make big pearls.

The success of Broome's pearling industry owes its thanks to the thousands of Asian pearl divers who immigrated to the town in the late 1800's to perform the highly dangerous work; many of them died from the bends. Along with a few Asian business names scattered around the town, Broome's Japanese and Chinese cemeteries are today the last vestiges of the presence of these workers.

Broome offers several unusual experiences not to be missed. The famous camel sunset rides on Cable Beach may sound a bit kitsch to The Jaded Ones, but the animals, sky, and Cable Beach itself are all beautiful and picture perfect. Red Sun Camels offers the best option for a sunset ride. Early risers may prefer the morning rides, though it's not unheard of for visitors enchanted by three-metre beasts to ride both morning and evening to see the beach in different lights.

Unexpectedly, Broome's number one drawcard has a nudist section not at the end but in the centre. No one bats an eye in this still-relaxed part of the country. For a truly unusual experience, Broome Hovercraft offers the only hovercraft rides in the southern hemisphere; take a ride in a futuristic vehicle reminiscent of The Jetsons television cartoon and go see the dinosaur footprints across Roebuck Bay. Pair that with a session at the Sun Pictures open-air cinema for the latest sci-fi flick and a look at its retro film projector collection while planes from the very-close airport roar low overhead, albeit infrequently. As with so much in this part of the world, old meets new - and they get along very well, thanks.

Exotic dining in Darwin

Darwin's rowdy reputation may be a draw for some, yet it belies another side to the city. As any glimpse through the realtors' windows will show Darwin is booming right along with the skyrocketing real estate prices.

People who spend money on expensive homes tend to like eating well; in Darwin, where ingredients exotic even for Australia are tipped into the pot, innovative chefs take creative cooking to new levels.

The two most coveted reservations in town are for seats at Hanuman and Pee Wee's at The Point.

Hanuman's food is best described as Indo-Thai with modern fusion meeting nouvelle cuisine; it offers a memorable experience for visitors who enjoy the finest fresh ingredients combined in taste-sensational dishes, all served by an effervescent staff eager to bring smiles to your face.

Pee Wee's is a Darwin institution where outdoor seating at a waterside location in East Point Reserve provides a tranquil setting for your taste buds before they are rocked by the kitchen that casts spells over your taste buds; you've got to love a place with a dessert called Chocolate Slut.

MORE INFO

* http://www.orioncruises.com.au
* http://www.redcamelsafaris.com.au
* http://www.broomehovercraft.com.au
* http://www.travelnt.com

Horizons News
Bangkok Post
Thursday January 25, 2007