Kimberley Aviation

The township of Broome was named by John Forrest, the Premier of Western Australia, in 1883. He named Broome after Frederick Napier Broome, a governor during this period. In the early 1860s local pastoralists began fishing pearl shells (Pinctada Maxima) from the turquoise waters in this region.

William Dampier was unaware of the rich treasures that lay in Roebuck Bay on his first visit in 1688, on board the Cygnet, and again in 1699 captaining the Roebuck. Yet, by the 1800s the pearling industry was booming attracting Malaysian, Japanese, Chinese and the local Indigenous people in search of the valuable pearl shell used in the manufacture of buttons.

By the early 1950s the pearling industry had collapsed as a result of the invention of the plastic button. A revival of the pearling industry was precipitated by the development of cultured pearling techniques, enabling pearling to thrive once again.

Broome, the gateway to the Kimberley, was a bustling pearling town in the early 1900s. Roebuck Bay was lined with majestic pearl luggers; China town became a haven for opium dens, and gambling houses and establishments of ill repute. Heavy drinking pearl divers were common, and Broome was an exciting place with a rich tapestry of cultures, punctuated by the Indigenous and Japanese presence. Pearl farming is still an important industry and the quality of the pearls produced in the Kimberley is world renowned.

Mining in the Kimberley contributes billions of dollars to the Australian economy. Iron ore and diamonds are found in prolific quantities. The Argyle Diamond Mine produces some of the finest pink diamonds in the world, and are extremely rare and highly prized. Cockatoo Island produces the highest grade of iron ore found anywhere in the world, and is conveniently located on the doorstep of Asia.

The Kimberley is made up of fragile sandstone and limestone formations easily eroded by the elements, but even more by the forces of man. The Kimberley is often referred to as one of the last great frontiers, as much of its area is an untamed wilderness of raw natural beauty. The Kimberley’s natural geological beauty can best be appreciated and enjoyed from the air.

The Kimberley is the most sparsely populated region in Australia.It covers an area of 424,500 square kilometres, (about twice the size of Victoria), and is a region of contrasts, with red pindan deserts, deep gorges, spectacular waterfalls and intensely white sandy beaches. Indigenous people have lived here for the past 40,000 years carrying out a hunter-gatherer existence in harmony with the natural environment.

The wet season is from December through to March. Dry season temperatures range from 25c-34c during the day and nights are cool, sometimes dropping to 8c. The dry season is marked by the onset of fresh easterly winds.