Exploring the Kimberly by powerboat

Ever wanted to explore one of Australia’s most remote and far-flung wilderness coastlines? A wild and remote region unlike anything in southern or eastern Australia, where on an average day you will encounter an 11-metre tidal rise and fall and anchor for the night in a pristine and secluded bay where the water teems with exotic fish just waiting for your line, and where migrating whales pop up beside you for an inquisitive look.

Well, this describes the Kimberley region in far north WA. Trouble is, this fascinating boating playground is all but inaccessible to the average power boater due to its extreme remoteness. With only one or two locations where fuel is available, the powerboat explorer or fisherman is limited to a day-trip or two from the few launching ramps.

But what if an organised expedition was able to bring together a group of like-minded boaties, support the fleet with a supply of bulk fuel, provide a base-station from which to explore remote and interesting places and act as an expedition HQ, providing medical, navigation, communications and catering facilities? 

Well, this is exactly what is being proposed for next year.  Geographica Corp, the organisers of the Australian Offshore Challenge, has announced that a cruise-in-company style expedition is being planned for winter 2013.  The Australian Offshore Challenge introduced the concept of long-distance powerboating events and expeditions with its successful running of The Bass Strait Rallies over the past few years.

The next event from this company will be The Kimberley Challenge.  Starting from Wyndham in the East Kimberley, powerboaters who join the trip will follow the wild and spectacular coastline of the Kimberley archipelagos, with its thousands of islands, steep-sided river gorges, cascading waterfalls and swirling tidal races, all the way around the coast to finish at Broome. 

In order to make the trip possible, the organisers will support the expeditioners with both land-based support and an HQ vessel. These support vehicles and vessels will keep the expedition supplied with fuel (ULP and diesel), as well as providing a community base to ensure that all participants not only travel safely in numbers, but also to maximise the opportunities to get together each day in a spirit of camaraderie and fun, sharing the adventure with their fellow explorers.

The concept behind The Kimberley Challenge is to find a realistic way for powerboating enthusiasts to travel and explore Australia’s last frontier in their own boat. Up till now, that privilege has been limited to a few cruising yachties and the occasional well-equipped adventure seeker. Not even the luxury cruise ship tourists get to experience the real wilderness of The Kimberley.

So if you can find a couple of weeks next June/July, and you have a half-cabin trailerboat and a crew of enthusiastic buddies (including someone who can navigate!) and can get yourself to the Wyndham start, then consider joining this one-off opportunity to take to the wilds and experience first-hand some of the best coastal waterways in our part of the world.

For more information, call Roger Dickeson 0400 408 424 or visit the web site, www.offshorechallenge.com.au