79-628: Danggu (Geikie) Gorge National Park is a national park in the Kimberley region of Western Australia , 1,837 kilometres (1,141 mi) ( great-circle distance ) northeast of Perth and approximately 420 km (261 mi) east of Broome by road. As of January 2024 it is closed owing to damage caused by flooding of the Fitzroy River in 2023. Dan͟ggu Geikie Gorge ( 18°04′24″S 125°43′16″E / 18.0733°S 125.7212°E / -18.0733; 125.7212 ), formerly Geikie Gorge ,
158-635: A " catch and release " fish. Popular stocked barramundi impoundments include Lake Tinaroo near Cairns in the Atherton Tablelands, Lake Proserpine west of Proserpine, Queensland , Teemburra Dam near Mackay, Lake Moondarra near Mount Isa , Lake Awoonga near Gladstone , and Lake Monduran south of Lake Awoonga. The fish is of commercial importance; it is fished internationally and raised in aquaculture in Australia, Singapore , Saudi Arabia, Malaysia , India, Indonesia , Vietnam , Israel , Thailand ,
237-549: A campaign to protest a proposal to industrialise the James Price Point area of Broome. Woodside Energy , with the additional involvement of BHP and the Government of Australia , has sought to build a gas industrial complex, and those in opposition believe that such a development threatens the region. The campaign has received support from public figures such as John Butler , Clare Bowditch, Missy Higgins and former leader of
316-633: A daily basis. In addition to Australian English , post-contact languages spoken in the Kimberley include Aboriginal English , Kriol , Pidgin English and the Malay-based Broome Pearling Lugger Pidgin (not spoken on a daily basis any more). At the federal level, the Kimberley is represented by the member for Durack . At state level, the Kimberley electorate takes in all of the region and its towns. The Kimberley region consists of
395-488: A diverse regional economy. Mining, construction, tourism, retail, agriculture, and pearling are major contributors to the region's economic output. The town of Broome has a flourishing pearling industry, which operates around the Kimberley coast. Some of the major farmers are Paspaley Pearls, Clipper Pearls, Broome Pearls and the Willie Creek Pearl Farm. One third of the world's annual production of diamonds
474-546: A hatchery juvenile, between 50 and 100 mm in length, to a table size of 400–600 g within 12 months and to 3.0 kg within 18–24 months. Though Asian sea bass are a hardy fish, they are vulnerable to bacterial infections like photobacteriosis. These fish are not generally kept in home aquaria. They may be confused with an Australian reef fish commonly called the humpback grouper ( Cromileptes altivelis ), also known as barramundi cod, panther grouper, or polkadot grouper, juveniles of which are frequently offered for sale in
553-430: A large, slightly oblique mouth and an upper jaw extending behind the eye. The lower edge of the preoperculum is serrated with a strong spine at its angle; the operculum has a small spine and a serrated flap above the origin of the lateral line. Its scales are ctenoid . In cross section, the fish is compressed and the dorsal head profile clearly concave. The single dorsal and ventral fins have spines and soft rays ;
632-407: A lot of bones. Bhetki fillets have no bones in them. In Bengali cuisine , therefore, fried bhetki fillets are popular and considered to be of good quality. The dish is commonly called "fish fry". Locally caught chonak (barramundi) is a favourite food, prepared with either recheado (a Goan red masala) or coated with rava ( sooji , semolina) and pan fried. The fish is generally filleted on
711-440: A much deeper significance. There is a complex performative aspect that goes hand-in-hand with the art that remains today. The re-touching/re-marking actions are considered a performance and act as a retelling of the story behind the art. The performance is a way for people to reconnect with the cultural significance behind the work itself and maintain the connection of person to place. This process highlights indigenous beliefs about
790-739: A party of seven from the west coast at Beagle Bay to Katherine, Northern Territory . Forrest explored and named the Kimberley district, the Margaret and Ord rivers and the King Leopold Ranges (now the Wunaamin-Miliwundi Ranges ), and located well watered pastoral lands along the Fitzroy and Ord rivers. He subsequently set himself up as a land agent specialising in the Kimberley during a period to 1883 when over 21,000,000 hectares (51,000,000 acres) of land were taken up as pastoral leaseholds in
869-663: A small reconnaissance party in The Kimberley on 19 January 1944; they were investigating reports that the Allies were building large bases in the region. Four Japanese officers were on board a small fishing boat. They investigated the York Sound region for a day and a night before returning to Kupang in Timor on 20 January. After returning to Japan in February, the junior officer, who had commanded
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#1732884238744948-637: A temperature range of 26−30 °C. This species does not undertake extensive migrations within or between river systems, which has presumably influenced establishment of genetically distinct stocks in Northern Australia. The barramundi feeds on crustaceans , molluscs , and smaller fish (including its own species); juveniles feed on zooplankton . The barramundi is euryhaline , but stenothermal . It inhabits rivers and descends to estuaries and tidal flats to spawn. In areas remote from fresh water, purely marine populations may become established. At
1027-509: A variety of many other ways. Pla kapong can be seen in aquaria in many restaurants in Thailand, where sometimes this fish is wrongly labelled as "snapper" or "sea bass" on menus. Traditionally, Lutjanidae snappers were known as pla kapong before the introduction of barramundi in Thai aquaculture, but presently, snapper is rarely served in restaurants in the main cities and in interior Thailand. In
1106-636: Is a species of catadromous fish in the family Latidae of the order Carangiformes . The species is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific , spanning the waters of the Middle East , South Asia , Southeast Asia , East Asia , and Oceania . Barramundi is a loanword from an Australian Aboriginal language of the Rockhampton area in Queensland meaning "large-scaled river fish". Originally,
1185-614: Is a feature of the Napier Range located within the National Park, 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Fitzroy Crossing . It is believed to be one of the best-known and most easily accessed gorges in the region. Along with Tunnel Creek and Windjana Gorge , Geikie Gorge is part of an ancient barrier reef that developed during the Devonian Period . The walls of the gorge are 30 m (98 ft) high. The 8-kilometre (5.0 mi) gorge
1264-437: Is actually imported. This has placed economic pressure on Australian producers, both fishers and farmers, whose costs are greater due to remoteness of many of the farming and fishing sites, as well as stringent environmental and food safety standards placed on them by government. While country-of-origin labelling has given consumers greater certainty over the origins of their barramundi at the retail level, no requirement exists for
1343-777: Is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean , on the north by the Timor Sea , on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami deserts in the region of the Pilbara , and on the east by the Northern Territory . The region was named in 1879 by government surveyor Alexander Forrest after Secretary of State for the Colonies John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley . The Kimberley was one of the earliest settled parts of Australia, with
1422-600: Is chiefly covered in open savanna woodland dominated by low bloodwood and boab trees ( Adansonia gregorii ) with Darwin stringybark and Darwin woollybutt eucalyptus in the wetter areas. The red sandy soil of the Dampier Peninsula in the south is known for its characteristic pindan wooded grassland, while in the more fertile areas like the Ord Valley , the trees are found in grasslands of Chrysopogon , Aristida , Dichanthium and Xerochloa (rice grass) in
1501-457: Is fairly evenly distributed, with only three towns having populations in excess of 2,000: Broome (12,766), Derby (3,261), and Kununurra (4,573). Approximately 40% of the region's population is of Aboriginal descent. The Kimberley has been noted as a region of great linguistic diversity, rivalled in Australia only by the Top End . Depending on the geographical boundaries of The Kimberley, and
1580-520: Is home to a distinctive mixture of wildlife, which has been thoroughly mapped and described by the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management . There are habitats similar to the Kimberley across the border in the Northern Territory , including the valleys of the Victoria and Daly Rivers but these have been less carefully studied. Much of the Kimberley
1659-602: Is mined at the Argyle and the Ellendale diamond mines. Oil is extracted from the Blina oil field and natural gas is expected to be taken from offshore sources soon . Zinc and lead were mined at the Pillara and Cadjebut mines near Fitzroy Crossing, with nickel still being mined at Sallay Mallay near Halls Creek. Derby is the nearest export base for shipping these metals. Traditionally,
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#17328842387441738-478: Is named after the Kimberley region. The gorges of central Kimberley are known for their fossils and for their large colonies of bats, including Windjana , Tunnel Creek , and Geikie Gorges . Lake Argyle and other wetlands of the Ord and the Kimberley are important habitats while there are important populations of shorebirds in the Ord estuary, Eighty-mile Beach and Roebuck Bay , which has been described as "one of
1817-452: Is part of the Balili (Devonian Reef) Conservation Park . It lies around 1,837 kilometres (1,141 mi) ( great-circle distance ) northeast of Perth and approximately 420 km (261 mi) east of Broome by road. The park is one of the most accessible in the Kimberley as it is only 20 km (12 mi) from Fitzroy Crossing and is serviced by a sealed road. No camping is allowed in
1896-495: Is relatively established, with an annual production of more than 4,000 tons. In the broader Southeast Asian region, production is estimated to exceed 30,000 tons. By contrast, the US industry produces about 800 tons a year from a single facility, Australis Aquaculture, LLC . In 2011, VeroBlue Farms in Iowa started and aims to produce 500 tons annually. Barramundi under culture commonly grow from
1975-460: Is scarce. The maximum weight is about 60 kg (130 lb). The average length is about 0.6–1.2 m (2.0–3.9 ft). Its genome size is about 700 Mb, which was sequenced and published in Animal Genetics (2015, in press) by James Cook University . Barramundi are demersal , inhabiting coastal waters, estuaries, lagoons, and rivers; they are found in clear to turbid water, usually within
2054-459: Is so much steep land as to make much of the region difficult to traverse, especially during the wet season, when even sealed roads are often flooded. The coast is typically steep cliffs in the north but flatter in the south, all subject to high tides. The Kimberley has a tropical monsoon climate . The region receives about 90% of its rainfall during the short wet season, from November to April, when cyclones are common (especially around Broome) and
2133-683: Is still visible today in the form of the Napier Range and the Ningbing Range . Some of the features are Tunnel Creek , Windjana Gorge and Geikie Gorge . This area is also known as the Kimberley Block physiographic province, of which it is part of the larger West Australian Shield division. This province contains the Wunaamin-Miliwundi Range , Durack Range , Leveque Rise , Browse Depression , and Londonderry Rise physiographic sections. In Bureau of Meteorology weather reports
2212-657: The Australian Greens , Bob Brown . On 5 October 2012, a concert was held at Federation Square in Melbourne , Australia, to raise awareness of the campaign; the protest event attracted approximately 6,000 people. On 24 February 2013, an estimated 20,000 people gathered for a charity concert in Fremantle , Western Australia to raise awareness and funds to help protect the Kimberley, with performances from Ball Park Music , Missy Higgins, and John Butler. The Kimberley region has
2291-853: The Marrngu languages (such as Karajarri and Nyangumarta , the Ngumpin languages (such as Walmajarri and Jaru ), the Yapa languages (such as Warlpiri ) and the Western Desert languages (including Wangkajunga and Kukatja ). Non-Pama-Nyungan languages spoken around the Kimberleys (but speakers of which today live within the Kimberley) include the Daly language Murrinh-Patha and Western Mirndi language Jaminjung . Presently, many indigenous languages are no longer spoken on
2370-828: The Prince Regent National Park and the Drysdale River National Park along with Gregory National Park and Keep River National Park across in the Northern Territory, which preserves similar habitats. (Keep River's nearest town is Kununurra in the Kimberley.) The Kimberley is a popular tourist destination, with areas such as the Bungle Bungle Range , the Gibb River Road , Lake Argyle , El Questro Station , Mornington Sanctuary , Horizontal Falls and Cape Leveque . The Gibb River Road and
2449-453: The Wandjinas and the meaning behind them. They are seen throughout the region at many different sites and are the most repainted rock art in Kimberley. This is due to the fact that indigenous groups believe in the power that Wandjina holds. Creation stories, migrational patterns, and clothing style of the figures emphasise their importance and integration into the sociocultural groups inhabiting
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2528-419: The bowerbird . The sandstone gorges of north Kimberley are an important refuge for a particularly rich collection of endemic species including some that have disappeared from the flatter areas, including the purple-crowned fairywren, the endangered Gouldian finch and a large number of amphibians : flat-headed frog , cave-dwelling frog , magnificent tree frog , Derby toadlet , small toadlet , fat toadlet ,
2607-461: The local government areas of Broome , Derby-West Kimberley , Halls Creek and Wyndham-East Kimberley . The Kimberley region is extremely rich in art, mainly that of Indigenous rock art . Considering the area's size, it is no surprise that there are tens of thousands of rock art examples coming from a variety of different cultural groups within the region. The diversity of peoples has allowed for many different art styles to develop with some of
2686-485: The "North Kimberley Coast" is the WA border to Kuri Bay section of the coast, while the "West Kimberley Coast" is from Kuri Bay to Wallal Downs. Significant sections of the coastline between Broome and Wyndham have no means of road access, and boat or helicopter are the only means. Due to the isolation, a number of tourist operations on the coastline have been called "wilderness" locations. The rugged and varied sandstone landscape
2765-562: The Kimberley and exported live. Wyndham features the last remaining meatworks in the Kimberley - there were formerly works at Broome and Derby but financial constraints have caused these to be closed. Barramundi are bred in Lake Argyle , and Broome features a fully equipped Aquaculture Park near the port; tenants include Paspaley Pearls and Broome TAFE . The Kimberley also has a thriving fishing industry. Some of Australia's most prominent indigenous artists and art centres are in or adjacent to
2844-460: The Kimberley region. Artists such as Paddy Bedford and Freddie Timms have an international profile, and there are a number of Aboriginal-owned and controlled art centres and companies that assist artists, arrange exhibitions and sell works. The art centres in the region are also organized through the Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists. Issues have been raised regarding
2923-631: The United States, Poland, and the United Kingdom. A Singapore investment firm has invested in an upcoming barramundi fish farm in Brunei. A joint venture between a Sri Lankan company, Oceanpick (Pvt) Ltd, and a Scottish fish farm has been ocean farming barramundi sustainably in Sri Lanka since 2012, using the deep waters of Trincomalee Bay, on the island's northeast coast. The Australian barramundi industry
3002-568: The Western Australian government announced the creation of the 7,062 square kilometre Camden Sound Marine Park with a further three to come. Visitors to the area should be aware that the area can be subject to controlled burns at any time of year. In September 2011, a fire burned five people, two severely, who had been competing in the Kimberley Ultramarathon, an endurance cross country footrace . The Wilderness Society has led
3081-441: The area. The Kimberley is an area of 423,517 square kilometres (163,521 sq mi), which is about three times the size of England , twice the size of Victoria , or just slightly smaller than California . The Kimberley consists of the ancient, steep-sided mountain ranges of northwestern Australia cut through with sandstone and limestone gorges and steep ridges, from which the extreme monsoonal climate has removed much of
3160-605: The best locations for preservation. The oldest category known as the Irregular Infill Animal or the Naturalistic period is responsible for the region's life-size animal depictions. A rock shelter in Kimberley's northeastern territory is home to a perfect example of this, a two-meter-long kangaroo painting on the ceiling. This case was extremely rare as archaeologist found remains of mud wasp nests that could be used for dating. These nests were located both below and on top of
3239-537: The central Kimberly plateau can drop below 0 °C (32 °F) during the dry season. The Aboriginal people of the Kimberley recognise six traditional seasons based on meteorological events, as well as on observations of flora and fauna. During the Devonian period, a barrier reef system formed before a subsequent drop in sea levels over the Kimberley. This reef system was similar to the Great Barrier Reef and
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3318-412: The changes and persistence within the cultural and natural environment. The changing and expanding complexity of styles and techniques has caught the attention of many, paving the way for mass amounts of archaeological and anthropological research. Much of the artwork in the area has been gone over with similar or alternative methods to preserve the art, add to it, or enhance it. Rock shelters are some of
3397-399: The definition of what constitutes a " language " (as opposed to a " dialect "), about 50-60 Aboriginal languages were once spoken in this region. The vast majority of these do not belong to the family of Pama-Nyungan languages . Four endemic, primary language families are recognised within the core Kimberley region: Pama-Nyungan languages spoken in and around the Kimberley region include
3476-529: The diagonal. It is eaten as a snack or as an accompaniment to drinks or the main course. It is one of the more expensive fish available. Barramundi from local fish farms are known as pla kapong ( Thai : ปลากะพง ) in Thailand . Since its introduction, it has become one of the most popular fish in Thai cuisine . It is often eaten steamed with lime and garlic , as well as deep-fried or stir-fried with lemongrass , among
3555-512: The eastern states in search of good pasture lands. After gold was discovered around Halls Creek , many other erstwhile European miners arrived rapidly. In the 1890s, the area was the site of an armed insurrection of indigenous people led by Jandamarra , a Bunuba warrior. During World War II , when Australia was among the nations at war with the Axis powers, the Japanese invaded the nation with only
3634-634: The economy depended on pastoral leases , with most of the region covered by the leases. More recently agriculture has been focused on the Ord River Irrigation Area near Kununurra . Irrigation was also trialled in the West Kimberley by way of the now defunct Camballin Irrigation Scheme . There are also fruit growers in Broome and in other areas in the West Kimberley. Beef cattle are grown in
3713-802: The exploitation of indigenous artists by businesses and individuals, including in the Kimberley, which were canvassed in an Australian Senate parliamentary committee report. Tourism is expected to remain one of the Kimberley region's major growth industries. Averaged across 2010, 2011, and 2012, there were 292,600 domestic and international visitors to the Kimberley annually. Grey, Sir George (1812–1898)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/grey-sir-george-2125/text2691 , published first in hardcopy 1966, accessed online 29 May 2024. Barramundi NO The barramundi ( Lates calcarifer ), Asian sea bass , or giant sea perch (also known as dangri , apahap or siakap )
3792-405: The first humans landing about 65,000 years ago. They created a complex culture that developed over thousands of years. Yam ( Dioscorea hastifolia ) agriculture was developed, and rock art suggests that this was where some of the earliest boomerangs were invented. The worship of Wandjina deities was most common in this region, and a complex theology dealing with the transmigration of souls
3871-469: The food service and restaurant trades to label the origins of their barramundi. Locally caught bhetki (barramundi) is a popular fish among Bengali people, mainly served in festivities such as marriages and other important social events. It is cooked as bhetki machher paturi , bhetki machher kalia , or coated in crumbled biscuit (similar to golden bread crumbs) and pan fried. It is very popular among people who are usually sceptical about eating fish with
3950-412: The gorge and a boat ramp is available for the public to use. Hours of use of the boat ramp are restricted to outside of boat tour times. However, as of January 2024, the park is closed owing to flood damage sustained in 2023. The river water sustains an abundance of life, including barramundi , sawfish and freshwater crocodiles , all of which can be found in the gorge. The vegetation that fringes
4029-421: The land and the position that native people have within that space. Identity plays a major role in understanding the rock art in the region. There are many different sectors within the Kimberley region that allow for a dispersal of cultural thought and expression unique to the group in their respected areas. This differentiation of style may have been socially necessary, but there was a unifying aspect in regard to
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#17328842387444108-581: The most floristically rich parts of Australia outside the Wet Tropics and southwestern WA. There are also areas of mangrove in river estuaries where the coast is flatter . In 1979, Beard identified four phytogeographic districts within the Northern Botanical Province: Animals found here include the huge saltwater crocodile and a rich variety of birds such as the channel-billed cuckoo , Pacific koel , purple-crowned fairywren and
4187-573: The most important stop-over areas for shorebirds in Australia and globally". Finally there are a number of rocky islands off the north coast that are home to seabirds and turtles . Little of the Kimberley has been subject to wholesale clearance other than particularly fertile parts of the Ord Valley (and areas of Kimberley-type habitat across in the Daly River basin in the Northern Territory) but
4266-449: The most widely known examples being Wandjina and Gwion Gwion . In addition to the variation in styles, there are almost equally diverse fabrication techniques. The earliest form of Kimberley rock art was hand stencils , but techniques such as engraving, painting, scratchwork, pecking, drawing, and later beeswax applique have also been used. In addition to the varying styles and techniques, there are united visual depictions that reflect
4345-446: The name barramundi referred to Scleropages leichardti and Scleropages jardinii . However, the name was appropriated for marketing reasons during the 1980s, a decision that significantly raised the profile of this fish. L. calcarifer is broadly referred to as Asian seabass by the international scientific community, but is sometimes known as Australian seabass or giant sea perch. This species has an elongated body form with
4424-424: The ornamental fish trade. However, they rapidly outgrow most home aquariums. Barramundi have a mild flavour and a white, flaky flesh, with varying amount of body fat. Barramundi are a favourite food of the region's apex predator , saltwater crocodiles , which have been known to take them from unwary fishermen. In Australia, such is the demand for the fish that a substantial amount of barramundi consumed there
4503-400: The painting making them prime for determining an accurate age of the kangaroo art itself. They analysed samples from 6 of the nests and settled on a date between 17,500 years old and 17,100 years old, making the kangaroo rock art the oldest in Australia. Based on oral accounts from Aboriginal people in the region it has been confirmed that many of the works that have been re-touched maintain
4582-402: The paired pectoral and pelvic fins have soft rays only; and the caudal fin has soft rays and is truncated and rounded. Barramundi are salt and freshwater sportfish, targeted by many. They have large, silver scales, which may become darker or lighter, depending on their environments. Their bodies can reach up to 1.8 m (5.9 ft) long, though evidence of them being caught at this size
4661-399: The park and visitors can only enter during the day. The park has picnic shelters, barbecue areas, toilets and water available. A 3-kilometre (2 mi) walk trail exists along the western base of the gorge walls; although the terrain is rough and uneven it does offer an excellent view. The eastern side of the gorge is closed to visitors as it is a nature preserve. Tour boats also operate in
4740-399: The party, suggested using 200 Japanese prison inmates to launch a guerrilla campaign in Australia. No superior adopted his suggestion, and the officer was posted to other duties. The 2011 estimated permanent population of The Kimberley was 34,794 but it rises dramatically during winter when it attracts a seasonal population. On Census night in 2011 (9 August), it was 50,113. The population
4819-498: The pastureland in the southern areas has been affected by 100 years of livestock grazing and other threats including introduced weeds (such as cocklebur , parkinsonia , bellyache bush and castor oil plant ), feral cats and changes to traditional Aboriginal fire regimes (the way grassland is burnt and allowed to renew). However, the remote sandstone areas to the north have valuable original habitats in good condition providing shelter for much wildlife. The largest protected areas are
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#17328842387444898-553: The plains. Fossils from the Devonian can be found within the limestone strata. The gorge was originally named in honour of Sir Archibald Geikie , the Director General of Geological Survey for Great Britain and Ireland when it was named in 1883. Known by local Bunuba people as Darngku or as it is more usually spelt, Danggu , the gorge was later (sometime before June 2019) renamed Dan͟ggu Geikie Gorge. Danggu means "the area where
4977-574: The region. In 1881, Philip Saunders and Adam Johns, in the face of great difficulties and dangers, found gold in various parts of the Kimberley. Early in 1881, the first five graziers, who called themselves the Murray Squatting Company, took up 49,000 hectares (120,000 acres) behind Beagle Bay and named it Yeeda Station . In 1883 they were the first men to shear sheep in the southern Kimberley. Additional Anglo-European settlement occurred in 1885, when ranchers drove cattle across Australia from
5056-425: The river bank includes river gums, freshwater mangroves , pandanus , cadjeput and native figs. Dense banks of reeds are also found along the banks. The flora provides a suitable habitat for a range of fauna, including fruit bats , lilac-crowned wren , reed warbler and the great bowerbird . Kimberley (Western Australia) The Kimberley is the northernmost of the nine regions of Western Australia . It
5135-524: The rivers flood. The annual rainfall is highest in the northwest, where Kalumburu and the Mitchell Plateau average 1,270 millimetres (50 in) per year, and lowest in the southeast where it is around 520 millimetres (20 in). In the dry season, from May to October, south easterly breezes bring sunny days and cool nights. Climate change since 1967 has led to large increases of as much as 250 millimetres (10 in) per year in annual rainfall over
5214-520: The road into the Bungle Bungles can at times be accessed in a two-wheel drive car, although one can access many additional areas in a four-wheel drive vehicle. Other parks in the region include Geikie Gorge National Park , Mirima National Park , Mitchell River National Park , Point Coulomb National Park , Purnululu National Park , Tunnel Creek National Park , Windjana Gorge National Park and Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park . In 2012
5293-417: The schooner Lynher from Cape Town , South Africa. They reached Hanover Bay on 2 December 1837. The exploring party started inland on 19 January 1838. Leaders and men were totally inexperienced, their progress was delayed by flooded country, and they abandoned many stores along the way. The party was constantly split up although they had to contend with large numbers of hostile Aboriginals. On 11 February, Grey
5372-464: The soil. The southern end of the Kimberley beyond the Dampier Peninsula is flatter with dry tropical grassland and is used for cattle ranching. In parts of the Kimberley, such as the valleys of the Ord and Fitzroy Rivers in the south, the soils are relatively usable cracking clays , whilst elsewhere they are lateritic Orthents . Although none of the mountains reach even 1,000 metres (3,281 ft), there
5451-486: The start of the monsoon , males migrate downriver to meet females, which lay very large numbers of eggs (several millions each). The adults do not guard the eggs or the fry, which require brackish water to develop. The species is sequentially hermaphroditic , with most individuals maturing as males and becoming female after at least one spawning season; most of the larger specimens are therefore female. Fish held in captivity sometimes demonstrate features atypical of fish in
5530-418: The surface white. The limestone was originally a reef formed not by corals but by algae and lime-secreting organisms that are now extinct. The reef was formed in the Devonian period when the reeding waters allowed the organisms to build a reef up to 2 km (1 mi) thick. The remains of the reef now stand as the limestone range that wind across the countryside up to 100 m (330 ft) above
5609-507: The unconfirmed marbled toadlet , Mjoberg's toadlet , mole toadlet and stonemason's toadlet . Mammals that have declined especially in the flatlands include the bilby , northern quoll , pale field rat , golden-backed tree-rat , and golden bandicoot . Megabats such as the black flying foxes and little red flying foxes are common and perform important pollination and seed dispersal work for many species of native trees and shrubs. A species of endemic gecko , Gehyra kimberleyi ,
5688-505: The water is very deep under the cave" in the Bunuba language . In 2023, many of the park's facilities were damaged by heavy flooding when the Fitzroy River rose 15 m (49 ft), and the river itself was changed permanently in some places. The park had to be closed, and a recovery plan has been undertaken, with hopes to reopen the park sometime in 2024. Danggu Geikie Gorge National Park
5767-417: The wetter valleys. The banks of the Ord , Fitzroy River and other rivers are home to a greater variety of vegetation, while in sheltered gorges of the high rainfall north there are patches of tropical dry broadleaf forest , called monsoon forests , deciduous vine forest or vine thicket in Australia, (often mistakenly which is called "dry rainforest"), which were unknown to science until 1965, and are one of
5846-583: The whole region. A 2007 study suggests Asian pollution may be a key contributory factor to this increased rainfall. In 1997 and 2000, the region received especially heavy rains, leading to record flooding of the Fitzroy and other rivers. The Kimberley is one of the hottest parts of Australia, with the average annual mean temperature around 27 °C (81 °F), and with mean maximum temperatures almost always above 30 °C (86 °F), even in July. The hottest part of
5925-524: The wild; they change sex at a smaller size, exhibit a higher proportion of protogyny and some males do not undergo sexual inversion . Prized by anglers and sport-fishing enthusiasts for their good fighting ability, barramundi are reputed to be good at avoiding fixed nets and are best caught on lines and with fishing lures . In Australia, the barramundi is used to stock freshwater reservoirs for recreational fishing. These "impoundment barramundi", as they are known by anglers, have grown in popularity as
6004-606: The year is November before the rains break, when temperatures frequently reach above 37 °C (99 °F) on the coast and well over 40 °C (104 °F) inland. Mean minimum temperatures in July range from around 12 °C (54 °F) in the south to 16 °C (61 °F) along the coast, whilst in November and December they are generally around 26 °C (79 °F). Record high temperatures range from around 47 to 48 °C (117 to 118 °F), while record lows are around 2 to 3 °C (36 to 37 °F), although some parts of
6083-405: Was created by the flowing waters of the Fitzroy River , which still flows through the region. Freshwater crocodiles , Leichhardt's sawfish and coach-whip stingrays inhabit the river. The level of the river in the wet season can rise by up to 16.5 metres (54 ft), and the flood level can be clearly seen on the walls where the abrasive action of the floodwaters on the limestone has scoured
6162-675: Was part of the local people's religious philosophy. During the 18th century, Dutch explorers named the region of Kimberley and nearby Darwin variations of Van Diemen's Land after the VOC governor-general Anthony van Diemen . This should not be confused with the more general and prolonged use of the same name for Tasmania . In 1837, with expedition support from the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain , Lieutenants George Grey and Franklin Lushington and 12 men sailed on
6241-633: Was speared and became critically ill but, after two weeks, continued the exploration. The party found and named the Gairdner River , the Glenelg River , the Stephen and Whately ranges and Mount Lyell before returning to Hanover Bay in April. There they were picked up by HMS Beagle and Lynher and taken to Mauritius to recuperate. In 1879, Western Australian government surveyor Alexander Forrest led
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