Not many may have heard of this place but its beauty has drawn celebrities
Lonely Planet has chosen the Kimberley in Western Australia’s northwest as one of the world’s Top 10 Regions in its “Best in Travel 2014”. The Kimberley ranked second.
“It’s one of the most sparsely-populated regions on the planet and one of the most starkly beautiful, carved by giant gorges, dimpled with deep, cool pools, and home to a coastline that could make Australian east-coasters weep,” Lonely Planet says.
Celebrity Approval
It’s not just Lonely Planet that thinks the Kimberley is extraordinary. The region has attracted a many high-profile guests including Sir Bob Geldof, Ewan McGregor, Jerry Hall, Miranda Kerr, Nicole Kidman and many more.
When talk show host Ellen DeGeneres asked Nicole Kidman where her favourite Australian destination was earlier this year, her answer was simple – Kununurra in the Kimberley.
Kidman fell in love with the Kimberley during the filming of Baz Luhrmann’s Australia in 2007 and has been an advocate of the region ever since.
A Dreamscape
Director Luhrmann spent almost a decade searching for the ultimate Australian landscape that would etch itself indelibly into the public imagination. He chose the Kimberley.
“What’s so exciting about the landscape which is on the one hand, harsh, brutal and unforgiving – but at any given moment can become the most awesome, majestic, inspiring, poetic and lyrical place to be,” said Luhrmann.
In May this year, Sir Bob Geldof was on business in Perth when he decided he had to tick off one of his “bucket list” experiences – witnessing the awe-inspiring Bungle Bungle Range at World Heritage listed Purnululu National Park.
“I flew up to Kununurra for the Ord Valley Muster and was fortunate enough to visit the Bungle Bungles whilst I was there,” said Sir Bob.
“I had heard so much about them and had seen pictures but had to go see them for myself. It was definitely worth the effort as both were simply spectacular in asymmetrical ways,” he said.
The Choice Setting
In the past 12 months, several high-profile advertising campaigns were shot in the Kimberley – Myer at El Questro, David Jones at Eco Beach and Megan Gale’s Isola swimwear range on Broome’s Cable Beach, to name a few.
The Kimberley is also featured in Tourism Western Australia’s two new “Experience Extraordinary” films. The Kimberley locations include El Questro Wilderness Park, Home Valley Station, the Bungle Bungle Range, Cable Beach and Gantheaume Point.
Lonely Planet’s endorsement of the Kimberley as No. 2 in the Top 10 Regions of Best in Travel 2014 is expected to draw a new wave of visitors to this extraordinary, unique wilderness.
To find out more about Western Australia, visit www.westernaustralia.com
Photo credits: James Morgan
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