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Imagine a place where you can experience a profusion of Kimberley wildlife, knowing that there is virtually no one else within cooee.

The unique native flora and fauna of the Kimberley is abundant on Balanggarra Lands. Because of its relative isolation, the area has been reasonably protected, providing a unique habitat for native species. Apart from remnant cattle left to roam wild from the grazing era, this environment offers a rare glimpse into the wild, dating back to prehistoric times. It’s easy to imagine dinosaurs in this landscape.

You’ll find woollybutt, bloodwood and snappy gum trees (which snaps into campfire sized pieces when you throw it at the ground!). Waving silky grevillea forests produce bright orange flowers that drip with nectar, attracting all kinds of birdlife. If we’re lucky enough to find the dead limbs of native pine (Callitris columellaris) we’ll use it on the campfire, releasing a smoky perfume similar to sandalwood, which can also cleanse the air of unwanted spirits. A wide variety of acacias, including the spectacular ‘elephant ear’ wattle (Acacia dunnii) line the tracks, and the blooms of Crotalaria cunninghamii resemble tiny birds clumped on a thin stalks, frantically gorging on nectar.

Also known as screw pine, the iconic pandanus lines waterways, its roots a haven for the elusive long-necked turtle and other amphibious creatures. Birdlife is incredibly prolific, ranging from tiny zebra and firetail finches to Australian bustards (bush turkeys) and the magnificent brolga, part of the crane family. Brolga sightings are not uncommon but always awe-inspiring; they have a prehistoric look, strutting across the grasslands with their slender necks and long legs. If you’re lucky you might see them performing their graceful courting dance with raised wings, sometimes depicted in rock art. You’ll awaken to the distinctive sounds of the northern kookaburra who also provide the soundtrack to sunset; the cooing of peaceful doves a constant in the background.

Rainbow bee-eaters with their kaleidoscopic wings dart through the trees and crimson flashes can sometimes be glimpsed as red-winged parrots fly overhead. The eponymous barking owl is special, bizarrely living up to its name. Watch sea eagles circling in from the Timor Sea as we cross and camp on the Durack River; their ancestors witness to a horrific massacre of the Balanggarra people just near here (men, women and children) during colonisation.

Many travellers bring reference books along and enjoy sharing the experience of identifying species together on our tours!