PONANT is sailing to one of Australia’s more popular adventure cruising locations, the Kimberley region, in 2017.
The French cruise line, headed up locally by Sarina Bratton (the former owner of the popular Orion vessel which was purchased and rebranded by Lindlbad as National Geographic Orion), announced its inaugural series of voyages in the famed region with the release of its new ‘The Kimberley Coast’ brochure.
Initially, the company will offer 12 itineraries next year highlighting traditional spots as well as lesser-known locations.
Each tour will be headed up by winning photographer and adventurer Mick Fogg aboard the cruise line’s 264-passenger, L’Austral.
Fogg said returning to the destination with the cruise line has allowed him to take a ‘fresh look’ and create an itinerary packed with “some fascinating, lesser known destinations, which provide these Kimberley voyages with added layers of interest”.
“At 1.8 billion years old, much of the Kimberley pre-dates life as we know it; so old enormous areas exist where no fossils can be found.”
Mick Fogg
Image: Mick Fogg
During their trips guests can expect to see indigenous Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock art. There’ll be Saltwater crocodiles, which have lived around the Kimberley for thousands of years, according to Fogg.
Plus guests on select tours will be able to observe the largest population of migrating Humpback whales in the world.
Depending on tides and weather conditions it may also be possible to visit Langii, spiritual home of the Wandjina, and Freshwater Cove, where guests will spend a very special day with Kimberley Elder Donny Woolagoodja, whose giant Wandjina artwork featured at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
