Connecting with Indigenous Heritage on a Cruise Through Australia’s Kimberley Region

As dawn breaks over the Indian Ocean, we embark on Zodiacs and speed into the Lalang-gaddam Marine Park along Australia’s secluded Kimberley coast. Timing is crucial here; the tides are rapid and massive, rising and falling over 30 feet twice daily. We must catch them as they recede.

We race across the water to a seemingly ordinary spot, waiting in quiet anticipation as the world around us gradually awakens with the sunrise. An ancient stone formation, the two-billion-year-old Yowjab (Montgomery Reef), emerges on either side as the tide pulls back. It feels like discovering Atlantis, or rather, the planet’s largest inshore reef, a sprawling 150-square-mile mass appearing before our eyes.

Water cascades down its slopes in waterfalls and rivulets. Seabirds perch on stone ledges, poised to catch fish escaping the currents. Green turtles pop their heads above the surface, only to disappear in an instant. The scene is alive with sound and movement.

Dambimangari man and ranger Adrian Lane is truly in his element. Yowjab is his ancestral land. As a member of Seabourn Pursuit’s first expedition team, he is perfectly positioned to share the significance of this place and its culture. He recounts the tale of a boy who ventured out to fish one day and vanished. His devastated mother searched in vain for her son, and in her anguish, she plunged a stick into the sea, creating the whirlpools swirling around us. The water cascading from the rocks, he tells us, represents her tears.

The Kimberley region, roughly the size of California yet home to just 40,000 residents, has long been marketed by cruise lines as a "wilderness" getaway. This characterization overlooks the fact that it is the ancestral land of five First Nations peoples, who have inhabited these territories for over 50,000 years, along the 889-nautical-mile route from Broome to Darwin.

Cruise operators have been navigating these waters for three decades, but Lane notes that it is only recently that First Nations peoples have been invited to participate in tourism, being asked to say, “Join us on this journey.” When Seabourn approached him to become part of their team, offering him the chance to showcase his culture and homeland to cruise travelers, he felt a spark of inspiration, saying, "Let’s go now."

Seabourn’s inaugural voyage this June sought to acknowledge the historical oversight of Indigenous voices. In addition to collaborating with Dambimangari rangers, the Seattle-based cruise line designated the Wunambal-Gaambera tribe as godparents—referred to as garrangarru, meaning mother or listener—of its newest expedition ship, the 132-suite Pursuit.

Seabourn, in partnership with the West Australian Government, has allocated funds to establish much-needed visitor facilities on Ngula (Jar Island) and to ignite a commercial art scene there. They are providing materials, such as traditional pearl shells, for Wunambal artists to paint Gwion and Wandjina figures. These exquisite artworks will be available for purchase by passengers visiting Ngula (Jar Island).

The 264-passenger Pursuit is the cruise line’s second expedition ship designed specifically for this purpose. It boasts advanced technology, including two six-person submarines, 24 Zodiacs, and a high-definition camera capable of transmitting live feeds from up to two miles away, along with ample deck space for seamless wildlife viewing.

Accommodations on board are luxurious and tactile, ranging from 355 square feet to nearly 2,000-square-foot signature suites featuring outdoor hot tubs. All rooms include private balconies, customizable minibar selections, and Swarovski binoculars.

Room service is available around the clock, featuring a caviar call-up service and unlimited champagne. The onboard dining experience includes eight restaurants and bars, with all but premium wines included in the ticket price, ensuring that guests are never left hungry or thirsty. A well-appointed spa and fitness center, complete with panoramic saunas and daily Pilates sessions, are also available.

The Kimberley—similar to the Arctic and Antarctic, which are also mainstays of the luxury expedition calendar—is notable for its sparse population and rich natural beauty. There are times when we navigate through waters that, even today, remain unexplored. These frontier regions are filled with discoveries waiting to be made.

The 10-day itinerary showcases a diverse array of wildlife including saltwater crocodiles, raptors, turtles, dolphins, orcas, whales, reef sharks, and the slim chance of catching a glimpse of a dugong. Key natural attractions feature Yowjab (Montgomery Reef) and the stunning Horizontal Falls, the powerful twin waterfalls found in the King George River gorge, along with fantastic snorkeling opportunities at Ashmore Reef, located over 125 miles from the mainland.

At the Kuri Bay pearl farm, some of us hop on Mallard seaplanes for breathtaking aerial views over the marine park as an optional paid activity, while others indulge in extravagant shopping at the temporary Paspaley Pearls boutique, where prices can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

During our visit to Freshwater Cove along the Kimberley coast, Worrorra man Neil Maru guides us to a rock overhang adorned with wandjina creator spirits, which date back at least as far as the pyramids. “Have a seat, just as my ancestors have done here for millennia,” he invites, before highlighting an image of the lost little boy on Montgomery Reef and the whirlpool that claimed him.

On Ngula (Jar Island), the site of the Pursuit naming ceremony, we participate in a traditional smoking ritual for purification and enjoy a captivating junba dance performed by the adorned Wunambal-Gaambera men. Afterwards, we discover 16,000-year-old Gwion rock art showcasing human figures—an experience that feels almost surreal.

Sailing beneath a full moon, experiencing breathtaking sunsets (often paired with live operatic performances), and witnessing a shark-feeding frenzy illuminated by the ship’s lights are just a few highlights. Additionally, the crew sets up floating bars in various locations, from a sandbank serving breakfast mimosas and Bloody Marys to Zodiacs offering champagne near waterfalls, reefs, and rivers.

The Aboriginal elders I speak with are keeping an eye on the swift rise of cruise tourism in the Kimberley—where the number of passengers is expected to increase from 22,000 this dry season (May–October) to 32,000 next year. For now, after being forcibly removed from their ancestral lands in the last century due to government policies and mining activities, they appreciate how tourism allows them to reconnect with their homeland and heritage.

Lane emphasizes the significance of taking action to safeguard the future of their children, their culture, and the environment for himself and other Dambimangari leaders.

"We’re gradually returning to our homeland to nurture it, keeping the land vibrant and thriving," he states. "We can’t dwell on the past; we must focus on the future and strive to make it better."

Maru humorously suggests that opportunities in cruise tourism might motivate the younger generation to step away from Facebook. Returning to their homeland could help them learn what they’ve missed—stories about their roots and tribe—so they don’t feel lost.

The Seabourn Pursuit will cruise along the Kimberley coast from Darwin to Broome from May 30 to September 4, 2025. Prices for the 10-day expedition begin at $9,900 per person, based on double occupancy in a veranda suite.