Exploring the Wonders of Australia’s Wild and Remote Kimberley

The Kimberley region of Western Australia boasts a spectacularly diverse landscape offering both biodiversity and impressive geological formations.

Aerial view of the Kimberley. Drumsara. CC-BY-SA 2.0. 

Although Australia provides plenty of examples of nature’s extraordinary beauty, few compare to the Kimberley region. Situated in Western Australia’s northernmost corner, the Kimberley is a grandiose territory teeming with rich ecosystems. A plethora of microcommunities sprinkle across its sundry landscapes while towering hills spill into vast canyons neighboring pristine swimming holes. 

The region covers over 150,000 square miles, with only about 40,000 residents inhabiting the area. Perhaps the most famous part of the Kimberley is Broome’s Cable Beach, ranked as one of the world’s most gorgeous stretches of sand and sea. The beach displays nearly 14 miles of fine sand meeting glassy waters. The beach itself has an interesting history; the name “Cable Beach” comes from the telegraph cable placed there in 1889. For adventurers more daring, Tunnel Creek National Park houses the oldest cave system in Australia. Again, the history of the stop is fascinating; Aboriginal leader Jandamarra hid in the cave system but was later caught and killed at its opening. 

The swirling sky at Cable Beach in Broome. hmorandell. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. 

However, the history of the land tells a story drastically different than the extravagant serenity the region now boasts. 

Exploration of the Kimberley by Europeans was initiated in 1879 by government surveyor Alexander Forrest, who explored much of Western Australia. Upon arrival, Forrest made note of the region’s vast landscape which made it ideal for cattle grazing. From this point on, the resources of the land quickly became tied to conflict; diggers struck gold which led to a quickly fleeting gold rush, and conflicts over cattle grazing raged between the Indigenous population and newly arrived Europeans. In the mid-20th century irrigation projects led to the rise of extensive farming, primarily that of sugar cane and rice. Oil drilling and diamond mining are now conducted in the region. 

Today, the Kimberley contains residents as diverse as its wildlife; there are over 100 Aboriginal communities that share the region’s unmatched tranquility as well as its bustling economic opportunities. Due to the region’s iconic landscape, nearly 300,000 travelers visit every year, producing over $300 million annually. 

Tunnel Creek National Park. Nievedee. CC BY-SA 4.0. 

As with most dazzling spectacles of nature, the region boasts pristine weather that complements the untouched wilderness. The wet season extends from November to April and is characterized by heavy rain and humid, sticky air. From May to October is the dry season, which is characterized by sun-drenched days and cloudless, baby blue skies. 

Raft Point. Johnny. CC BY-NC 2.0. 

An exciting history and a dazzling landscape make Australia’s Kimberley region a powerfully adventurous destination. Surely any visitor will find their imagination stretched by the area’s countless wonders.

Ella Nguyen

Ella is an undergraduate student at Vassar College pursuing a degree in Hispanic Studies. She wants to assist in the field of immigration law and hopes to utilize Spanish in her future projects. In her free time she enjoys cooking, writing poetry, and learning about cosmetics.

Meet 6 Athlete-Activists Demanding Change

Social activism and athletics have become intertwined, especially in the digital age. Here are some of the world’s most impactful athlete-activists. 

The San Francisco 49ers kneeling during the playing of the national anthem. Keith Allison. CC BY 2.0.

Following the lead of Colin Kaepernick, a football player for the San Francisco 49ers who protested police violence through kneeling during the national anthem, athletes have increasingly embraced the intersection of athletics and activism. Four years after Kaepernick’s original act of peaceful protest, athletes are now some of the most vocal activists in the world, using their status to encourage social activism. Due to the modern celebrity of sports, combined with the wide platform of social media, athletes from almost every sport have devoted their time off the field to social causes. Here are six athlete-activists working to transform their communities:

Naomi Osaka playing tennis. Peter Menzel. CC BY 2.0. 

1. Naomi Osaka — Tennis

Naomi Osaka, the reigning U.S. Open champion, is the world’s highest-paid female athlete. She is also one of the most vocal supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement, using her platform to commemorate victims of racial violence. In August, Osaka withdrew from a tournament she was favored to win in protest of anti-Black injustice. In a statement on her social media accounts, Osaka wrote: “Before I am an athlete, I am a Black woman.” Osaka is an activist on the court as well, wearing seven different masks with the names of victims of police brutality and racism: Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile and Tamir Rice. 

Brittney Griner playing for the Phoenix Mercury. Lorie Shaull. CC BY 2.0. 

2. Brittney Griner — Basketball 

WNBA player and Olympian Brittney Griner is an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. In 2017, Griner led the charge to prevent Texas from passing Senate Bill 3, which would have forced transgender people to use restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender assigned at birth. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Griner encourages young adults to be authentically themselves. Griner is also at the forefront of the movement for the WNBA to stop playing the national anthem prior to games in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Akim Aliu in a mid-game interview. Anders H Foto. CC BY 2.0.  

3. Akim Aliu — Hockey 

In his essay titled “Hockey Is Not for Everyone,” written in May, professional hockey player Akim Aliu exposed the National Hockey League’s unaddressed problem with racism. After recognizing rampant racism in his sport, Aliu co-founded the Hockey Diversity Alliance, an organization dedicated to eradicating “systemic racism and intolerance in hockey” while making the sport accessible to all communities. In a statement posted on Twitter by the board of the organization, Aliu wrote: "We are hopeful that anyone who puts on skates or sits in the stands will do so without worrying about race, gender or socioeconomic background and will be able to express their culture, identity, values and personality without fear of retribution."

Juan Mata playing for his former team, Chelsea. Christopher Johnson. CC BY 2.0.

4. Juan Mata — Soccer

Manchester United player Juan Mata launched Common Goal in 2017, a charitable organization geared toward redistributing global soccer wealth back into the communities that raised and trained the world’s premier soccer stars. Mata was the first of his peers to pledge 1% of his salary to this organization, and the organization has now grown to include 390 pledgers and 207 partner organizations. Mata told The Players’ Tribune: “Through Common Goal we're creating a collaborative way for football to give back to society … By making the pledge, we can form a lasting connection between football as a business and football as a tool for social change.”

Fu Yuanhui and teammate Liu celebrate a 2015 backstroke win. Oleg Bkhamri. CC BY 2.0. 

5. Fu Yuanhui — Swimming

Chinese Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhui is breaking down the stigma surrounding menstrual cycles for female athletes. At the Rio Olympics in 2016, Yuanhui openly shared the way in which her period affected her athletic performance, with social media users sharing widespread support for her honesty. In China, taboos around menstrual cycles lead to the topic seldomly being discussed, and Chinese swimming fans took to social media apps to praise Yuanhui for her honesty. Only 2% of women in Chinese use tampons, and Yuanhui’s acknowledgment of her period on a world stage was eye-opening for Chinese women, 76% of whom are reported to feel uncomfortable in social settings when they have their period. 

Fish on stage delivering a TED Talk. TEDxYouthSeattle. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

6. Rosalie Fish — Running

College runner Rosalie Fish is the least-known athlete on this list, but one of the fiercest advocates of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). In her senior year of high school, Fish ran her meets with the outline of a red hand painted across her face and the words Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women written on her leg. Now in college, Fish has become a leading figure in advocacy for MMIW. A member of the Cowlitz Tribe, Fish told Off the Cuff: “For me to say I don’t want Indigenous women to be ignored anymore is, by some people, a political statement. Advocating for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, they will say that’s political. To me that’s survival.” Fish has also delivered a TED Talk explaining her activism, which you can watch here. 

Sarah Leidich

is currently an English and Film major at Barnard College of Columbia University. Sarah is inspired by global art in every form, and hopes to explore the intersection of activism, art, and storytelling through her writing.