Welcome to the heart of the Kimberley! You’ll fly into the Kimberley today, either via Darwin or Perth.

This afternoon will involve an orientation to the Aboriginal Immersion Program and a Welcome to Country ceremony from local Elders.

This morning we will visit Kelly’s Knob, a rocky outcrop that juts out over Mirima National Park. Take a short stroll to the top of Kelly’s Knob to witness views over all of Kununurra and the surrounding Ord River Region, giving you a great perspective of this rural outback town.

After gaining our bearings, we will visit the Waringarri Aboriginal Art Gallery. Waringarri is the first wholly Aboriginal-owned art centre in the Kimberley region and supports the economic independence of its artists and the community. View the artists at work and gain an insight into the rich Miriwoong culture through their incredible artwork.

After lunch, we will hit the road and travel an hour south to reach magnificent Lake Argyle. Enjoy a swim in the campground’s infinity pool before a sunset cruise on the lake.

Explore the lake on a wildlife cruise and learn about the Ord River irrigation scheme that led to the creation of 72 islands in one of the hemisphere’s largest man-made lakes. Take a swim in this impressive lake as the sunset glows all around you.

This morning we’ll begin the service learning portion of this Aboriginal Immersion Program. Infuse has built long-term partnerships with several local organisations and you will work alongside these organisations to provide support to the community. The projects you will be working on will be dependent on the needs of our partner organisations at the time of your visit but could include cooking meals for an Aboriginal women’s shelter, wildlife rehabilitation support, or youth work to provide extra-curricular programs. Your service projects are designed to support ongoing projects that address community needs.

Time for a student trip adventure! Today we’ll begin our adventure out to Purnululu National Park, one of Australia’s most unique World Heritage-listed areas.

Purnululu National Park, or the Bungle Bungles as the locals call it, is well known as one of the most striking geological landmarks in Australia. The 360 million-year-old ranges formed from beehive-like mounds with orange and black stripes will make you question whether you have landed on another planet!

Lace up your hiking boots, grab your camera, we’re off on a hiking adventure! You will spend 2 days exploring these ancient landforms, narrow trails, creeks and cathedrals. The rock formations are truly out of this world. Hike into a natural amphitheatre and gaze out through nature’s own sky window! Stargazing in this world heritage national park is truly epic with no town or city lights close by.

After exploring the Bungle Bungles, we’ll depart Purnululu and travel to Halls Creek, where we will restock our supplies for the next few days of this student trip.

We will then continue 150 km down the famous Tanami Road to the Wolfe Creek Crater. The huge crater averages about 875 metres in diameter, 60 metres from the rim to the crater floor and it is estimated that the meteorite that formed it had a mass of about 50,000 tonnes! It’s a very impressive landmark.

The local Djaru Aboriginal people refer to the crater as Kandimalal and there are multiple dreaming stories about the formation of the crater. Learn about these stories and more as you complete the crater rim walk and camp overnight here.

This morning we will travel a couple of hours further down the Tanami Road to the Aboriginal community of either Billiluna or Balgo. Upon arrival, we will be met by local community members and youth workers who will be working with us. Over the next 4 days, we will be spending time with local people and learning about life in a remote Indigenous community.

This Aboriginal Immersion Program is a very unique and special experience for groups. Supported by local youth workers whilst in community, each group’s time is different and is an experience that cannot be scripted, with no schedules or time frames. The program is designed to be as organic and natural as possible.

Students will have the opportunity to be completely immersed in local life and culture. They can learn first-hand how to hunt and cook traditionally, participate in land management activities with the rangers, build connections with the local students and experience a deeper connection to land and the local people through storytelling and songlines. Through these activities, students will share in the beauty of Aboriginal culture with both Elders and young people.

Today we will say goodbye to our new friends and make our way back to Halls Creek.

Tonight, we will spend some time reflecting on the last few days and on what has no doubt been an extremely impactful experience.

If 12 days is the maximum for you, this marks the end of this Aboriginal Immersion Program. Today you’ll return to Kununurra and connect with your flights home.

Safe travels and welcome home – we hope you loved your time in the Kimberley!

ABORIGINAL IMMERSION PROGRAM EXTENSION

From Halls Creek, we’ll road trip west for half a day, passing through Fitzroy Crossing before arriving at Tunnel Creek.

At Tunnel Creek, walk through this natural cave through the limestone cliff following the creek line through the darkness! We then continue to Windjana Gorge to see the freshwater crocodiles that reside below the spectacular cliffs.

After packing up camp for the last time, today we head for the Indian Ocean at Broome.

We’ll spend the day on the white sands of Cable Beach and wash off the layers of red dust in the turquoise waters. This evening, there’s the option for a camel ride along the beach at sunset (at additional cost).

Tonight, if our dates align with a full moon and low tide, watch the famous ‘Staircase to the Moon’ as the moon shimmers on the mudflats.

Enjoy some free time shopping in the markets and galleries in Broome and learn about the town’s pearl industry.

After an exciting adventure, you’ll fly home this afternoon. Welcome home – we hope you loved your time in the Kimberley!