We’re in Brisbane this week at the Oceania Diving & Eco-tourism Expo, talking about the world-class Rowley Shoals coral atolls off the west coast of Broome.

The dive show has attracted scuba diving operators from around the world and attracted a crowd of keen divers from Queensland and interstate to learn about the dream dive destinations they might not have yet encountered.

The Rowley Shoals is gaining a reputation as one of the best dive sites in the southern hemisphere, with it’s dramatic wall diving, caves, lagoons, warm tropical waters and astounding visibility (up to 60m recorded). An overnight steam from Broome on the luxurious 26 metre liveaboard, MV Great Escape, is where these three pristine coral atolls lie. Our good friend Rodney Fox, from Rodney Fox Shark Expeditions in South Australia, is also here at the dive show in Brisbane, and reflecting on his 5th and most recent visit to the Rowley Shoals, Rodney said the Rowley Shoals was “the best wall diving I’ve ever done… The Rowley Shoals never fails to excite.”

While they are gaining a reputation as one of the best dive sites in Australia, they are still relatively undiscovered, and that’s why we’re here at the ODEX dive show in Brisbane, to increase awareness about this wonderland on our doorstep. Highly protected by the Department of Environment & Conservation, we can expect the Shoals to remain one of the healthiest eco-systems in the world, and are grateful for this treasure off the coast of Broome.

We’re very excited to announce some exciting new changes to our 2012 schedule including the introduction of our new 5 day, 4 night “Quintessential Kimberley Coast Escape” wilderness adventure.

For the first time in Kimberley Coast cruising history, visitors to the region will be able to access the heart of the Kimberley Coast on a luxury wilderness adventure cruise at just $3, 385 per person.

The new cruise package includes a spectacular return charter flight across the Southern Kimberley and a helicopter flight over the ocean to land “celebrity style” aboard MV Great Escape, where your cruise adventure begins.

Days are filled with exciting excursions to waterfalls, Aboriginal rock-art galleries, Montgomerey Reef, which has just been Heritage Listed, and fantastic fishing spots. With our award-winning chef serving delicious gourmet cuisine daily and our 6 person crew attending to your every need, the Quintessential Kimberley Coast Escape is the ultimate escape from the everyday and a thrilling adventure into the extraordinary.

Join us in 2012 to experience (or re-experience!) the magic of the Kimberley Coast.

To find out more call us on 08 9193 5983 or email cruises@greatescape.net.au.

Being peak season it’s a busy time for The Great Escape Charter Company; we’ve seen our first round of 13 night Kimberley Classic Adventures come and go and made some wonderful new friends along the way. Two groups booked the whole boat and each had a festive 2 weeks from Wyndham to Broome; what a way to reunite with friends!

Our first round of 7 night Southern Kimberley Experiences have passed and Skipper Scotty, a favourite with guests, returned to join the crew, and guide guests through the land he is so passionate and knowledgeable about.

Now we return to the full 13 night cruises and while conditions are perfect, the waterfalls are still flowing along the entire coastline, thanks to the amazing Wet Season we had at the start of the year. The whales are also appearing as they move up the West Coast of Oz heading for Camden Harbour, a prime area for whale mating and breeding.

Just around the corner too are our 4 night Barra Bonanza fishing adventures, where the dream to catch the elusive Barramundi become a daily reality. Fishing the Kimberley Coast is the ultimate sport fishing adventure. Following the Barramundi hunting, comes our 5 and 7 night Rowley Shoals diving and snorkelling adventures, the short season exploring this spectacular collection of coral atolls off the west coast of Broome.

Meanwhile in Broome itself, the streets are busy and bustling with tourists escaping cold southern winters in exchange for our balmy 28-30 degree days and clear blue skies where the sun always shines. A few of the big cruise liners have been through and brought with them countless tourists exploring this old pearling town and it’s history.

The Broome horse races have also attracted punters from all over the region and interstate to the stunning beach-side racecourse for the weekly race-meets, culminating in the famous Ladies Day this Tuesday, and ending on Saturday with the annual Broome Cup.

Those of you who have had the opportunity to experience the incredibly pristine wilderness of the Kimberley Coast will know too well the importance of preserving and protecting this precious region.

The region is under threat by a proposed liquid gas processing plant development at James Price Point near Broome, and now is an important time to object to the destruction of precious wilderness for the aquisition of an unsustainable resource. To find out more you can read about what is happening here, and if you would like to send a letter of protest you can do it very simply via the Save the Kimberley website here. Or, you can write to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population, and Communities, Mr Tony Burke, by emailing him at: tony.burke@environment.gov.au.

Ancient pristine Kimberley Coast wilderness