There are a number of Short Expeditions in the Kimberley Region that can be undertaken from safe anchorages with careful planning in relation to weather and tides.  These range from the very easy (Pago Mission) to the physically demanding (Kunmunya Mission) but we believe that all are well worth the time and effort.

The following pages give an insight into pre-WWII living at Pago Mission, Kunmunya Mission and Kinganna, as well as providing information for visits to these plus the DC3 wreck site, the upper reaches of Sampson Inlet and to the spectacular SE corner of Montgomery Reef. 

Pago Mission, situated in the south eastern corner of Napier Broome Bay, was  established in 1908.   The Benedictine monks constructed a monastery beside a small freshwater creek.  The water supplies from the local creek and the mission wells were unreliable, so the mission was progressively abandoned from 1939.  By 1942, the Kalumburu Mission was re-established on the banks of the King Edward River which provided a more plentiful and reliable water supply as well as more fertile soil for crops and grazing.  The photo (left) shows the remains of the mission building as they stood in 1982 & 2005.

The DC3 Wreck Site is on the eastern shore of Vansittart Bay, less than 1km inland from a beach suitable for landing a dinghy.  A visit to the site is a great half-day excursion from one of the nearby secure anchorages at Freshwater Bay, Encounter Bay, Jar Island, Low Island or Maia Cove.

Kinganna settlement comprised a homestead, stables, orchards and gardens established by Willie Read at the head of a drying inlet in the far south of Vansittart Bay.  As well as cattle, Willie owned and operated luggers collecting beche-de-mer, pearl shell and turtle shell from local waters.  With the advent of WWII, and the possible invasion by Japanese, police forced Willie to move from Kinganna in 1942 and destroyed two of his luggers moored in the creek.  After the war, Willie did not return to Kinganna and the settlement was abandoned.  This is a fascinating story of life in the Kimberley prior to WWII.

Kunmunya Mission -  The trek in to Kunmunya Mission via "nightmare alley" is a real challenge.  We took 3 hours to dinghy ashore from our anchorage in Augustus Water and trek up the rocky creek bed (left) to the Kunmunya Mission site.  A further couple of hours were spent browsing around the Cusack camp, the old mission site and having lunch and a swim at Dune Pool.  Our legs were more than a little tired after the 3 hour scramble back to "the gutter" and a rough dinghy trip against the sea-breeze back to the boats. However, a special Kimberley sunset, an ice cold bottle of champers and a devilish curry cooked by a very weary Annette, soon had us back to normal and ready for another day of adventure.

Sampson Inlet is a designated cyclone shelter for ships and provides several spectacular calm anchorages for cruising yachts.   Wedge-tailed eagles soar above the rocky bluffs and crocodiles lurk in the shallow inlets.  Phil & Marion, now entrenched at Silvergull Creek, spent the 1994 wet season camped at the head of the small southern arm where many yachties now anchor overnight.  There is an interesting freshwater creek at the head of the main inlet.  This watercourse is worth a half-day excursion for a look at the billabongs and gorges.  A swim in the upper reaches of the freshwater creek is a welcome bonus on a warm Kimberley day.

Montgomery Reef  -  This is one short expedition that takes some planning; but is really worth the effort.  Malcolm Douglas has made a number of TV documentaries featuring the water cascading off Montgomery Reef at low spring tides.  This amazing natural occurrence can be witnessed after a 12 NM trip across the bay from Raft Point to a protected anchorage in the reef channel.  Due care and a little effort will ensure an unforgettable Kimberley experience.