Horizontal Falls Tidal Surge — Kimberley

About this spectacle

Twice daily, tidal forces of extraordinary power funnel hundreds of millions of litres of seawater through two narrow gorges carved into the McLarty Range, producing what locals call 'horizontal waterfalls' — a roaring, churning wall of water that surges from one side of each gap to the other as tides shift. The sound is immense, the visual drama overwhelming: white water boils and cascades sideways in defiance of what the eye expects. The classic view is from a floatplane banking low over Talbot Bay, revealing the full scale of the twin gorges against the red Kimberley coast. Speedboat rides through the gorges themselves deliver a visceral, drenching close encounter with the surge. The surrounding seascape — rust-coloured ranges, turquoise ocean, and wilderness as far as the eye can see — adds to the sense of profound remoteness. This is one of the most physically dramatic tidal phenomena on Earth, occurring with clockwork twice-daily regularity.

When to go

Apr — Oct

Getting there

Nearest airport: BRM. Nearest city: Broome.

Booking options

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