# Kimberley With Kids | Family Guide to Western Australia's Far North
Canonical: https://bookfromowner.com.au/guides/wa/north-west/the-kimberley/with-kids/
Type: ThemeGuide
Location: The Kimberley, Australia's North West, Western Australia
Last updated: 2026-06-01

> Planning the Kimberley with kids? An honest family guide — Lake Argyle, Zebedee Springs, Ord River cruises, scenic flights, signed swimming holes and station stays. Who it suits, what age ranges work, and the real planning realities.

## Quick Answer
- Best for: Families with school-age and older children
- Price range: $$$–$$$$
- Vibe: Remote, raw, spectacular — requires planning
- Distance: Broome or Kununurra as base; vast distances between attractions

## Featured Properties
- The Kimberley Grande Resort: 4/5 (399 reviews)
  Book direct: https://kimberleygrande.com.au/
  The Kimberley Grande Resort — The Kimberley
- Best Western Cambridge Hotel Kununurra: 4.4/5 (40 reviews)
  Book direct: https://www.bestwesternkununurra.com.au/
  Best Western Cambridge Hotel Kununurra — The Kimberley
- Hotel Kununurra: 3.9/5 (561 reviews)
  Book direct: http://www.hotelkununurra.com.au/
  Hotel Kununurra — The Kimberley

## FAQ
Q: Is the Kimberley suitable for families with young children?
A: The Kimberley is feasible for families with children aged 8 and above who are comfortable in outdoor settings and warm weather. For families with children under 5, the distances, heat, limited facilities and remoteness make it genuinely difficult — consider waiting until the children are older. Families based in Kununurra and focusing on Lake Argyle, the Ord River cruise, Zebedee Springs and scenic flights can have an excellent, manageable trip without the full expedition overhead of the Gibb River Road.

Q: When is the best time to visit the Kimberley with kids?
A: July and August are the ideal months for families — daytime temperatures of 28–32°C rather than the 38–42°C of September–October, all roads and parks accessible, and the full range of tours and activities operating. May and June are also good, particularly for waterfalls, though some roads may still be opening after the Wet Season. Avoid September–October with young children if possible — the heat in that period requires very careful management.

Q: Is it safe to swim in the Kimberley with kids?
A: Yes, in confirmed-safe locations only. Ask at the Kununurra Visitor Centre for current croc-safe swimming spots, and always verify via current signage at the site on the day you visit. Freshwater crocs are common in the Kimberley and generally not dangerous to humans, but saltwater crocs can move inland through waterways — the only reliable information is current, site-specific advice. Never let children enter water without this confirmation, regardless of what previous visitors have done.

Q: Do we need a 4WD to visit the Kimberley with kids?
A: To access the Gibb River Road gorges and Purnululu independently, yes — a high-clearance 4WD is essential. However, families without a 4WD can have a complete and spectacular eastern Kimberley experience based in Kununurra: Lake Argyle, the Ord River and El Questro are all accessible from Kununurra with a 4WD or high-clearance 2WD, and scenic flights replace the need for remote access to Mitchell Falls and the Bungles.

Q: What are the best Kimberley experiences for young children?
A: The most suitable experiences for young children are: Zebedee Springs thermal pools at El Questro (short walk, shallow warm water), an Ord River cruise from Kununurra (seated, wildlife-rich, no walking required), a Lake Argyle sunset cruise and the infinity pool, and a scenic flight over the Bungles. These deliver the Kimberley's best moments without the physical demands of gorge walks, and Kununurra as a base makes all of them manageable.

Q: How far in advance should we book a Kimberley family trip?
A: For July and August travel, book six to nine months ahead — accommodation at Lake Argyle Resort and El Questro fills completely in peak season, Lake Argyle sunset cruises sell out weeks in advance, and scenic flight slots are limited. Outside peak season (May–June, September–October) you can often book four to six weeks out, though peak-period dates around school holidays in WA and the eastern states require early planning regardless of month.

## At a Glance
- Best base: Kununurra (eastern Kimberley) — closest to Lake Argyle, Ord River, Purnululu
- Season: Dry Season only — May to October; the Wet makes roads impassable
- Minimum age for gorge walks: Most gorge walks: 12+ years and confident on rough terrain
- Best for young children: Lake Argyle, Zebedee Springs, Ord River cruise, scenic flights, station stays
- Distances: Expect 3–8 hour drives between major attractions; plan fuel stops carefully
- Communications: Mobile coverage absent for long stretches — carry a satellite communicator
- Medical: Royal Flying Doctor Service covers the region; nearest major hospital is Darwin or Perth

## Featured
- 1. Lake Argyle sunset cruise and infinity pool — The Kimberley family highlight for any age
  - Why people love it: The Lake Argyle sunset from the infinity pool with the ranges glowing behind you is the image of the Kimberley trip that families describe years later.
  - Don't miss: The infinity pool at sunset with the ancient red ranges reflected in the reservoir below.
  - Good to know: Book the sunset cruise well ahead in July–August — it fills completely. Day-visitor pool access has conditions; confirm arrangements with the resort before you plan around it.
- 2. Zebedee Springs, El Questro Wilderness Park — The natural thermal spa — perfect for families
  - Why people love it: Warm, clear spring water in a palm gorge with children happily splashing — it is the most relaxed and genuinely enjoyable family hour in the entire Kimberley.
  - Don't miss: Sitting in the warm thermal pools in the morning quiet, with the palms overhead and children playing safely in the shallows.
  - Good to know: Morning-only access (typically until midday) — arriving late means missing entry. El Questro station pass required. Gets crowded in peak season from 9am onwards; arrive at opening for the best experience.
- 3. Ord River cruise, Kununurra — Crocs, birds and ancient country by boat
  - Why people love it: A freshwater crocodile sliding off a bank three metres from the boat is the wildlife moment children describe first — and it happens on almost every cruise.
  - Don't miss: Freshwater crocodiles basking on the riverbanks, observed from the safety of the boat with a guide explaining their behaviour.
  - Good to know: Freshwater crocs on the Ord River are generally not dangerous to humans but are wild animals — stay in the boat. Book in advance in peak season. Not a gorge walk — this is a seated boat experience.
- 4. Kimberley scenic flight — The landscape as your children will remember it
  - Why people love it: Seeing the Bungle Bungles from the air gives children (and adults) the full sense of how ancient and enormous this landscape is — something even the best gorge walk cannot deliver.
  - Don't miss: The aerial view over Purnululu — the beehive formations from above are unlike anything visible from the ground.
  - Good to know: Prices are significant — budget accordingly. Children prone to motion sickness should check aircraft type with the operator before booking. Not a substitute for the ground-level experience for families who can access it.
- 5. Signed swimming holes, Kununurra region — Confirmed croc-safe swimming for families
  - Why people love it: A confirmed-safe swimming hole in a Kimberley landscape is one of the great Australian experiences — but only the signed ones, only on the day, only with current confirmation.
  - Don't miss: A confirmed-safe family swim in warm Kimberley water — ask the visitor centre that morning for the current locations.
  - Good to know: Never swim in an unsigned location or based on secondhand information. Always confirm croc safety at the site on the day via current signage or direct ranger advice. This is non-negotiable with children.
- 6. Station-stay camping, Gibb River Road — Immersive Kimberley life for families with older children
  - Why people love it: A campfire under a Kimberley sky at a working cattle station, with your children spotting wildlife in the morning and genuinely understanding where the beef on their plate comes from — this is the experience most families remember above all others.
  - Don't miss: Camping under a Kimberley station sky with the Milky Way unobscured and the kids genuinely switched off from everything else.
  - Good to know: The Gibb River Road requires a proper high-clearance 4WD, two spares and recovery gear — this is not a trip for a standard SUV. Not appropriate for families with young children under 8 given the distances, heat and limited access to medical facilities.
- 7. Kununurra town base for families — The eastern Kimberley's practical family hub
  - Why people love it: Kununurra makes the Kimberley's best family experiences accessible without requiring full remote-expedition capability — it is the base that makes the trip manageable rather than stressful.
  - Don't miss: Using Kununurra as the base for day trips to Lake Argyle, the Ord River and El Questro — all the highlights, without the full remote-expedition overhead.
  - Good to know: Kununurra town does not have the dramatic isolation of the Gibb River Road or Purnululu — families after the full expedition experience should plan accordingly. July and August are peak season and accommodation fills — book ahead.

## What travellers say
- [positive] The scale changes children: Families repeatedly describe a shift in how their children relate to the natural world after the Kimberley — the scale, the wildness and the silence of the place is genuinely different from anything else in Australia.
- [mixed] Age and preparation are everything: Families with older children who planned carefully — based in Kununurra, booked ahead, started early, checked croc signs — describe the trip as one of their best ever. Those who underestimated the distances or the heat found it harder than expected.
- [positive] Worth every kilometre of planning: The friction of getting to the Kimberley — the flights, the cost, the 4WD requirement — consistently fades once families arrive. The Lake Argyle infinity pool sunset and the Ord River crocs are cited most often as the moments that justified everything.
- [positive] What a recent visitor said: 
- [positive] What a recent visitor said: 
- [positive] What a recent visitor said: