Mimbi Caves Campground expands in the Kimberley

By: Natalie Pugh

One of the Kimberley’s remote camping spots has just had a major upgrade, with the expansion of Mimbi Caves Campground now complete and open to visitors. 

The campground has added 14 new campsites, taking its total capacity to 35, alongside a new camp kitchen, bathroom block and onsite sewage treatment system. 

Located between Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek along the Great Northern Highway, Mimbi Caves Campground first opened in 2017 with support from Tourism Western Australia's Camping with Custodians program, which supports Aboriginal communities to develop and operate campgrounds on Country.

The latest expansion is part of the $6 million Strategic Indigenous Tourism Projects joint investment by the WA and Australian governments, aimed at increasing the supply of First Nations tourism experiences across Western Australia.

For travellers, the upgrade means more opportunities to make Mimbi a stop on a Kimberley road trip, and to experience the nearby Mimbi Caves with a Gooniyandi guide, which has been the most popular tour booked through the Kununurra Visitor Centre over the past two years.

Mimbi sits at the heart of Gooniyandi Country, where evidence from ancient fireplaces shows Aboriginal people have lived for more than 40,000 years. The caves themselves are part of an ancient landscape formed around 350 million years ago.

The guided cave experience offers a chance to learn about that deep connection to Country, with guides sharing Dreaming stories passed down through generations, as well as knowledge of native plants, bush foods and traditional medicines.

Inside the caves, towering karst formations surround walls marked with ancient rock art and petroglyphs, while marine fossils and layers of limestone reveal a geological story millions of years in the making. 

Tours also include traditional billy tea and damper around a campfire, with time to experience the natural acoustics of the cave system and learn more about the history and stories of the area. 

 “Mimbi Caves are one of the Kimberley’s great cultural treasures,” Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna said. “The continued investment in projects like Mimbi showcases the Kimberley to the world while empowering Traditional Owners to share their stories, culture and Country on their own terms.”

The campground and tours operate seasonally from 1 April to 30 September, making the expanded site a timely addition for travellers planning a Kimberley road trip during the dry season.