Why You Should Visit The Kimberley In The Wet

Unlike the south of Australia, the Kimberley doesn’t experience the four distinct seasons of summer, autumn, winter and spring. Instead, we have The Wet and The Dry. Most folk come up here during the Dry season (May to around September) when the weather is mild, mostly dry and there’s almost nothing to interrupt a holiday.

During The Wet, however, from around December to the beginning of April, the Kimberley gets 90 per cent of its yearly rainfall and it rolls in with big, thundering storms. Coupled with the top end heat, it keeps the crowds away for the locals and a few hardy visitors to enjoy.

“For us, it’s really the best time of year, when waterfalls are raging, the skies are on fire and we have it all to ourselves. ”

See below why we think you should visit us in the Wet. Grab a copy of 100 Things To See In The Kimberley, to find out how to get to the best Wet Season spots in our backyard.

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All images are from our #thekimberleyaustralia instagram hashtag

fiery sunsets

The sunsets at this time of year are unbeatable. Kununurra locals love climbing to the look-out at Mirima National Park, just on Kununurra’s outskirts to watch the show roll in.

Killer sunset + storm rolling in with this hot local @yamateben🔥 Image & caption: @clairemcgavin

1,135 Likes, 7 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "Killer sunset + storm rolling in with this hot local @yamateben🔥 Image & caption: @clairemcgavin"

lightning shows

Before The Wet really sets in, we go through ‘the build up’. Usually beginning around late October it’s starting to get hot and humid. Big electrical storms roll through creating better fireworks shows than Sydney puts on at New Years, but usually there’s not much rain following them. That comes later.

The build up is on and we're as excited as we've ever been to see the wet season storms roll across the Kimberley sky. Bring it on! ⚡️⛈☔️ Amazing capture over Wyndham by @jordancantelo. #thekimberleyaustralia

The build up has begun, temps are in the high 30's and the clouds are beginning to show up again. Exciting times as we head one step closer to the wet season! Sunsets like this one are just around the corner. Image: @landibradshawphotography ⚡️

5,562 Likes, 62 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "The build up has begun, temps are in the high 30's and the clouds are beginning to show up again...."

Wet season storm rolling across the Cambridge gulf, from @elquestro wilderness park. Check out 📸 @jordancantelo for more ⚡️ #thekimberleyaustralia

5,705 Likes, 80 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "Wet season storm rolling across the Cambridge gulf, from @elquestro wilderness park. Check out 📸..."

waterfalls

The Wet Season is waterfall season. Although there’s a handful of falls that run year round fed by springs, there are many falls that only flow after big dumps of water. To get some idea of scale, Scotty Connell, author of 100 Things To See In The Kimberley, is standing to the right of the waterfall below.

More wet season fun. Scotty from @kimberleyspirit on #Balanggarra country. 🙌🏻

412 Likes, 4 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "More wet season fun. Scotty from @kimberleyspirit on #Balanggarra country. 🙌🏻"

During a good wet season (November to April) like the one we just had in 2017/18, there can be so much rainfall that waterfalls pop up all over the place, even in areas that you could never imagine. Just like this beautiful waterfall that is barely a trickle late in the dry season but is flowing with great force during the wet. Every day I feel fortunate to see and experience the changes with my own eyes. It's a new journey with all new seasons, even after 15 years of exploring it, I'm constantly learning new things. #thekimberleyaustralia @taos_oceanadventure sharing my view of this amazing place I call home @taostravels

2,030 Likes, 25 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "During a good wet season (November to April) like the one we just had in 2017/18, there can be so..."

For me as a photographer growing up in the Kimberley, the wet season has always been my favourite time of year. The build up to the storm where the clouds are filled with ecstatic lightning, bucketing rain over baron highlands and the turning of creek beds into running rivers. The birds and frogs come to life as the vibrant green reignites across the red landscape. It's like watching a whole new world come to life. @taos_oceanadventure sharing my point of view of this magnificent part of the world I call home. @taostravels #thekimberleyaustralia

4,570 Likes, 68 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "For me as a photographer growing up in the Kimberley, the wet season has always been my favourite..."

Check this out!!! 😍 Mitchell Falls in full wet season flood with a helicopter giving us some perspective to the grandeur of this magnificent place. @hughbrownphotographer captured this moment. Take a look at his page for more info on this amazing image. #thekimberleyaustralia

2,634 Likes, 44 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "Check this out!!! 😍 Mitchell Falls in full wet season flood with a helicopter giving us some..."

Hey guys, Ben here from @ben_broady again for my last post of the week. Thanks so much for following along and for all your kind words of encouragement. Tomorrow morning I am handing over the reins to 2016 & 2017 WA AIPP COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER of the year, Yane from @yane.photography. Yane took this photo of @kimberleyspirit guide and @thekimberleyaustralia creator and curator Scotty in the Bungle bungles during the waterfall season. Stay tuned as we are all poised for a very visual stimulating week as Yane showcases this magnificent region through his lens.

2,000 Likes, 12 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "Hey guys, Ben here from @ben_broady again for my last post of the week. Thanks so much for..."

broome cyclone surf

The Wet also brings with it cyclones, and even those big, swirling clouds of terror have silver linings - cyclone swell. Broome’s not known for it’s long right-handers and epic barrels, but when cyclones sit off-shore for long enough, they send epic swells to the north-west coast. Earlier in 2019, local surfers got to ride blood red barrels when cyclone Veronica sent waves its way.

Tag a mate who would surf this! Red barrels yesterday in Broome as Cyclone Veronica put @westernaustralia's coast on Red Alert. The high tide and waves crashing into the pindan red cliffs caused the surf to turn blood red 😲 Great pics by @close_encounters_wa (photos 1, 2, 3) and @richard.young.photography (photos 4 and 5). Visit their pages for more! _ #seeaustralia #broome #thisiswa #westernaustralia #westaustralia #cycloneveronica #surf #surfing #surfinglife #thekimberleyaustralia #surfingwa

6,632 Likes, 362 Comments - The Kimberley, Australia (@thekimberleyaustralia) on Instagram: "Tag a mate who would surf this! Red barrels yesterday in Broome as Cyclone Veronica put..."