9 iconic images of the Mitchell Plateau from the 2019-20 Wet Season

Well, it’s been an impressive Wet Season so far. With many national parks closed and roads cut, it’s difficult to understand the sheer amount of water that has fallen (and continues to fall) in some parts of the Kimberley. We’re very thankful to have these photos and captions from on-the-ground photographer Gary Annett, who is the caretaker of the wilderness camp at the Mitchell Plateau.

Gary is a multi-award winning photographer who lives in Broome. Follow Gary on social media and on his website, for more current photos and blogs about his ‘Life On The Plateau’. Facebook Instagram Life On The Plateau blog

1. Sunset at Mitchell Falls/Punamii-Uunpuu

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The mighty Mitchell Falls/Punamii-Uunpuu at sunset. Simply spectacular.
— Gary Annett

2. Kimberley Wet Season storms

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The power of nature. Literally. The Wandjina - or Kimberley weather Gods - have been putting on quite a show recently.
— Gary Annett

3. Mitchell River sunset

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‘There’s a sunrise and sunset every day. You can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty.’ ~ Cheryl Strayed.

Epic Wet Season sunset over the Mitchell River, North Kimberley. If you look closely, or zoom in, you’ll notice a tiny bolt of lightning captured by the 1-second exposure.
— Gary Annett

4. Little Mertens Falls

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The North Kimberley oasis that is Little Mertens Falls. Tucked behind the waterfall is Aboriginal rock art dating back thousands of years, lush green ferns and perfect views of the plunge pool below. This little spot is the stuff of movies.
— Gary Annett

5. Bushfires meet black skies

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Big black skies, Kimberley sandstone and bushfires on the horizon - a perfect slice of the Kimberley’s ‘Build-up’ on the Mitchell Plateau/Ngauwudu.
— Gary Annett

6. Paperbarks on the King Edward River

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Life amongst the paperbarks. A soft, post-sunset glow and dramatic skies above the King Edward River/Munurru, North Kimberley.
— Gary Annett

7. Big Mertens Falls

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Another jewel of the North Kimberley, Big Mertens Falls, Mitchell River National Park.
— Gary Annett

8. King Edward River, after a storm

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I pulled up at the King Edward river at sunset after a massive storm had just rolled through. The sky to the north was black and the sun was hidden behind the clouds, creating this soft diffused orange light and crazy colours. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was pretty surreal. I was almost tempted to desaturate the images so they looked a little less artificial. This is straight out of the camera.
— Gary Annett

9. Ancient sandstone at Big Mertens

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The majesty of Big Mertens at sunset. An impressive 80-meter drop and King Leopold sandstone that is some of the oldest surface rock anywhere on the planet.
— Gary Annett