Threat to ban boats at iconic WA attraction

Thursday, 30 Oct, 2023 1

Boat trips at one of Western Australia’s most iconic natural attractions could soon be banned.

The Dambimangari Indigenous elders want to put a stop to boat trips through the famed Horizontal Falls in the Kimberley region.

It follows an incident which injured a dozen tourists last year.

The falls are a natural phenomenon of water rapids which pass through two narrow openings between headlands.

It creates a unique horizontal falls effect.

The Dambimangari want boat tours banned as operators have been known to skim over the water at dangerous speeds.

They are showing a lack of respect for a revered site and compromising safety, they say.

“They go on speed boats when the tides are pumping in full force. Accidents have happened in the past and we don’t want people to get hurt,” the elders said.

“We are happy for visitors to come to Dambimangari country if it is done the right way.”

“We have frequently voiced our concerns about safety.”

A WA government spokesperson said the Horizontal Falls is ‘an iconic tourism experience’ that created many jobs and boosts the local economy.

“We want to see horizontal falls remain open to visitors, so those economic benefits can continue.”

CEO of the WA Tourism Council, Evan Hall says tours should be conducted both safely and in a ‘culturally sensitive manner.’

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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

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