North Star Cruises Australia Western Australia Australia

North Star Cruises Australia is the Kimberley’s longest established adventure cruise operator. The company has accumulated a wealth of knowledge that enables crew members to deliver ‘whole of life’ experiences that are second to none! The winner of both state and national tourism awards, North Star is an undisputed market leader and offers a suite of itineraries especially designed for the most discerning adventurer.

Cruise options include the flagship “Kimberley Wilderness Cruise” – a 6 or 13 night luxury adventure along Australia’s remote north-west coast, the “Over the Top” cruise – a two week odyssey across the very top of Australia, “Coral Atoll” cruises to the Rowley Shoals – the world’s last great underwater wilderness, “West Coast Explorer” cruise on Australia’s west coast that feature swimming with wild dolphins, fishing, diving and whale shark interaction in the Ningaloo Marine Park and “Adventures In Paradise” – an eight night cruise into untamed Papua New Guinea in ultimate luxury.

The company’s current 50 metre vessel, the True North, is in a ‘class of its own’ featuring state of the art technology and the ultimate in comfort and style! Six tender vessels ensure that our passengers (maximum 36) can experience wilderness up close and in small groups. The luxury of numerous tenders also means that different activities can be accommodated simultaneously, ensuring that everybody onboard can do “what they want, when they want”!

And to add yet another dimension to adventure, the True North is the only Kimberley vessel that features an onboard helicopter! With the ability to carry six passengers in air-conditioned comfort, the helicopter provides unique opportunity to witness grandeur; unique opportunity to fish billabongs that have never been fished; unique opportunity to discover Australia! Fine dining is also a feature onboard the True North.

Touring Options

West Coast Explorer Cruise

A voyage of discovery from Fremantle to the fabulous Ningaloo Reef – encounter a vast and remarkable coastline featuring sociable marine mammals, colossal sharks and, mutineers! Discover island paradiseand catch a seafood bonanza!

The Houtman Abrolhos – so named to warn mariners to "keep a sharp look-out", but the fate of the Dutch East-Indian merchantman Batavia was sealed long before her hapless captain could take heed. But there is much more to the Abrolhos – the islands and surrounding waters are also rich in natural history. One of the world’s most successful rock lobster fisheries endures alongside seabird rookeries, inquisitive sea lions, colourful corals and some of Western Australia’s finest fishing grounds!

Shark Bay – a ‘world heritage’ marine environment. There will be opportunities to swim on the deserted beaches of Dirk Hartog Island, snorkelling and diving excursions, more great fishing and, the catch of the day will more than likely be giant lobster!

Other destinations include Quobba Point and Gnarloo – spectacular areas of the Western Australian coastline that present even more opportunity for fishing, diving and snorkelling. Your day will be filled with adventure both above and below the surface and there is sure to be some ‘tall stories’ in the open-air bar as a blazing sunset heralds the days end and our overnight cruise to Coral Bay.

Coral Bay is one of West Australia’s most popular tourist destinations and as soon as you step onto the brilliant white beach you will see why! Fish and corals are prolific within metres of the shoreline – no special skills needed here – just a mask will reveal all in swimming pool like conditions! The day will be spent relaxing on the beach and meandering through this colourful resort before an overnight cruise to Norwegian Bay.

Now for something a little different – when was the last time you swam with a 10- metre shark? Never you say – well never say never! With the aid of our spotter plane we will hopefully locate the Ningaloo Marine Parks’ most famous resident – the awesome whale shark!

Swimming with these harmless giants is a once in a lifetime experience.

In between ‘mind-blowing’ whale shark encounters we’ll also squeeze in some light game fishing for the tenacious mackerel and visit the ruins of a whaling station.

Awake at your very own island paradise – the Monte Bellos! A rarely visited chain of 108 islands featuring some of the best fishing action on the West Australian coast! Our intrepid explorers will encounter huge stingrays, massive schools of fish and shallow waters teeming with marine life!

Early morning disembarkation in the resort town of Exmouth for connecting flights to Perth and, we are already looking forward to welcoming you back onboard!

Adventures In Paradise

Untamed Papua New Guinea in ultimate luxury!

Mighty Rivers, impenetrable jungle, unique culture, smouldering volcanoes and classic South Pacific Vista.

This will be one of the world’s great luxury adventure-cruises. Includes return flights ex Cairns in North Star’s own Dash 8 aircraft.

Coral Atoll Cruise

A Rowley Shoals cruise focused on snorkeling / diving, fishing and simply relaxing amidst a breathtaking coral habitat!

Due west of the pearling port of Broome – three pristine coral atolls tower vertically in 400 metres of water to create "the world’s last great underwater wilderness". The Rowley Shoals offer 300 square kilometers of splendor with no significant history of exploitation – a showcase of more than 600 species of fish (including numerous species of charismatic mega-fauna such as hump-back whales, manta rays, schooling hammerhead sharks, potato cod and other large reef species) and more than 200 species of exaggerated corals. Uniquely influenced by significant tidal range, protected by marine park status and insulated from global warming by deep oceanic waters, the shoals represent perhaps the only true remaining example of undisturbed coral habitat. However, not even an inviting water temperature of 26o C and reliable 40 metre visibility has compromised the flawless nature of the Rowley Shoals; their remoteness ensures that less than 200 divers a year a fortunate enough to give testimony to their brilliance!

Not unlike the pearl divers of yesteryear, North Star Cruises Australia are also the pioneers of this exclusive and un-spoilt paradise. They have conducted adventure-cruises to the Rowley Shoals since 1987 and today you can visit ‘the world’s last great underwater wilderness" on the purpose built True North. This state-of the-art dive platform features luxury cabin accommodation & fine dining, an open deck bar, computer controlled motion stabilizers, multiple dive tenders and a dedicated ‘dive deck’ complete with nitrox facilities and direct access to the water.

Experience True North’s unequalled comfort and style, experience a diverse array of diving environs including lagoons, canyons, high speed snorkel drifts, night dives and sheer outer wall reefs, experience swimming pool like conditions 300 kilometres from the nearest land, experience total isolation with no other boats in sight and an uninterrupted night sky filled with the stars of the southern hemisphere – experience the Rowley Shoals – the worlds last great underwater wilderness!

Kimberley Wilderness Cruise

In 1820, Lieutenant Phillip Parker King careened his vessel, HMC Mermaid, on the white sands of a tiny bay in far north Western Australia. Before departing, King ordered that the name of his vessel should be carved in the base of a distinctive boab tree – almost two centuries later, this stark signpost of days gone endures in a vast and impenetrable wilderness.

When North Star Cruises returned to the aptly named Careening Bay in 1987, it was in very different circumstance to that of King, nonetheless the remote Kimberley Coast decreed that they were explorers in their own right – explorers and pioneers in luxury adventure-cruising.

North Star Cruises is the Kimberley’s longest established adventure-cruise operator and the winner of both state and national tourism awards. The company is an undisputed market leader and now offers a suite of itineraries especially designed for the most discerning adventurer.

Their flagship product is the Kimberley Wilderness Cruise.

Even today the Kimberley remains as one of the world’s truly unique wilderness areas – a wild and beautiful panorama of rugged mountain ranges, spectacular gorges and majestic waterfalls. An ancient custodian of unexplained cave paintings that predate traditional Aboriginal rock art. A land of contrast where huge tides expose living reef systems right before your very eyes! An incredibly diverse land inhabited by extraordinary flora and fauna – bastions of rainforest, immense mangrove communities and irreplaceable plant species of countless genera, birds of every imaginable colour, intriguing marsupials and bizarre amphibians, monster fish with renown fighting ability and even more celebrated eating quality, and, not forgetting the infamous crocodile!

North Star Cruises invites you to discover all this and more on a scheduled 12-day/13-night, 2000 km cruise aboard the luxurious True North. This award winning 34 metre vessel is in a class of its own featuring state of the art technology and the ultimate in comfort and style. Five tender vessels ensure that passengers can experience the Kimberley "up close" and in small groups. The luxury of numerous tenders also means that different activities can be accommodated simultaneously, ensuring that everybody onboard can do "what they want, when they want"!, And, to add yet another dimension to your adventure – the True North sails complete with its very own helicopter! With the ability to carry 6 passengers in air-conditioned comfort, the helicopter provides unique opportunity to witness grandeur, unique opportunity to fish billabongs that have never been fished, unique opportunity to discover your own special part of the Kimberley!

Departing from the "Port Of Pearls", Broome, or the frontier town of Wyndham, the True North can accommodate up to 28 passengers in a choice of cabin styles. The open-air bar is the perfect venue for a sunset cocktail and an extensive range of exceptional Australian wines is available including the vessel’s very own label!

A gourmet chef prepares fine meals served in a spacious and fully air-conditioned dining lounge.

Cruises are conducted in the tropical "winter months" between March and September when you can expect warm days, mild nights and little chance of rain. Activities are almost exclusively confined to calm water and protected anchorages. A relatively low-moderate level of exertion is required and the True North’s legendary crew is always on hand to assist.

Website: www.northstarcruises.com.au