brothers, lost in the Dreamtime. They kept looking around, and as they did, honey bees flew above them, dropping nectar. “When they turned to look at each other – one looking north, one looking south – the nectar stuck them together. You can see in one of the images they’re on top of each
other, stuck. On the other side of the cave you’ll see a painting of the honey nectar. It’s all part of the story.” For Francis, it’s hugely important that the Dreamtime stories are kept alive, and told to the area’s visitors. “In the tourism industry, a lot of people are telling the wrong story. I believe we should build a relationship with the tourism industry so that we can tell our story. We need each other. This gives us a chance to tell our story. “I admire everything Troy does, so it’s easy for me to be involved. Troy’s doing the right thing – we both believe in conservation and tourism; it’s better than mining! “I’m very happy to be doing something that’s meaningful.” Today, after significant investment on infrastructure, Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures offers a range of tours and activities that allow everyday people to be real-life adventurers, including luxury houseboat stays and the walking tours of significant traditional sites. Horizontal Falls Seaplanes Adventures, 08 9192 1172, or visit visitbroom.com.au
KEEPING STORIES ALIVE Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures offer a wide range of tour options, including Indigenous Tours to inform and educate guests about local culture.
TOURS ARE conducted seasonally due to weather (late March to late October) and depart from both Broome and Derby. Tours are fully inclusive and include travel by land, sea and air to a number of amazing Kimberley sites, including Beagle Bay, Cape Leveque, One Arm Point, Buccaneer Archipelago and the Horizontal Falls. Passengers have the option to stay overnight at the Horizontal Hotel, and there are also four-day extended tours to give visitors the chance to really explore the region. Plus, the Indigenous Tours are available as an added extra. During the dry season the region is subject to fluctuating tides, so to ensure guests only experience the Falls at premium viewing, HFSA does not travel during neap tide periods (when tides are at their lowest). This means that there are only approximately 200 touring days available each season.
Broome Issue 17 | August ~ November 2017
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