Paddling in Prince Regent National Park

Prince Regent National Park occupies a remote stretch of the Kimberley coast in Western Australia, accessible only by boat or light aircraft.

The water here is tidal, ancient, and serious — a system of rivers cutting through near-vertical sandstone cliffs before opening into St. George Basin and the broader Lalang-garram/Camden Sound Marine Park. This is not a place you paddle into casually.

The Prince Regent River is the defining water. It runs over 100 kilometres, straight for much of its length, between cliff walls that compress the channel and amplify the sense of scale.

The current is generally calm, the surface often glassy, but the river is saltwater crocodile habitat throughout — large ones — and that shapes every decision about where and whether to get off the boat.

King Cascade, a terraced waterfall that drops in stages to the river's edge, is the most-visited feature along the corridor and a natural stopping point on any river passage.

Bachsten Creek and the Roe River are among the tributary and associated waters within the park, though the Prince Regent itself is the main axis of any paddling itinerary here.

Access by water means most paddlers arrive as part of a Kimberley cruise rather than under their own logistics. The river's remoteness is not a marketing phrase — there are no roads, no ramps, and no resupply.

A personal location beacon is strongly recommended.

The park sits adjacent to Lalang-garram/Camden Sound Marine Park, where responsible fishing is permitted outside sanctuary zones; know which zone you're in before you wet a line, and check current rules with the park directly.

The Kimberley wet season closes this country to most visitors. Plan around the dry season window, and give the tides, the crocs, and the scale of the place the respect they're owed. The river has been here longer than the sandstone looks.