Careening Bay

Careening Bay is frequently visited by people keen to see the historic Mermaid Tree in Prince Regent National Park and is a very beautiful spot in its own right.

In 1819, 1820 and 1821-22 Lieutenant Phillip Parker King became the first person to accurately chart the Kimberley coast in the Mermaid, an 84 tonne cutter, and the Bathurst.

Due to a leak in the hull of the Mermaid King was obliged to beach the vessel in what is now Prince Regent National Park for repairs. On 8 October 1820 he wrote: “The country in the vicinity of the bay, which, from the use we made of it, was called Careening Bay, is only slightly covered with a poor, stony soil; but notwithstanding this drawback, the hills are well wooded, and vegetation… abundant.”

King described the Aboriginal huts near their encampment: “Besides the huts on the beach, which were merely strips of bark bent over to form a shelter from the sun, there were others on the top of the hill over the tents, of a larger and more substantial construction… The fire-places near them were strewed with the nuts of the sago palm, the fruit of which appears to be generally eaten by the natives of the north and north-west coasts".

The Kimberley area is home of saltwater and freshwater crocodiles so visitors need to be careful and take notice of all advice and warning signs.

This information was provided by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions: dpaw.wa.gov.au