Coral Expeditions and Australian Geographic have teamed up for a photography-focused cruise through the Kimberley, and the two people leading it have serious credentials. A Lens on Nature: The Kimberley is a seven-night, all-inclusive voyage hosted by Lewis Burnett — winner of the Portfolio category in the 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition — alongside ecologist and photographer Jasmine Vink, who judged the 2025 edition of the same awards.
The Kimberley, in Australia's far north-west, is Burnett's home turf of sorts. He started out with a GoPro, moved through the usual cycle of gear upgrades, and cut his teeth as a guide in Kakadu National Park among the crocodile-filled wetlands of Ngurrungurrudjba. Since then he's worked as a wildlife guide and photo instructor across the country, from Ningaloo Reef's ocean megafauna to the wildflowers of Western Australia's south-west. But he rates the Kimberley as one of the last genuinely wild corners of Australia: red sunsets, flying-foxes streaming into the dusk, and a density of birds, reptiles and mammals that makes it hard to know where to point the lens.
The catch with the Kimberley is access. Roads are rough, river crossings slow, and the wildlife-rich spots are genuinely difficult to reach overland. That's the argument for doing it by expedition ship — the vessel handles the remoteness while passengers concentrate on the photography. Burnett's favourite Kimberley moment underlines the payoff: a ten-second underwater encounter with an endangered freshwater sawfish in the Martuwarra (Fitzroy) River, an animal he describes as prehistoric and unforgettable.
The trip itself blends access with structure. Expect onboard workshops and tutorials covering the whole workflow — fieldcraft for finding animals in the first place, in-field tuition at locations timed for the best light, and post-processing back on board. Because the itinerary was built with the two hosts, the schedule is shaped around photography rather than squeezing it in between other activities.
For anyone who wants to come home from a wild landscape with genuinely good images — not just phone snapshots — this is a niche but appealing format. Two departures are on offer: 30 July and 27 August 2027, sailing round-trip from Broome aboard the small expedition ship Coral Discoverer, with everything included in the fare.
Story via Australian Geographic.
