King Cascades is a spectacular terraced waterfall in the Prince Regent National Park, one of Australia’s most remote and beautiful places. At King Cascades, water cascades from one level down to the next while above the waterfall a crystal clear pool entices hikers in for a swim.
Prince Regent National Park is an important conservation area and contains half of the known bird and animal species in the Kimberley as well as more than 500 species of plants within its 633,825 hectares.
The Prince Regent River has the distinction of being one of Western Australia’s straightest rivers, flowing through a fault line known as the Prince Regent lineament. From its source in the Caroline Range in the south east, the river runs for 106 kilometres, often between near-vertical 50 metre high cliffs. The black grass wren, endemic to the Kimberley, lives along and near the Prince Regent River and the large-scaled grunter is known only in the Prince Regent and nearby rivers.
The distinctive shape of Mount Trafalgar looms above the river close to its mouth at the Saint George Basin. The top of this massive sandstone bluff can only be reached by boat and helicopter and is a highlight of scenic flights over the area.
Also located in Prince Regent National Park is the Mermaid Tree. This boab tree was inscribed by crew members of HMC Mermaid in 1820 while the ship, captained by Lieutenant Phillip Parker King, was beached for repairs. The inscribed letters grew with the tree, and it is now an important tourist attraction. A boardwalk now protects the delicate roots of the Mermaid Tree.
Prince Regent National Park cannot be accessed by road. Access is only by boat, with most visitors arriving on one of the expedition cruise vessels which tour the Kimberley Coast. Some scenic flight operators in the region include the King Cascades and Prince Regent National Park on their flight itineraries.
