Things to do in Derby, WA

The best things to do in Derby, WA, include the Mowanjum Art and Cultural Centre, Boab Prison Tree and scenic helicopter flights over the Kimberley region.

Derby, WA, is one of the biggest towns in the Kimberley region. That’s not to say Derby is big – it has a population of just over 3,300. But we’re talking comparatively here.

Derby is on the edge of King Sound, and is the starting point of the notorious Gibb River Road, which stretches to Kununurra with several dicey river crossings.

Things to do in Derby, WA: Museums and galleries

There are a few things to do in Derby that make it more than just a provisions stop. Wharfingers House Museum is open on request and covers chunks of Derby’s history. The town played a surprisingly large role in Australia’s aviation and telecommunications development.

More gripping is the Mowanjum Art and Culture Centre. This is both a place for local Indigenous artists to showcase their work, a meeting space and a performance venue. Around half of Derby’s population is Aboriginal, and the Mowanjum Museum inside the centre uses interactive exhibits to explain the culture of the local groups.

For more Aboriginal art, visit the Norval Gallery.

Things to do in Derby: Boab Prison Tree

A more unusual attraction lies just outside Derby. The Boab Prison Tree is a 1,500 year-old tree so wide that you can fit people inside its hollowed-out, 14 metre-circumference trunk. It is a site of spiritual significance to local Aboriginal people, and in the past it has been used as a temporary holding cell while transporting Aboriginal prisoners to the Derby gaol. Signs around the tree explore the history and cultural significance.

Tides in Derby, WA

Derby is best known for its enormous tides, however. There’s an 11.8 metre difference between high and low tide, and the changing coastal landscape is best seen from the Derby Jetty.

Low tide at Derby Jetty, Western Australia — Low tide at Derby Jetty. Photo courtesy of Tourism Western Australia.

Top of the list of things to do in Derby, however, is taking a scenic flight over the Kimberley. KAS Helicopters runs trips to Montgomery Reef and the Dampier Peninsula. But as a taster, the $299, half hour scenic flight around Derby shows off the landscape and tides.

It is also possible to do a seaplane tour to Horizontal Falls from Derby.

Accommodation in Derby, WA

Derby accommodation options include the three star Boab Inn and the central Mud Crab Motel.

The Broome to Derby drive takes just under two-and-a-quarter hours.

More towns and cities in Western Australia

Kimberley things to do Western Australia