The 2028 total solar eclipse in the Kimberley: Kununurra and Wyndham

Which Kimberley towns are in the path of totality?

We calculated each place from NASA's eclipse elements, the same method behind our 2028 eclipse map. Times are AWST, Western Australia's time all year. For stations, parks and resorts we used the homestead, visitor centre or resort itself.

The Moon's shadow reaches Australia on the north Kimberley coast and runs south-east across the Gibb River Road and the Great Northern Highway into the Northern Territory. Wyndham and Kununurra sit inside the path, towards its northern edge, so their totality is shorter. The centre line passes south of them, close to Doon Doon. The longest totality of the whole eclipse, 5 minutes 10 seconds, falls in the remote central Kimberley.

What time is the eclipse in Kununurra and Wyndham?

In Kununurra the eclipse begins at 9:28am AWST. Totality runs from 10:59:46am to 11:02:38am, 2 minutes 52 seconds, and the eclipse ends at 12:33pm. In Wyndham it begins at 9:26am, totality runs from 10:57:31am to 11:00:53am, 3 minutes 22 seconds, and it ends at 12:32pm.

Both towns are within about 30 km of the northern edge of the path. Head south and totality gets longer: Lake Argyle Resort gets 4 minutes 17 seconds, El Questro homestead 4 minutes 59 seconds, and Doon Doon Roadhouse, on the Great Northern Highway, 5 minutes 06 seconds. A drive of an hour or two from either town can add a minute or more of totality.

Is Halls Creek in the path of totality?

No. Halls Creek gets a deep partial eclipse, with 98.3% of the Sun covered at 11:02am AWST, from 9:29am to 12:33pm. The sky dims, but it does not go dark, and glasses stay on for the whole eclipse. The nearest totality is about 80 km away in a straight line, to the north-north-east. Warmun, up the Great Northern Highway, gets 4 minutes 32 seconds.

Broome and Derby are further from the path, with 91.2% and 95.0% of the Sun covered. For Perth and the rest of Western Australia, see our guide to the eclipse in Perth and across WA.

What are the cloud odds in the Kimberley in July?

The best of anywhere on the path. July is the Kimberley dry season. Eclipsophile, the eclipse weather site run by meteorologist Jay Anderson, finds satellite cloud below 10% along the track from the Indian Ocean coast to Karlu Karlu in the Northern Territory, and sunshine in more than 93% of daytime hours at Halls Creek. A clear sky is likely, not certain, so keep a backup plan. Our guide to 2028 eclipse weather and cloud odds compares every region on the path.

How do you get to the East Kimberley, and where will you stay?

The WA Government's eclipse site names Kununurra as the eastern gateway, 830 km from Darwin, and Broome as the western gateway, 2,200 km from Perth. Broome to Kununurra is about 1,000 km on the Great Northern Highway, or 930 km on the Gibb River Road, a 4WD route. The site says both airports have daily flights, from Perth, Darwin or the east coast depending on the airport.

Expect pressure on beds and campsites. The WA Government expects thousands of domestic and international visitors in the East Kimberley, and its 2026-27 Budget put $24.6 million into eclipse preparations, including upgrades to camping sites, water and wastewater in Kununurra and mobile coverage, and a proposed public viewing site on the Great Northern Highway. Book flights, hire cars and beds as early as you can, and check the official site for viewing and camping updates as they are announced.

• Be in place the night before. Totality is just before 11am AWST and the eclipse starts about 9:30am, so a long morning drive leaves little margin.
• Purnululu (the Bungle Bungles) is reached on the unsealed Spring Creek Track, by high-clearance 4WD only. Parks and Wildlife says the park is generally open from April or May until late November, weather permitting, so check Park Alerts before you go.
• Carry fuel, water and food, and expect the highways to be busier than usual. Eclipsophile notes that Telstra reaches more of the remote highway locations than Optus.
• Respect private land and Aboriginal communities. Stations, roadhouses and communities set their own rules for visitors, so ask before you camp or set up.

Running tours, a station stay or a roadhouse in the path? See our guide to eclipse planning for tourism operators.

Where should you watch the eclipse from?

Anywhere in the path with a clear view of the northern sky. At totality the eclipse is high in the north, a little east of north, a bit more than halfway up the sky. A park, an oval, a caravan park or a roadside stop all work, as long as trees, buildings and hills to the north do not block that part of the sky.

• Pick a spot that will be in full sunshine, not shade, from 9:30am to 12:30pm.
• Go further into the path if you can. Near the edge, a few kilometres can cost a minute of totality. Our guide to what happens during totality explains what you will notice and how dark it gets.
• Park well off the road and stay put. Arrive early, before the partial eclipse begins.
• If you plan to take photos, read our guide to photographing the eclipse: cameras and phones need their own solar filter.

Do you need eclipse glasses in the Kimberley?

Yes, everyone does, for the whole eclipse. In the path, the partial phases before and after totality last about an hour and a half each. In Halls Creek, Derby and Broome the whole eclipse is partial. Certified glasses stay on for the whole eclipse, totality included.

Buy certified glasses before you travel. Shops in small towns may not stock them, and any that do may sell out in the final weeks. Our certified eclipse glasses are A$5.45 a pair, and the family eclipse kit has four pairs for A$19.25. Remote deliveries take longer, and online orders ship until 31 May 2028.

• Never use eclipse glasses with binoculars, a telescope, a camera or a phone. Optics need their own solar filter on the front.
• Check every pair before use, and throw out any that are scratched, torn or punctured.
• Supervise children closely, and fit their glasses before the eclipse starts.

FAQ

Sources

All checked 13.11.2026.

• Times calculated from NASA's Besselian elements for the 22 July 2028 eclipse, Fred Espenak, NASA GSFC, with Delta T of 69.2 s. Town figures match our 2028 eclipse map; stations, parks and resorts use their OpenStreetMap locations. Near the edge of the path, real durations can differ from the calculation by 10 seconds or more. Distances to the edge of the path are straight-line distances from the same calculation.
• Jay Anderson, Eclipsophile, "Total solar eclipse of 2028 July 22": cloud and sunshine along the Kimberley track, road access and mobile coverage.
• Government of Western Australia, Kimberley Total Solar Eclipse (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development with the Kimberley Development Commission): gateways, distances and flights.
• Government of Western Australia, Budget set to shine a light on spectacular eclipse in the Kimberley, media statement, 10 May 2026.
• Parks and Wildlife Service WA, Purnululu National Park: season and vehicle access.
• ARPANSA, Solar eclipse; American Astronomical Society, Solar eclipse eye safety; NASA, Eclipse safety.

Aura Sight glasses for everyone watching

ISO 12312-2 certified and lab-tested, with a QR batch certificate on every pair. The family kit has four pairs and a printed viewing guide.

Family eclipse kitSingle pairs, A$5.45

Keep reading

Where to watchThe 2028 solar eclipse in Perth and Western Australia: times, and where it's totalWhere to watchWill it be cloudy on 22 July 2028? Eclipse weather odds by regionThe 2028 eclipseWhat happens during a total solar eclipse? How dark it gets, and for how long

All guides in the Journal →

← Back to the Journal