Luxury Kimberley Resort Left in Ruins by Tropical Cyclone
The co-owner of Berkeley River Lodge has revealed the remote luxury resort was not insured when Tropical Cyclone Fina made landfall in the East Kimberley, causing catastrophic damage to the property that was midway through a major renovation.
Speaking on 6PR Breakfast, Berkeley River Lodge co-owner Rachel Bromage confirmed the tropical cyclone had done "significant damage" to the guest villas and explained the difficult decision to operate without insurance coverage.
"The insurance premiums just became unsustainable and at some point you have to balance the risk with viability," Ms Bromage stated.
Complete Destruction of Guest Villas
The cyclone, which also lashed the Northern Territory as it crossed over at the weekend, hit the four-star resort as a category three system about 9pm on Monday, November 24.
According to Saltwater Properties owner Chris Banson, three of the 18 villas are completely destroyed beyond repair. Other villas sustained damage to their roofs or exterior cladding surrounding the open-air bathrooms.
"The staff accommodation and the shed... they're not built to cyclone rating, so they're not going to stand up when you've got winds of up to 260km/h," Ms Bromage explained. "That was certainly no surprise."
Extensive Damage Throughout the Property
While the guest villas bore the brunt of the damage, the central lodge and surrounding buildings were also significantly impacted.
"The central lodge area lost some exterior panelling and has some roof damage," Mr Banson confirmed. "Water and power services are no longer operating and the staff accommodation has extensive damage."
Fortunately, the property's two caretakers emerged unharmed from the wild weather, and with the resort having closed in September, no visitors were affected by the destruction.
The Berkeley River Lodge, which stretches along a section of the Kimberley coast with capacity for just 36 guests, aimed to offer an exclusive luxury experience. The upgrades underway at the time of the cyclone were set to include new interior floors, villa balcony decking, pool decking and screens around the open-air ensuites.
Recovery and Reopening Plans
Despite the extensive damage, Mr Banson expressed hope that the lodge would reopen for the 2026 season, scheduled to begin on May 1.
"We are still assessing the full extent of the damage and the impact that this will have on the 2026 season," Mr Banson said. "Our plan at this stage is to still open in May for our planned full refurbishment."
The Bureau of Meteorology reported that the cyclone had weakened to a category one system as it moved inland. A tropical cyclone warning remains in place for the King George River mouth to Berkeley River mouth, and further east to the Cambridge Gulf, with these areas potentially experiencing continued damaging winds and heavy rain.
The remnants of Fina are likely to continue producing showers and thunderstorms for the Northern Kimberley and nearby areas of the Northern Territory throughout the rest of the week.
