Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and even hot showers. Better still are the free bush camp sites at
Barnett River Gorge
; turn off
29km from the roadhouse - they're several kilometres down a sandy track.
Further up the Gibb (at the 338km mark) is the turn-off to
Mt Elizabeth Station
(
08-9191
dry season)
,
4644;
www.mountelizabethstation.com
; sites per person $15, s/d incl breakfast & dinner $170/340;
one of the few remaining private leaseholders in the Kimberley. Peter Lacy's
200,000-hectare property is a good base for exploring the nearby gorges, waterfalls and
indigenous rock art; don't miss the 4WD tag-along tour ($50). Wallabies frequent the
camp site, and the home-style three-course dinners ($45) hit the spot.
At 406km you reach the Kalumburu turn-off. Head right on the GRR, and pull into at-
mospheric
Ellenbrae Station
( 08-9161 4325; sites per person $15, bungalow d $155)
for fresh scones
and quirky bungalows. The GRR continues through spectacular country, crossing the
mighty Durack River and, at 579km, providing panoramic views of the Cockburn Ranges,
Cambridge Gulf and Pentecost River.
The privations of the Gibb are left behind after pulling into amazing
Home Valley Station
(
08-9161 4322;
www.homevalley.com.au
; sites adult/child $17/5, eco tents for 4 people $190, homestead d from
$250; )
, an indigenous hospitality training resort with a superb range of luxuri-
ous accommodation. There are excellent grassy camp sites and motel-style rooms, a fant-
astic open bistro, tyre repairs and activities including trail rides, fishing and cattle muster-
ing.
At 589km cross the infamous
Pentecost River
. Take care: water levels are unpredictable
and saltwater crocs lurk nearby. Slightly further is 400,000-hectare
El Questro Wilderness Park
( 08-9169 1777;
www.elquestro.com.au
; 7-day park permit $20; dry season)
, a vast former cattle sta-
tion with scenic gorges (Amelia, El Questro) and Zebedee thermal springs (mornings
only). Boat tours explore
Chamberlain Gorge
(adult/child $64/34; tours 3pm)
or hire your own
boat ($70). There are shady camp sites and air-con bungalows at
El Questro Station Township
(sites per person $20-25, bungalow d from $329; )
and also an outdoor bar and upmarket
steak-house
(mains $28-42)
. There are a million activities, but you'll pay for most of them.
The rest of the GRR is sealed. Ten kilometres along is El Questro's
Emma Gorge Resort
(sa-
fari cabin d from $289; dry season; )
, where a 40-minute walk reaches a sublime plunge
pool and waterfall, one of the prettiest in the whole Kimberley. The resort has an open-air
bar and restaurant, though the non-air-con cabins are stuffy and overpriced.
At 630km you cross King River and at 647km you finally hit the highway - turn left for
Wyndham (48km) and right for Kununurra (53km).
