El Questro Station (The Kimberley)

20^th July – 22^nd July

Left Kununurra and after travelling 50km on the tar we turned onto the Gibb River Road (GRR). First stop – El Questro Station. Still a working station of over a million acres, it also offers secluded riverside camping and access to many fabulous 4WD tracks, beautiful gorges and swimming spots. 

Thanks so much to my colleague Sue Cairns’ son Sam and girlfriend Breanne for their hospitality and generosity at El Questro. They are working there at the moment and made sure we were looked after. Only sorry we didn’t get to spend more time with them and had the opportunity to buy them a drink. Sam was working the whole time we were there and Breanne was unwell.

A fair bit of down time here for reading and chilling out. We drove up to Saddleback Ridge for 360 degree views of the surrounding area and mountain ranges, saw a wonderful sunset from Pigeon Hole Lookout, enjoyed the sunshine on the water’s edge at the Chamberlain Gorge (criminal that you can’t swim but loads of crocs here) and sat on a rock in Explosion Gorge marvelling at the fantastic colours in the rock walls.

On our departure morning we headed into Zebedee Springs for a refreshing wallow in the warm springs surrounded by towering palms – perfect way to start the next part of our travels on the GRR.

The GRR after El Questro is gravel and isn’t too bad really as dirt roads go. They grade it pretty early in the dry season and if you are sensible and don’t try to break any land speed records the driving is fine. Fantastic views today of the Cockburn Ranges and the Pentecost River crossing which is a long, rocky crossing but not deep.

We stopped at Ellenbrae Homestead, an oasis of green lawns and flowers in the vast dryness all around us. Ellenbrae is a working cattle station but they cater to passing visitors and are famous for their scones, jam and cream which of course we had to avail ourselves of. You can camp at the homestead and if you do, you get to shower under a boab tree but we decided to press on. After reaching the intersection of the GRR and the Kalumburu Rd, we headed north towards Kalumburu and camped the night at Miners Pool near Drysdale River Homestead. It never ceases to amaze us where people choose to camp. You can camp at the Drysdale River Homestead where there are showers and food however, the campground is dusty and everyone is in really close proximity or you can go a further 5km down the road and camp at Miners Pool – no showers but right on the river where you can swim and there were only us and one other group camped there. Each to their own I guess!

Underwater selfie (the next big thing and you saw it first here)

Zebedee Springs