El Questro is the most recognised resort in the Kimberley. There are actually three stand-alone resorts under the one umbrella name of El Questro; the rustic โStationโ, Emma Gorge and the exclusive, luxurious โThe Homesteadโ. I have always imagined myself swanning around The Homestead like Nicole Kidman in the movie Australia ( I do have quite a vivid imagination). Unfortunately โThe Homesteadโ was just a little too exclusive and luxurious for our purses, but we did get the opportunity to stay at both The Station and Emma Gorge Resort. Our first stop was The Station.
About 100 km or 1.5 hours drive from Kununurra and just off the Gibb River Road, El Questro Station is at the end of a 16km rough red gravel driveway. We pulled into the Station just as the sun was going down, and after driving through the shallow waters of the dried up bed of the Pentecost River crossing we were greeted by the welcoming scene of twinkling fairy lights strung from the trees, a glowing campfire and a blues singer serenading the guests in the Swinging Arm Bar.
The Station at El Questro caters mostly to campers, with both powered and unpowered riverside camping at The Black Cockatoo campsite. In this same area you can โGlampโ in permanent powered tents furnished with queen or twin beds, cabinets and bedside lamps, all set up on hardwood flooring, with an outdoor dining set – no roughing it here! Unfortunately the tents are not air conditioned, but there is a fan to help cool down the interior.
In addition to the main campground there are 30 private riverside bush camps, they are dotted along the Pentecost River, are unpowered with toilet facilities and can accommodate either a solitary caravan or tent for for people who want to go it alone, or a small group of campers wanting a secluded camping experience.
The main campground has excellent facilities with 2 ablution blocks that appear to be new, both have disabled access rooms. There is also a further block of individual bathrooms. There are two campers kitchens each with BBQs and laundry facilities.
In lieu of a swimming pool there are two natural waterholes in the river that runs alongside the park.
Whilst we were visiting, the general campsites cost $20 per adult over 13yrs and children stayed free, with discounts for families with teenagers or for longer stays. There was a $22 surcharge for a powered site- my first thought was that this surcharge was a little steep until I wandered through the campsite and noticed that all of the caravans were running their air conditioning and fridge/freezers full time (it was 39c) which must be a great drain on the power supply that the station has to privately generate.
In addition to camping, the Station offers bungalow accommodation, and it was one of these that we were booked in to. There are only 12 of these bungalows with 8 of them being riverside and sleeping up to 3 people, and 4 garden view which sleeps up to a family of 5.
Our riverside bungalow was nicely furnished and comfortable with a queen size bed, an extra single bed, fridge and tea/coffee making facilities. The bathroom was modern and spacious with a large rain shower, and equipped with all of the usual amenities to make your stay more comfortable. The balcony was lovely to sit out on for an early morning coffee listening to the river and the birds whilst reading my book. It also had the added advantage of being a very short walk to the nearest swimming hole.
Because we had flown up and were not self-contained we ate most of our meals onsite. We had breakfast at the Steakhouse Restaurant most mornings before setting out on one of our adventures, and in the evening returned either to the Steakhouse for dinner or once we ate at the Swinging Arm Bar when they had a pizza night. The Bar also hosts a BBQ feast on Saturday nights when you can eat as much as you like for $42, unfortunately, we missed that. I was told it is excellent value for money.
On the occasions that we were not feeling particularly hungry we grabbed something from the cafe/shop, they had a good selection of rolls, muffins and fruit salads and take away coffees ready to go, all at a reasonable price.
From the Station you can book to go on guided tours, river cruises, horse rides, even helicopter tours or choose go it alone with handy maps that are provided at reception, we did a little bit of both.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at El Questro Station and look forward to returning one day, and maybe, just maybe, if we ever win lotto then we might just book ourselves into The Homestead.
Details
Address: El Questro Road, Durack, W.A. 6743
PH: 1800837168
Station โGlampingโ Tent:$175
Garden View Room: $339
Riverside Room:$409
Check direct for seasonal specials
Dogs are allowed at Elย Questroโs campsites, however they must be on a lead at all times. Dogs are not permitted on any of Elย Questro’s tours, activities or to any of the attractions.
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