The cheaper way to stay at one of Australia’s iconic outback destinations

The venue

El Questro Station, Kimberley, WA

A river crossing to reach El Questro.

Check-in

To most Australians El Questro Station, in the Kimberley in north-west Western Australia, is defined by its world-famous sprawling homestead, perched on the cliffs above the Chamberlain River, where a room for a night will set you back $2000 or more. It’s one of the most prestigious wilderness stays in Australia, enveloped in the vast Kimberley landscape and boasting that rarest of Kimberley natural wonders – a lush green manicured lawn.

But what many people do not realise is that only a minuscule proportion of visitors to El Questro Station stay at the Homestead – my digs are a half-hour drive away on another section of the 700,000-acre cattle station, now owned by the G’day Group.

Checking in at the part of El Questro where I am staying is definitely part of the experience – first there is a spectacular drive out of Kununurra until you are in the spinifex plains surrounded by towering distinctive red mesas that run parallel to the mythical Gibb River Road, then an extremely corrugated, vehicle-rattling dirt road, past boabs, those most bloated and obese of trees. Finally there is a river crossing, emerging onto a plain to be greeted by young staff, in ranger-style uniforms.

Swimming at dusk in the crystal-clear Pentecost River.

The look

Even though it is the end of the winter dry season and moving into the stultifying heat of the build up, the campground is still busy with every kind of off-road vehicle set-up imaginable. And there are numerous camping choices – tented cabins with queen and single beds, power and fans, Station Tents with air conditioning and housekeeping, powered sites, unpowered sites, riverside camping and for the most self-sufficient, private spots that are kilometres from the main campground.

My accommodation is a bungalow-style cabin set amid the strip of rainforest and pandanus beside the Pentecost River. The river is so close to my balcony that I can hear its rapids gurgling all night.

A refuge of cool: inside a cabin-style Riverview room.

The room

My Riverview room is extremely clean, well laid out and comfortable, with all the amenities a visitor would expect in any high quality, cabin style accommodation. The Kimberley climate and landscape is one of the most brutal that can be found anywhere in Australia, with the heat especially harsh during the day – this was a refuge of cool that allowed me to re-charge between arduous activities around the station.

Food + drink

Kimberley evenings are especially sweet – it’s as if the people and the landscape exhale with relief. The Swinging Arm Bar is open to the elements – a huge roofed indoor/outdoor venue also right on the banks of the Pentecost River, surrounded by cool lush vegetation. Given our wilderness location the bar and its menu are surprisingly diverse.

The breezy Swinging Arm Bar.

Out + about

The campground is the launch-off location for dozens of different adventures – from gorge boat tours, canyon walks, helicopter flights, soaks in thermal pools, four-wheel-drive adventures to the top of mountains to enjoy sunsets and, depending on the time of year, horse riding adventures.

The verdict

El Questro is accommodation built around a wilderness, outback experience with something for everyone – from camping to unadulterated luxury. No matter your budget, you can expect high-quality service and well-kept rooms, campgrounds, cabins or exclusive lodgings at the Homestead.

The essentials

El Questro closes for the wet season – generally from November to February. The station is 110 kilometres west of Kununurra with a four-wheel-drive vehicle required to access it. Unpowered camping sites from $50 a night; a Riverview room from $560; and a night at the Homestead costs between $1995 and $3345. See elquestro.com.au

Our rating out of five

★★★★★

Highlight

Swimming at dusk in the crystal-clear Pentecost River, just metres from my accommodation and the open-air Swinging Arm Bar.

Lowlight

The heat can be brutal – plan activities for early morning or late afternoon.

The writer was a guest of the G’day Group.