Is the Kimberley’s most iconic property worth the visit?

THIS Aussie resort attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year. But does it really live up to the hype?

IT TOPS travel magazine gold lists, its rugged landscapes are an Instagrammer’s playground and it’s synonymous with just about every Australian’s bucket list. But does it live up to the hype? I’ve visited twice and if you’d asked me after the first holiday, the answer would have been different. More on that later.

Where is El Questro?

You’ll find it at 1 Gibb River Rd, at the start (or end if you’re coming from Broome) of one of the outback’s most notorious red-dirt tracks.

It’s not difficult to get to — it’s just a one-hour flight from Darwin or a four-hour flight from Perth to the tiny Kimberley town of Kununurra (Virgin Australia and Qantas).

From ‘Kunnas’, it’s a 1.5 hours’ drive (110km) on mostly sealed roads — but you can jump on the twice-daily transfer bus from the airport.

El Questro is synonymous with just about every Australian’s bucket list, attracting tens of thousands of visitors a year. Photo: El Questro

But there was no need for Will Burrell to take the bus. The English aristocrat arrived by helicopter on a sweltering day in 1991 and purchased El Questro — all one million acres of it for $1 million. He, and his Melbourne-born wife Celia, sold it 14 years later for a whopping $17 million to General Property Trust.

Now owned by Delaware North, the tourism operation has just celebrated its 25th anniversary with a long-table dinner, which was open to locals and visitors alike.

No doubt 25 years ago, the couple were awe-struck by the same landscapes that travellers still drool over today — fat boab tree-dotted spinifex plains, rivers as wild as the resident saltwater crocodiles, hot springs so perfectly shaded you’d think the landscaper had been at work, and billion-year-old burnt-orange cliffs that are still revealing their secrets.

Rangers flying over the Monaco-sized property in 2010 discovered Amaroo Falls, an eye-catching series of 15 waterfalls.

El Questro is located in the heart of the Kimberley region in WA. Photo: El Questro

How do you make sure you have a good time?

Don’t make the mistakes I did the first time.

Plan your itinerary before you arrive and get up early. Sleep in and you’ll miss out on the hikes (and get sunburnt). Don’t head out for a trek after brunch or you’ll risk returning in the dark. On my first visit I set out for Zebedee Springs after a multi-course breakfast, only to find it closed — it’s open from 7am until noon.

The resort offers different kind of experiences — from camping to luxury suites. Photo: El Questro

And if you’re pitching a tent, don’t expect to have the place to yourself. The main camping area is similar to a caravan park, albeit a very grassy, attractive one. It’s next to the reception, showers, the well-stocked store, restaurant and bar.

Want to poke marshmallows at the fire by yourself? Book one of the private riverside camps.

What’s nearby?

An unmissable spot ‘near’ El Questro is the World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park or Bungle Bungles.

From the ground — or on a scenic flight from El Questro — the colours will blow you away: hundreds of orange and black striped “beehive” shaped mounds, patches of lush green grass, a cloudless blue sky, a giant honey-hued sun.

The Kimberley region is famous for showcasing Australia’s iconic landscape. Photo: El Questro

But be warned, ‘nearby’ is a term used loosely in the Kimberley. If you’re driving to the Bungles, it takes about four hours (290km), so it’s best to camp for at least one night.

Where do you sleep?

Hopefully you’ll sleep at the exclusive Homestead, but if not you’ll still have a blast. Where else can you stay for as much as $2000 or as little as a round of beers and access the same natural attractions, facilities and activities (fishing, swimming, 4WD tours and heli-safaris)?

El Questro has accommodation for any budget. Photo: El Questro

Will and Celia built El Questro into a multi-tiered accommodation oasis — from the $20 a night campsites and $175 ready-to-go tents (beds, lamps, fan, outdoor setting), to $300 cabins with canvas walls and ensuites, $380 hotel-style bungalows (good if you want a fridge and aircon) and the sublime $2000 a night Homestead suites.

To make the most of your trip, the best advice is to get up early and beat the heat. Photo: El Questro

Does El Questro live up to the hype?

Without a doubt. If you can only visit one place along the Gibb River Rd, make sure it’s El Questro.

It’s unsurprising that Lonely Planet described it as the “perfect location for exploring the Kimberley” or that Luxury Travel magazine named the exclusive Homestead as the number one luxury eco property for 2017.

So is the Kimberley’s most iconic property, El Questro, worth the visit? Yes. Photo: El Questro

Continue the conversation on Twitter @newscomauHQ | @LeahMcLennan and on Instagram @LeahMcLennan

*The writer was a guest of Delaware North.