El Questro is a very large (1 million acres) working cattle station that has been a favourite destination for travellers in the last couple of decades. This has seen the historic station transformed into a Wilderness Park and the humble homestead developed into world-class cliff-top luxury apartments which are cantilevered over the edge of the Chamberlain Gorge. Apparently, you can recline in your bath suspended over the Chamberlain River sipping champagne while enormous Barramundi and Crocs swim in the floodlit waters below. As these were priced from $3,000 a night we settled for the camping area instead and took full advantage of the washing machines and strong hot showers to begin the task of removing some of the Gibb River Road dust from our persons and possessions.

The welcome desk, store & tavern by night. Every night there was a big fire and live music.

Many stunning gorges, waterfalls, long walks and tough four wheel drive tracks are a feature of El Questro – it is really a small and unique slice of the Kimberly experience. We stayed for 4 nights, taking a quick trip into Kununurra to restock our depleted food and grog supplies. On the first day we had a leisurely morning before doing the Explosion Gorge Sunset Tour which included a drive through stunning country, a quiet boat trip up a gorge that is not open to the public and then cold drinks and a gourmet fruit & cheese platter on a cliff edge as the final rays of the sun coaxed the brilliant reds and oranges out of the Cockburn Ranges and the Chamberlain Gorge.

Last light n Explosion Gorge, so named because an early cattleman threw some dynamite in to catch fish!

As it has so often happened, the trip was a little reunion with 2 english couples from Perth that we have bumped into every couple of days since Cape Levique.

Sunset on the stone cliffs of Explosion Gorge.

The tour was peppered with tons of local knowledge from our young guide Rees who was working here for the season and might head to the Victorian High Country at the end of the year for horse riding tours. We encouraged him to look us up in Melbourne so we might introduce him to our lovely daughter 😉

The next morning we headed out bright and early to Emma Gorge which is in the northern section of El Questro. There is a small, separate resort at the entrance to the gorge which features shady palm groves, clear green tinted pools and a stunning finale with a huge waterhole surrounded on three sides by sheer 65m cliffs. This is fed by some falls, a separate droplet waterfall and even some thermal springs, though the claim that this is the coldest pool in the Kimberley seemed correct to Ginnie and myself as we plunged in to cool off from the walk in.

Now you know why it is called the spiral (screwy) pandanus.

The clarity of this pool in Emma Gorge took our breath away.

The temperature of this pool at Emma Gorge Falls took our breath away.

As if the walk out wasn’t enough to warm us up on this slightly cooler day (sunny & 28º), we then headed to Zebedee Springs which features a short walk through thick tropical livistona and pandanus palms to a series of crystal clear warm pools fed from a thermal spring. These are a favourite with visitors to El Questro but the presence of many pools and little falls ensured we found our own private slice of thermal delight to just unwind and soak in for an hour or so.

The short walk into Zebedee Springs

This was our little soak for a hour or so 🙂

This shot shows 3 or 4 spots to have your private thermal pool.

The lower pools at Zebedee Springs – look how clear the water is!

That afternoon we tackled one of the rougher tracks into a deep pool in the Chamberlain Gorge that is home to the illusive Barra. It was a wild and deserted location which we had you ourselves while Markus tried unsuccessfully to snag one of the legendary fish and Ginnie enjoyed reading in the sun.

I have discovered that fishing is less relaxing when you are constantly watching for crocodiles!

It was with a little regret we pulled out the next morning packed and ready for the road and our next adventure. We loved our time at El Questro and would recommend it to anyone doing the Gibb River Road. Here are some alternative ways to experience this stunning country if the buy-a-4WD-and-off-road-camper-trailer isn’t your thing.

1. Take a 15 day outback tour with a company like APT who will transport you in (relative) comfort, take you to the best gorges and walks and deliver you at safari lodge style accommodation each night. This is hassle free but relatively expensive (still cheaper than the 4WD and trailer investment though). For the time-poor, a flight to Broome saves the long drive from the eastern states.
2. Do a fly-drive thing and hire a 4WD or off road motorhome and drive into the Gibb River from the East. El Questro is only 100kms from Kunanurra and it’s tar all the way. Of course there are dozens of fixed wing and helicopter flights and experiences that can be taken to show off the Mitchell Falls, Bungle Bungles, etc. The fly drive stuff is cheaper but the flights never are. But it is an economical way to experience the Kimberley if you don’t have 3 or 4 months up your sleeve like we did 🙂

This poor dingo has a bad case of mange. Just a few tufts of fur to show his once proud appearance.

You have heard the expression “Bull Bar” for the front of your car? Ouch!