Home Valley Station

A working cattle station in the shadow of Western Australia’s Cockburn Ranges, offering horse riding, fishing and guided walks

The rugged red dirt landscapes of the Kimberley in the remote northwest tell a story of Australia far removed from pop pixies, gay icons and soap opera suburbs. Amidst cinemascope natural grandeur, with 615,000 acres to its name, Home Valley Station lies just off the 4-wheel-drive Gibb River Road stock route, below the Cockburn Ranges’ flat-topped mesas, and overlooking the crocodile-rich Pentecost River.

Unless flying in to the station’s private airstrip, you’ll have experienced enough of the Gibb's kidney-bruising corrugations to fully appreciate Home Valley’s relaxed comforts. Here domestic travellers mix with city slickers and a sprinkling of foreign guests in an egalitarian bush brotherhood entirely in tune with the ethos of remote living and mutual self-reliance.

Owned by the Indigenous Land Corporation, HV’s accommodation ranges from eco tents and homestead rooms to premium Grass Castle suites with kingsize beds, cowhide rugs and air con, set on the banks of Bindoola Creek. Activities include self-guided bush walks in Bindoola Gorge, fishing expeditions, bushtucker treks, horseback cattle mustering, birdwatching, 4x4 tours and scenic flights. Alternatively just sit on the veranda, stare at Ollie and Lily, the station’s resident barking owls, and watch the river flow.

Highs

• Location - sunset over the Cockburn Ranges rivals Ayers Rock for subtle changes in radiant light and surpasses it for wilderness ambiance; no chattering coach loads here
• Birdlife - Bindoola Creek is alive with bee-eaters, cockatoos, finches, egrets. Elsewhere, rare Gouldian Finches and Purple-crowned Fairywrens are particular specialities
• Horseback Mustering - JR’s (John Rodney’s) horseback training is exceptional: progress from passenger to rider in a couple of hours
• Geography - fabulous setting with falls, creek, river, sandstone and limestone escarpments and expansive views
• Great for groups of friends, families and those who want that winning combination of real outback adventure and comfortable beds

Lows

• With over half a million acres to play with, more privacy between premium Grass Castle suites would have been nice
• TV screens and nightly entertainment (local bands and singers) in the Dusty Bar & Grill restaurant - perhaps it’s just me but I don’t always want to be ‘entertained’ when dining, and it can be samey if you're here for a few nights
• No mobile reception - not necessarily a bad thing but a point to be aware of
• Home Valley is not as exclusive and intimate as others in this part of the Kimberley, but then again it is good value, and there is plenty of space to seek solitude