IF you are looking for an authentic and unforgettable Kimberley holiday, follow the Gibb River Road to Home Valley Station.
You might have to cross the croc-infested Pentecost River, but it will be worth the effort.
Home Valley Station is a sprawling 615,000 acres of pristine, breathtaking country at the base of the Cockburn Range.
Purchased by the Indigenous Land Corporation on behalf of the Balangarra traditional owners, it is a hidden gem.
Sales and marketing director Chris Fenech and his wife Nicolle are two of the people behind the station’s success.
On arrival during a recent trip, I had the pleasure of joining them for sunset drinks overlooking the five fingers of the majestic Cockburn Range.
Chris’s love for the station's indigenous staff and the East Kimberley, which he described as “humbling, character-levelling country,” was inspiring.
Home Valley Station runs a pioneering indigenous trainee program that makes it a unique destination.
Local indigenous people earn accredited traineeships, while visitors are treated to an unrivalled cultural tourism experience.
A horseback ride through the vast Kimberley landscape with two indigenous stockmen proved to me the program’s success.
Warmun man, Jwayne Nocketta (24), told me he had applied for Home Valley because he wanted “to live longer and make mum proud”.
Cyril Yeeda, a charismatic 30-year-old who has worked at the station for five years, said he planned to visit cattle ranches in the US.
The Kimberley’s enchanting ochre, blue and green palette and iconic boabs are enough to sell Home Valley to the most experienced traveller.
But spectacular views are a given in this part of the world – it is the people that make this place special.
The writer was a guest of Mellen Events and Home Valley Station.
Staying there…
- The station’s lavishly appointed Grass Castles, at $450 a night, are perfect for well-heeled tourists or newlyweds.
- Other options are Homestead Guestrooms ($240 a night), Eco tents ($190 a night), or pitching a tent near the Pentecost ($16 a night).