El Questro

Submitted: Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at 14:43
ThreadID: 145065 Views:4821 Replies:4 FollowUps:16
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Suprised nothing has been mentioned about whats going on up there.
Is it in fact true or did I just read another social media fabrication?
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Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at 15:12

Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at 15:12
Is this supposed to be a guessing game?
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-23/el-questro-tourism-and-nature-reserve-indigenous-land-deal/101679272
Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at 18:49

Friday, Nov 25, 2022 at 18:49
Looks like a good outcome all round Peter. Thanks for the link.
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Follow Up By: Alan H11 - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 05:34

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 05:34
Yes it sounds like good news.
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Follow Up By: Member - nickb boab - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 09:09

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 09:09
Would that be the same body of people who run Home Valley ?? let's hope not :((
Cheers Nick b

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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 11:07

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 11:07
Nick .........why?
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Follow Up By: Member - nickb boab - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 13:32

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 13:32
Cuppa...We were there after the reopening with the new management and the conditions were pretty average ..
Had to ask management to do something about overflowing rubbish bins in the caravan park and would appear that staff were reluctant to do daily chores.. rather tear around the place in the buggies this seemed to be the attitude of the running of the place.
Menu in the restaurant was nonexistent but this may have changed for later season??
Nothing like it was in previous years
Home Valley was one of our favourites stops over the years....
Last year we camped down on the Pentecost and although the conditions were very hot it was very enjoyable ..
Cheers Nick b

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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 15:48

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 15:48
Hopefully it will improve with time & with understanding of what is needed Nick.
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Follow Up By: Member - rocco2010 - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 16:41

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 16:41
Home Valley didn't open this year. I was there six years ago late in the season and it was showing the strain with a very dry and dusty camp ground. Meals were ok. But that was then

Stayed a couple of nights at El Questro in August and it was chockers. Multiply all the caravans in their area by two (at a minimum), add in the overflow camping paddock, the tour bus camps and the cabins I reckon there could have been 1500 people there.

I guess it will only get bigger with the new ownership arrangement.
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Follow Up By: Bazooka - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 22:13

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 22:13
1500 people or even half that? Yikes. Gives new meaning to the idea of getting away from it all Rocco.
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Reply By: Phil G - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 08:40

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 08:40
Thanks to Peter n Margaret for the link.
Sounds great to me - especially that El Questro is back in Australian hands and that the GDay group are running the tourism.
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Reply By: Member - Cuppa - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 11:10

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 11:10
Sounds like a good outcome to me, removal of cattle, aboriginal freehold tenure & a long term lease for the ongoing tourism venture to an experienced Aussie owned company.
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Follow Up By: Member - Warren H - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 12:56

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 12:56
Big4 are also running a number of outback parks associated with aboriginal corporations eg Kings Canyon and Glen Helen in the West MacDonnells.
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Follow Up By: Banjo (WA) - Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 09:58

Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 09:58
The RSPCA would be pleased about the removal of cattle. No doubt the cattle would be relieved too.
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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 13:02

Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 13:02
Somehow I doubt the cattle will enjoy losing their lifestyle, but I am confident that without them native species will once again begin to flourish as they have done in the AWC properties.
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Reply By: Member - Phil 'n Jill (WA) - Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 17:53

Saturday, Nov 26, 2022 at 17:53
Looks like GDAY have the two plum sites in the Kimberley with the top dam (Lake Argyle) and now El Questro, which offers so much potential with the sheer size of the area - compared with the tight space at the top dam.

Hoping they plan it wisely, could compare with what Litchfield NP has to offer.

Really is the best country to escape to.

Now if we could just keep those pesky tourists out....?

Looking forward to see how it develops.

Happy travelling all

Phil
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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 13:27

Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 13:27
We have spent a fair bit of time in the Kimberley but never visited El Questro. Our best understanding of the place is that it showcases the Gibb River Road region very well to those unable or unwilling to drive the GRR. The GRR in a nutshell as it were & more easily accessible.

As we drove past the turn off to ElQuestro in 2019 there were a constant stream of caravans coming from the east & turning in there. In view of the great experiences we had just had, avoiding too much exposure to the tourist hordes ) over several months on the GRR & north, plus us limping along with a busted rear top leaf spring ( not that we knew what was causing the noise at the time) we looked at the seemingly never ending caravans & said "Thanks, but no thanks". We weren't ready for busy 'Tourist-ville'.

Disappointingly our mechanical woes also saw us pass the Karunjie track by. We will return sometime to drive that when we visit friends in Kununurra, & maybe we'll give El Questro a look too.
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Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 15:06

Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 15:06
The southern end of the Karunjie road passes through El Questro property. We drove it in 2005. They tried to close it some years ago, but since it is a public road (the old main road), they failed, but you can not camp or fish along the way without their permission (which would not be forthcoming).
They did successfully close the King River road though.
New owners will bring different restrictions.
Cheers,
Peter
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Follow Up By: Member - Cuppa - Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 15:28

Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 15:28
Peter, I confused the two. Years ago we rode motorcycles out from Wyndham, across the mud flats & along the King River for a distance, to a rock art site. When I said Karunjie, I was thinking of the track in from the GRR near Home Valley which would have taken us along the river & out across the mud flats. It was the King River Rd I was thinking of. Shame it's closed.
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 19:55

Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 19:55
We spent 3 days at El Questro back in May this year, in our new roles as grey nomads. Really enjoyed our time there, though the suburbia-like powered van area was not a good place to be. We were quite happy with our unpowered sites, well away from the hustle & bustle. Close enough to the toilet/showers/laundry amenities, but far enough away from the bar, so by happy hour, the walk to the bar warmed us up enough to knock off a couple of schooners of ginger beer @ $10 each.

The scenery is typical Kimberly charisma, and self drove to the spots we wanted to see. Zebeedee Springs is "nice" but with 42% of Australia there each day, having a therapeutic dip, one look was enough.Chamberlain Gorge, Branco's Lookout & Packsaddle Lookout were some of our favourites. Our companions did a 10 km walk to one of the sites up the Pentecost that was enjoyable, they said!

All they need to do is upgrade their communication skills next year, both at ELQ & Lake Argyle. Was a waste of time sending emails, don't think anyone had time to read them. Best plan was to just rock up & take what was on offer. Imagine it would have been utter bedlam later in the year?

Bob
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Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 20:38

Sunday, Nov 27, 2022 at 20:38
We were there in June this year and it was that busy we didn’t even stay and headed up the road for a quieter bush camp.
Way to busy and commercialised for my liking
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