Mt. Elizabeth Station
Gibb River Road, WA
Mount Elizabeth Station, located off the eastern half of the Gibb River Road, is a working Kimberley cattle station that also welcomes tourist.
And when I say working cattle station, I mean REAL working cattle station, not tourist resort that still runs some cattle in the background.
I really like that about Mt. Elizabeth. (I've never been a fan of the fake holiday resort feel.)
If you want to see what station life is like, Mt. Elizabeth is the best place along the Gibb River Road to visit.
To me places like Mt. Elizabeth are the true heart of the Kimberley. Frank Lacey took up this lease in 1945 and the Lacey family has had run the property continuously since then. Where else do you get a chance to have dinner with some true Kimberley pioneers?
Sadly, Mt. Elizabeth station was sold in 2016 to a Chinese real estate conglomerate. On the surface things have not changed much, but the chance to have dinner with some true Kimberley pioneers is gone. And so is, I feel, a lot of the soul of this place.
However, the rivers, gorges and tracks on this property are the same as they've always been, and as you will see in the many photos below, are well worth visiting!
Wunnumurra Gorge on Mt. Elizabeth Station
Mt. Elizabeth Station offers homestead accommodation with a three course dinner, bed and breakfast.
There is also a very spacious and well appointed camping area. (Dinner at the homestead can be arranged for campers if you let them know ahead.)
You can explore Mt. Elizabeth Station by 4WD (self guided), there are a couple of beautiful gorges, hiking, swimming and fishing, and there are also several exceptional rock art sites that can be visited via an Aboriginal guided tour in a station vehicle.
Be warned that the tracks and gorges here are definitely for the more adventurous visitors!
Readers
often ask me if this or that toy breed 4WD is suitable to "tour the
Kimberley" or "do the Gibb River Road". Sure, you can "do" it, but there
are limits to what you can access. And on Mt. Elizabeth you will
certainly be made aware of those limits ...
Deep ruts and sharp rocks: a track on Mt. Elizabeth Station© Photo by reader Ian Luxon
Last part of the track to Wunnumurra Gorge© Photo by reader Ian Luxon
Only a real 4WD with plenty of clearance and low range gears will get you to the beautiful Wunnumurra Gorge, a gorge I would not want to miss. (My photos do not do it justice at all.)
Wunnumurra Gorge. The beach is the one you see in the first picture on this page.
Wunnumurra Gorge
A very rough 10 km drive and a half hour wilderness walk take you down to a beautiful paperbark and pandanus lined section of the Barnett River.
Standing atop the Barnett River
Follow the river downstream until you get to a sheer drop and big waterfall. And climb down.
Too much of a chicken to climb? Someone very thoughtful has even left an extension ladder on a rock shelf here for you. (You still have to figure out where to best use it.)
The ladder takes you down to the pool and waterfall.
The pool at the bottom of the waterfall is huge, the waterfall has a nice rock bench underneath so you can grab a back massage, there is the prettiest white beach you could wish for, shade from paperbark trees...
The pretty beach of Wunnumurra Gorge
... and if you know where to look, you can even find some well preserved Wandjinas.
Some of the rock art found at Mt. Elizabeth Station
Not so adventurous? Warla Gorge (or Hann River Gorge) is a much more relaxed and peaceful place.
Warla Gorge / Hann River Gorge
The drive is easier and there is no hiking or climbing. A shallow section of the Hann River to sit in and relax, a nice beach, a wood barbecue... What else do you need for a perfect afternoon?
Beach on the Hann River
Afternoon light on the rock wall of Hann River Gorge
Mt. Elizabeth Station website: mtelizabethstationstay.com.au
Read more about other waterfalls and gorges along the Gibb River Road
Read more about accommodation on the Gibb River Road
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