The Gascoyne River has flowed three times in the past few months, but it means little to many of the regions’ beef, sheep and goat stations. As a multi-year drought across the pastoral industry continues to take its toll, some stations are relying on outback tourism to stay in business.
Offering visitors a genuinely Aussie experience, stations provide affordable accommodation near world class attractions, such as the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park and World Heritage Listed Shark Bay. Tourists are able to experience an authentically Australian adventure amongst the native wildlife with activities such as walk-trails, fishing, snorkelling and surfing.
Check out the great list of stations below and contact the Carnarvon Visitor Centre for more information and how to book!
Carnarvon Visitor Centre:
21 Robinson Street, CARNARVON WA 6701
Phone: (08) 9941 1146
Fax: (08) 9941 1149
Email: info@carnarvon.org.au
Waroora Station
Warroora Station, located halfway between Carnarvon and Exmouth, offers wilderness camping and homestead accommodation options with direct 2WD and 4WD access to the Ningaloo Reef. Described as an ideal place to experience the Australian outback and pristine beaches in its most natural state, Warroora Station is just one of the options in the region.
Bullara Station
Bullara Station is 2WD friendly and is located between Coral Bay and Exmouth. The station offers a range of accommodation, from fully self-contained cottages, a renovated Shearers Lodge, air-conditioned ensuite king single rooms, as well as caravan and camping sites. Bullara is generally open for visitors from April to October.
Wooramel River Retreat
A unique station campground nestled under the majestic gum trees on the bank of the Wooramel River. Relax in the naturally heated therapeutic artesian bore baths from the Birdrong aquifer; enjoy the space; abundant bird and wildlife; private camp fires; amazing night skies and the friendly outback atmosphere.
Quobba Station
Quobba Station is located on the southern tip of the Ningaloo Reef Marine Park, north of Carnarvon, Western Australia. It is a working pastoral station with 80km of coastline bordering the Indian Ocean. The Quobba experience includes land based game fishing, isolated beaches, world renowned surfing, snorkeling, whales and other abundant marine and wildlife on the arid outback landscape. Your choice of accommodation ranges from camping or palm frond humpies, fishing shacks, cottages through to luxury eco safari tents on top of the Red Bluff cliffs.
Red Bluff
Red Bluff is located on Quobba Station and is one of Australia’s most spectacular, rugged, authentic and unique outback coastal working stations. Located 140km north of Carnarvon, Western Australia with 80km of dramatic coastline as its western boundary.
Gnaraloo
Found at the southern entrance of the Ningaloo Marine Park Ningaloo Reef, this wilderness tourism business and working pastoral station offers the real thing – an Australian outback experience like no other and a retreat from everyday life. Surrounded by stunning coastline, you’ll experience fantastic fishing and world-class waves. You can swim, snorkel or dive on the Ningaloo Reef, walk and explore the quiet beaches, and relax in our basic accommodation or camp grounds with a drink, watching some of the best sunsets in the world. When the season’s right, you’re guaranteed to see whales swim by.
Ningaloo Station
Ningaloo Station is a 50,000 hectare pastoral lease in North Western Australia managed by the Lefroy family since 1934. Offering wilderness camping, prestige white beaches with crystal clear blue waters, stars for miles and an array of marine life.
Mount Augustus
Mount Augustus or Burringurrah is one of the most spectacular solitary peaks of the world’s largest monoclines, it rises above a stoney, red sandplain of arid scrubland and is visible from the air for more than 160 kms. The granite formation is about 8 kms long, covers an area of 4,795 hectares and is estimated to be 1,750 million years old. Accommodation, powered caravan sites, camping facilities, fuel and water are available at Mount Augustus Tourist Park, phone (08) 99430527
Lyndon Station
Historic property situated on the ‘Woolwagon Pathway’ self drive trail, Lyndon Station Cottage Stay is a friendly stopover for travellers visiting Mt Augustus, Ningaloo Reef, Coral Bay and Exmouth. Caravanners and Campers welcome.
Emu Creek Station
Emu Creek Station was established in 1891 and covered nearly half a million acres where up to 20,000 sheep were grazed and shorn. The rich history of Emu Creek Station can be seen in the current homestead and the 12-stand Oregon Wool Shed, however, the true beauty of the station is in it’s landscape and wildlife. The station offers camping Sites only. All sites are unpowered and campers must be self-sufficient.
For more information visitors should get in touch with the Carnarvon Visitors Centre. The team provides tourists with detailed information about each station, answer enquiries about accessibility and road conditions, plus shares information about extraordinary experiences including fishing, bird watching, wilderness camping, swimming and snorkelling spots.