• Peter Jung (first published July 2021)
Holidays are something that all of us need, and with overseas travel restricted for the foreseeable future, now is your opportunity to explore the amazing country we call home – Australia.
For me, the Kimberley region in Western Australia – in particular El Questro Station – was somewhere I had always wanted to go. Inspired a VERY long time ago by an episode of Rex Hunt Fishing Adventures, this year (despite a few COVID scares) I got my wish, and I want to share with you what it’s all about.
Kununurra
The township of Kununurra is the gateway to the region and proved to be well worth exploring. Getting there from the East coast can be done by air either through Darwin or via Perth, with flights arriving most days.
There are plenty of accommodation options available (most with airport transfers) or you can hire a car or 4WD to get around and take in the area.
There is more to do in Kununurra than I expected, and the afternoon and morning my wife and I had there wasn’t really enough to do it justice. A couple of days could easily be spent exploring places like the Sandalwood Shop, the Hoochery Distillery, art galleries like Artlandish (they have a great collection of indigenous pieces) and then of course you have the famous Argyle pink diamonds that the region is famous for. Add to that a cruise on Lake Argyle or the Ord River, and you should have a couple of days covered easily. I would also like to mention the markets; I got a fabulous charcoal drawing of a Boab tree by a local artist there, plus a few other things!
I cannot tell you about the local fishing because I didn’t fish here, but I was told by a number of the locals that good fishing is on offer in the waters around town.
El Questro
The El Questro property itself is huge. Originally 1 million acres, it is now 750,000 acres (recently 250,000 acres in the form of the Cockburn Ranges was returned to the traditional owners) and has gone through a number of owners in its more recent history. It’s now back in Australian hands through the G’Day Group.
The property offers a variety of accommodation options, from camping or staying at the Station to private campsites along the Pentecost River, glamping at Emma Gorge or the luxury of staying at the Homestead. All are incredible experiences, and provide a great base from which to take in the sights and sounds of the area.
Tours and experiences can be organised through the property, or again there is the option to take it in yourself. I found doing some of the organised tours to be the best option for me. The knowledge of the area that the staff have gives you a true insight into what this part of the Kimberley is all about. Some of the tours we did were the Chamberlain River Cruise, the Emma Gorge walk and the El Questro Gorge tour, however there are many other options including enjoying Zebedee Springs (an amazing thermal spring), going horse riding, doing a sunset tour, going bird watching or trying your hand at fishing on the Pentecost River, or going on a helicopter tours. As with the accommodation, there are options for every budget. The property offers something for all the family or a little time out for mum and dad.
The fishing
The primary target species in the East Kimberley region is the barramundi, and the four rivers on the property can hold a good head of fish or a sparser population, depending on how much rain occurs during the wet season. Consecutive good wet seasons will see a greater number of fish and a better variety of sizes, while poor seasons will see the existing population grow to bigger sizes, but little or no new recruitment will occur. The downside is that once you do get a season of good rain, these larger fish will follow the water to the ocean (looking to spawn) and are replaced by a new year class of smaller fish. That was the case with the wet season just gone.
Barramundi are not the only options; there are large populations of sooty grunter, archerfish and fork-tail catfish as well.
Exploring by 4WD or on foot
The track system on El Questro is well looked after with the property employing a driver to maintain the upkeep of the tracks fulltime. These tracks offer those with a 4WD the option to explore the property and find likely looking areas to fish. I did not do this, but a fellow guest while I was staying there did, and he caught a number of 70cm+ fish using the track along the Chamberlain River towards Explosion Gorge and a couple of spots around the area where the Chamberlain and Pentecost Rivers meet.
I chose the on foot option, and there are a few things to be aware of if you want to do this. There are both salt- and freshwater crocodiles present in the waterways, so wading or being in the water is not advised. Snakes are also about, so be aware, particularly if you’re walking in long grass. And last but not least, sunscreen, water and a hat are a must.
I spent a morning fishing the area at the base of the Chamberlain Gorge down to where the Chamberlain and Pentecost rivers meet. I managed a couple of small barra and missed a few more opportunities. The hiking wasn’t overly difficult, with getting to the water to cast being the most frustrating thing.
In hindsight, if I were to visit again, I would pack a lighter spin outfit and fish this area. The barra lures were a little too big for the abundant number of sooty grunter present; they would have been a lot of fun to play with using lighter tackle.
4WD Barramundi Tour
El Questro offers a guided fishing trip to the Pentecost River below the Gibb River Road crossing. They have a boat located there to take guests/clients out to target barramundi. The fishing is trolling orientated, and although the location is some 70km from the ocean, there is a tidal influence. This area, in my mind, provides the best option to come across a bigger fish and to find bigger numbers. All the gear, a bit of food and light refreshments are included.
I joined another guest and Glen, our guide there, to try our luck. Although the set-up is suited to trolling, we did a combination of it and casting. It was amazing to see a 7.8m tide find its way up past a rock bar where we fished. It was the first time I have seen a river flow backwards.
We had a fun morning without finding that big fish we all want (they are in there though, check out some of the pics hereby), but Glen managed a nice 53cm on the troll, while I and the other guest got seven fish, including a couple of double hook-ups casting, although they were on the small side.
This spot is certainly a place that if you had a car topper, it could be put in here and you could have a world of fun exploring. Fishing from the bank is also an option; just remember to be crocodile safe.
Helicopter fishing
Another experience available is fishing areas on the property that receive minimal fishing pressure through the use of a helicopter. In the past this included areas on neighbouring properties, and waters with a tidal influence, but at the time of writing the new owners were still in talks with the traditional owners to ensure everything is done in the right way, so it was not being offered.
I did however get out with my wife for a few hours fishing the Chamberlain River well above where the homestead is situated. Seeing the property from the air is something I will never forget. There is something amazing to see everywhere you look.
After travelling some distance upriver we landed at the bottom of a likely looking stretch of water and fished it on foot. We didn’t walk terribly far (maybe a kilometre), fishing any likely looking water as we went. It was a pretty big body of water, with the occasional rock or piece of timber in it to focus our casts at. I managed to hook a couple of barra in an area where they were hiding amongst some rocks, and landed a 74cm fish.
We also hooked a few catfish around a tree overhanging the water that we promptly called the Catfish Tree. My wife Mary hooked the biggest catfish I have ever seen.
It would have been great to have more time to fly off and explore some more, but we had to head back.
The East Kimberley rocks
As I write this I have been back from El Questro for two weeks. The sunsets, sunrises and everything we saw will not soon be forgotten. We are so lucky in Australia to have such diverse and spectacular holiday options available to us.
There is no better time than now to plan your Aussie getaway. If you like the look of El Questro check out their website at www.elquestro.com.au, or use Mr Google and check the East Kimberley region for yourself.
