It was a new and beneficial experience during our 2011 Trip to travel along the Gibb River Road, and visit Home Valley Station, a unique and inspiring outback oasis.
Situated near the Cockburn Range in far North West Australia, Home Valley was purchased by the Indigenous Lands Council, (I.L.C) in 1999, and opened for tourist activities in 2008/2009. It covers an area of 615,108 ha, and together with neighbouring Durack River Station and Karunjie Station, the holding totals 3.5 million acres. All three stations are owned by the I.L.C on behalf of the traditional owners, the Ballangarra people.
Some significant initiatives are in progress at Home Valley, providing sustainable employment and training for indigenous people in a number of areas. In conjuction with Kimberley TAFE, and Kimberley Group Training (KGT), the I.L.C provides training in Tourism, Hospitality, Agriculture and Horticulture. Home Valley is a premium tourist destination, and operates as a working cattle station. Their cattle brand, HV8, is incorporated in the Home Valley Logo.
We were particularly interested to meet with the Pastoral Manager, John Rodney, (JR), and his team of workers. JR contacted us in 2010, when we supplied the station with ten saddles, and a quantity of leather working gear.
At the stables, JR introduced us to experienced stockman, Jason Newman, Headstockman Cyril Yeeda, and other trainee stockmen, Dan, Diesel, Glen and Clayton. In addition to horse related pursuits, Home Valley offers a wonderful range of activities; tours, fishing, walking, bird watching, boating and canoeing; all within a social and cultural context.
Home Valley is a premium tourist destination, and the station complex has been developed to include a selection of accommodation venues; from luxurious Grass Castles and Guest Rooms, to Eco Tents, and other great camping facilities. The awesome scenery of Home Valley was chosen by Baz Luhrmann for the spectacular backdrops in many of the scenes in the “Australia” movie, and the colours and hues of the landscape, particularly at sunrise and sunset, have to be seen to be believed. Our overnight stay seemed very brief, and we left the station with reluctance, …… and a resolve that “we’ll be back.”
John Rodney, JR – Home Valley Station
John Rodney, JR, is quietly spoken and unobtrusive, and it’s difficult to believe that he’s a former rodeo rider and owner of a touring Wild West Show. JR trains and supervises the team of workers involved with the horse related activities, and his enthusiasm for the Home Valley Station venture is catching. He describes a typical day, which consists of horse riding excursions, a horsemanship show, and pony and sulky rides. In addition, JR organises and supervises the three to six day cattle droves which are rapidly growing in popularity. He points to the flat top wagon which is pulled by a team of draft horses, and loaded up with swags during campouts. JR is satisfied with gathering a working horse plant together again, and Kent Saddlery has been privileged and satisfied to supply saddles for Home Valley Station
JR’s Saddle Testimonial – “Value for money”
I’ve been a working professional horseman all my life and when I first saw Kent Saddles I thought they were value for money. They fit a variety of horses comfortably, and a lot of our Home Valley horses have a certain amount of age on them; which means reliability and dependability for our clientele. A lot of the horses regularly go on long rides, and lose their top line by half way through the season. The Kent Saddles are fantastic – no wither problems; a compensating factor for us. Ninety percent of our clientele have never ridden before, or have very little riding experience, so the Kent Saddles at Home Valley have a good seat in them; there is plenty of leather around our guests, for security. I’m certainly impressed.
Contact Information
Home Valley Station
Via the Gibb River Rd
PMB 15
East Kimberley WA 6743
Tel: +61-8 9161 4322
Fax: +61-8 91614288
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.homevalley.com.au