Camping with Custodians

Travel & Touring | Camping & Caravanning

11 July 2023 By: Fleur Bainger

About 60 per cent of all the people who stay at Imintji Campground have their first Aboriginal interaction there.

Deep in the rusty red Kimberley outback, facing the craggy Wunaamin Miliwundi Ranges along the famed Gibb River Road, Imintji became Australia’s first Camping with Custodians site when it officially opened in 2017. Now, there are a number of such sites dotted across the Kimberley and the Pilbara.

This Australian-first initiative was developed with a two-way benefit in mind: it allows travellers to camp on Aboriginal land and engage with WA’s traditional owners, while the Aboriginal-run tourism business generates employment and income for isolated communities, helping them to stay on country.

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It’s part of a wider WA Government plan to make WA the premier destination for Aboriginal tourism. The result not only builds memorable connections and enhances travel tales, it also leaves visitors with a new understanding of WA’s Aboriginal people - one seen firsthand, through Aboriginal eyes.

“It impacts travellers a lot,” says John Bennett, CEO of Imintji Corporation. “One of the studies we did when we initiated the Camping with Custodians program was asking: what kind of involvement does the tourist want? We heard that 80 to 90 per cent of the respondents wanted interaction, which allowed for insights into Aboriginal stories and livelihood.”

At sundown each evening, travellers gather around Imintji campsite’s cultural area to hear a talk on Imintji (Ngarinyin) life. “One of the rangers who works here will share the history of Iminji and the culture at Bell Gorge, why it’s called that, and what happened at Silent Grove thousands of years ago,” says Bennett. “There are a lot of questions, like, ‘What kind of life is it for you today?’ It’s interesting to see the enthusiasm people have in learning.”

Spontaneous touring experiences

Some campsites have organised tours and interactions, whereas at others, it’s more spontaneous. Imintji has a bit of both. “We have a walking tour where an Aboriginal person shows tourists the bush tucker and the medicines they use; things like sugar bag, bush potato and medicines for a sore throat, or cough,” says Bennett. “We do it once or twice a week, spontaneously, depending on interest and it costs $5 for the tour.”

About five Imintji people work on the campsite, and about 10 kids often play on the grounds, or at Sadler’s Springs, where the community has a swimming hole. “Tourists will go have a dip and have wonderful interaction with the kids,” says Bennett.

Having clocked up five years’ experience being part of Camping with Custodians, Bennett reflects on the impact the initiative has had on the community, and beyond. “It’s helped the Imintji culture, it’s helped their corporation financially as well,” he says. “It also influenced others to initiate tourism into their Aboriginal communities.”

Peedamulla Station Campground

75km east of Onslow

The Pilbara’s first Camping with Custodians campsite, Peedamulla is on a 226,000-hectare, Aboriginal-owned cattle station. It lies north of Exmouth and south of Karratha, making it a handy stop as you explore the iron-ore rich landscape. The name means ‘plenty water’ due to its access to the Cane River; there’s also a collection of heritage-listed buildings and it’s home to the Jundaru community.

This is a place of spontaneous meetings with Aboriginal people; sometimes members of the Parker family, who run the station, or people from the Jundaru community will sit around the campground firepit to yarn about life on Peedamulla – the station dates back to the 1880s – and to share cultural stories. If you stay mid-July, you may also get to witness the annual muster, with hundreds of cattle herded up for market.

Bookings are essential for the five powered ($50/night for 2 people) and 15 unpowered sites ($35/night for 2 people), which have access to an artfully covered barbeque area, hot showers, unisex toilets and drinking water. Dogs are also welcome.

Open: April to mid-October
Contact: 0467 308 479
Web: peedamulla.com.au

Djarindjin Campground

190km north of Broome

WA’s newest and largest Camping with Custodians campsite is part of the Djarindjin community, home of the saltwater people. Accessible to two-wheel drive vehicles as well as large RVs and caravans, it’s set back from the now fully-paved Cape Leveque Road, towards the northern tip of the ochre-hued Dampier Peninsula.

Officially opening in June 2020, the fenced campground is positioned beside Djarindjin Roadhouse, meaning it’s an easy stroll to takeaway food, ice cream and fishing bait as well as basic groceries and vehicle needs.

Travellers score a roomy camp kitchen, a sheltered barbeque area, a communal firepit and hot showers. For now, shade over the 37 powered sites (from $50 per night/2 adults) and 10 unpowered campsites (from $30 per night/2 adults) is minimal, but as tree canopies spread, that will increase. It’s worth noting that the maximum stay is three nights.

The campsite and roadhouse are owned and run by the Djarindjin community, which is itself closed to tourists; out the front of the roadhouse, you’ll find a boxy tour office wrapped in photographs of clear waters edged with mangroves.

Drop in for information and bookings on Bardi and Jawi Aboriginal cultural experiences, such as the four-wheel drive and bush tucker tagalong tours run by traditional owner Brian Lee, or the chance to meet with an elder and his family on Bundy’s CulturalTours, or the spear fishing and foraging tagalong cultural experience with custodian, Bolo Angus.

Open: April to October
Contact: 0447 513 123 (only serviced in season) or 0477 487 344 (roadhouse, open year-round)
Web: djarindjin.com.au

Imintji Campground

220km east of Derby

Imintji means ‘a place to sit down’ in Ngarinyin language. In days gone by it was an important rest point for bullock drivers on the Gibb River Road, and in 2017 it officially opened as the first Camping with Custodians site.

Sitting at the foot of the Wunaamin Miliwundi (formerly King Leopold) Ranges and serviced by the Imintji Community Store (where you check in), the wilderness camp ticks the box for views, Aboriginal cultural interactions and proximity to Gibb River Road must-see spots. It’s close to Dalmanyi (Bell Gorge), Dimalurru (Tunnel Creek) and Bandilngan (Windjana Gorge).

It has hot showers, a fire pit and barbeque shelter – and it’s dog-friendly. Its 20 shaded, unpowered campsites are clustered around a grassed area, and by the end of the 2023 season, that number is set to more than double, if Derby Shire approves the campground’s expansion plans.

With plenty of space already, the sites are sprawling and are charged according to who is staying: adults cost $19/night; pensioners pay $17/night and children aged 5 to 15 years are $15/night. Family and group rates are also available and bookings are unnecessary.

At the store, you can fill up with diesel (only), order an espresso coffee, hook into the free wi-fi, restock basic supplies, grab takeaway food and polish up your knowledge of the area. There’s also an Aboriginal art centre on site (open 10am to 4pm) where works by Iminjti artists can be viewed and purchased.

Open: April 18 to mid-October
Contact: 9191 7227 or 6102 6358
Web: imintji.com.au

Jarlarloo Riwi Mimbi Campground

90km east of Fitzroy Crossing

Found between Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek on the Great Northern Highway, this is the best place to stay if you want to go on a two-hour, torchlit tour of the 350-million-year-old Mimbi Caves. Wearing helmets and led by a Gooniyandi guide, you’ll see ancient rock art, marine fossils and more.

There are 21 camping sites split between self-drive travellers, tours and special interest groups at the fully Indigenous-owned and operated Jarlarloo Riwi Mimbi Campground. Solar powered facilities include sheltered outdoor barbeque stations, hot showers and a communal firepit.

To camp, adults cost $18/night; pensioners pay $17/night and children aged 15 to 5 years are $15/night. Family and group rates are also available and it’s fine to book only 24 hours in advance.

Open: Annual season is usually April 1 to October
Contact: 0477 355 671 or 0437 546 873
Web: mimbicaves.com.au

Violet Valley Campground

43km from Warmun

Fourteen shaded campsites sit on the banks of the Bow River, only 36km from the turnoff to UNESCO World Heritage Listed Purnululu National Park. Camping here before or after witnessing the captivating Bungle Bungle Range only adds to the experience of this raw, grassland wilderness that’s home to the Gija people.

The campground, opened by the Baulu-Wah community in 2019, has hot showers, flushing toilets, a fire pit, barbeque and laundry facilities and is suited to four-wheel drives and off-road campers and caravans.

Per night, adults pay $18; pensioners $17 and children aged 5 to 15 years $15; there are reduced rates for families and groups. Bookings are recommended.

Open: April to October
Contact: 9168 7512
Web: violetvalleycampground.com.au

Doon Doon caravan park and campground

110km south of Kununurra

Owned by the nearby Woolah community, the campground was rebuilt in 2019 under the Camping with Custodians initiative. Positioned just off the Great Northern Highway, it neighbours Doon Doon roadhouse, where you can buy diesel and unleaded fuel as well as pre-prepared meals, basic grocery items and coffee.

Along with powered sites ($35/night) and unpowered sites ($25/night), there are four air conditioned chalets ($150/night). Everyone has access to hot showers, gas barbeques, an undercover camp kitchen with electric hot plates and cooktops and a laundry. Phone to book.

A Woolah community local, Johnnie Cooper, runs cultural tagalong tours called Ringers 4WD Tours and can be booked by email (ringers4wd@gmail.com).

Open: Year round (high season April to October)
Contact: 9167 8004
Web: doondoon.net.au

Lombadina

195km north of Broome, Dampier Peninsula

Stay by the beach at Thomas Bay and immerse yourself in the traditional lands of the Bard People on this stunning part of the Kimberley coast. Home to some of WA's best fishing grounds, you can take a fishing charter out to some of the best spots or go on a mud crab tour to the nearby tidal estuary.

Lombadina also has an arts and crafts centre onsite, selling bracelets and pendants carved from local pearl shells along with other wooden carved artifacts.

Accommodation options include self-contained cabins, budget rooms at IIdool Lodge, and a campground. Two-bedroom cabins start from $260 per night for four people, at the Lodge rooms that sleep up to five people are $170 per night and campsites are from $45 per night.

Open: Year round
Contact:9192 4936
Web: lombadina.com