Home Valley Station 1/7/15

Setting off on one of our longer drives calling into Ellenbrae Station just 2km off the Gibb for their well advertised scones. It was worth the stop as we were unaware of the challenge ahead. A knowledgable camper gave us the heads up on the road conditions we were going to encounter - 'it's like a highway' - not!! It was more as we had expected, heaps of corrugations, rocks and dust. 5 hrs and 280km later we pulled into HV8(cattle brand) to a small oasis. The camp was dusty but the homestead grounds were grassy, gardens lush,open air restaurant and bar, setup for tourism. HV8 was once part of the Durack holding but more recently it was handed back and now operated by an indigenous corporation. We chose to camp out by the majestic Pentecost River under the umbrella of the stunning Cockburn Ranges. This is postcard picture scenery when the ranges light up at sunset, the shades of green below brighten while being lined with ocean blue water, tidal flats and cattle in the foreground. No wonder we stayed an extra night at the most picturesque camp in Australia!
This stay was a little different in that the attraction was more about trails and landscape. I guess for others it may have been the restaurant/ bar/ swimming pool.
Horse riding lessons for kids was popular and available for adults too. Photo - looking across the Pentecost at low tide to the Cockburn Ranges