Wooramel River Retreat
Wooramel Station is a family owned working cattle, sheep, goat and outback station stay. The property occupies an area of 1430 square kilometres with 60 kilometres of coastline frontage to the Indian Ocean, backing onto the Shark Bay World Heritage area.
The Wooramel River is an upside down river running on the surface only 2-3 times a year for a couple of weeks at a time, after good inland rains. The river cuts through the property providing well grassed flood plains. The 60 kms of coastal plains also provide good grazing on native salt and blue bush pastures, while the remaining land system is covered with Wanyu and Acacia bushland.
The pastoral lease was established in the early 1800's but it was not until the Hall family purchased the station in the 1920's that drilling commenced for artesian water. Three bores with a few hundred kilometres of open bore drains were established, opening up previously unused country to stock.
The artesian (via natural) pressure sends water 240 m to the surface. It maintains a constant temperature of approximately 33 degrees with a high mineral content (iron, salt and magnesium) reputed to have soothing effects on tired muscles.
The Steadman family purchased the lease in 1987 migrating closer to the coast from Dalgety Downs an inland station near Gascoyne Junction. They established an international goat trade to capitalise on the feral goat numbers at the time on the property and started a regenerative process to the rangelands. They moved from merino sheep to a meat bread (Damara/Dorper) which is still one of their main stays for the business. The introduction of Droughtmaster/ Angus cattle has also helped to regenerate fragile country while still achieving economic sustainability. Their newest venture into nature based tourism offers visitors the opportunity to see and be a part of the Australian outback and also experience the ancient waters of the birdrong aquifer.
Wooramel River Retreat is open from from 1st of March through to 1st of December each year.
Wooramel River Retreat 2018 from Rachael Steadman on Vimeo.
Artesian Bore Hot Baths
One of the highlights at Wooramel River Retreat is definitely experiencing the naturally heated therapeutic artesian bore baths.
Waters from the Birdrong aquifer travel from a depth 240m below the ground to the surface under its own pressure and is then piped into free flowing pools for you to sit down and relax.
The water is approximately 33 degrees with a high mineral content that is reputed to have soothing effects on tired muscles.
River Walking Trail
Spend a morning wandering along the river bank, meandering through the gum trees, listening to the sounds of nature and watching the wildlife and landscape unfold. The Wooramel River walk is around 5 kms on a dirt track with sandy patches.
Please remember to take water and to slip slop & slap as even in winter the sun can be warm in the Coral Coast.
Self-drive Tour
Get a taste of station life on our 70km self drive 4WD Station Tour. The track takes you out to the coastline where you can see the mouth of the river our 100 year old shearing shed than crosses over the highway and heads east along a windmill track before meandering back to the homestead along the river. Pack a picnic and enjoy a day in the bush.
Exploring Historical Tip
One person's trash is another person's treasure or so the saying goes. In the bush it was and often still is impossible to throw anything away, as you just don't know when it may come in handy. The early pastoralists simply choose a section of land not too far from the homestead and dumped everything they no longer needed.
Explore through the discarded detritus of 4 generations - from wool carts to pumps, bottles to cars and washing machines. Please do not remove any treasures, these are apart of history.
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