Review: Emma Gorge Resort

Australian Traveller Australian Traveller
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Right around the corner from the luxury El Questro Homestead, with one eye on the setting sun and the other on his G&T, is the base of Emma Gorge Resort Accommodation.

The Cockburn Range rises rugged and fortress-like from the sandy valley of the Pentecost River. Its buttressed headlands glow a fiery orange against a sky of metallic blue. Ephemeral channels scar towering walls guarding a plateau of spinifex and concealing the unique Emma Gorge Resort.

 

As my partner and I rattle along the dusty Gibb River Road, a patch of bitumen appears like a shimmering mirage on the road ahead. We slow and take the turn-off to Emma Gorge Resort.

Just up from the Kimberley’s El Questro, the gorgeous Emma Gorge waterfall.

The mirage grows as we splash across a shallow pandanus-lined creek and roll into the green surrounds of the resort’s boab-guarded reception. Just an hour’s drive (4WD recommended) from Kununurra, Emma Gorge Resort is an oasis in the ruggedly beautiful East Kimberley. Part of the iconic El Questro Wilderness Park, it’s one of many accommodation options, including the famous El Questro Homestead.

Emma Gorge Resort Details

Where: Emma Gorge Resort 80km west of Kununurra in WA’s East Kimberley region.
Best time to go: The resort is open each year from April 1-Oct 31(depending on the ferocity of the wet season).

What to expect at Emma Gorge

Originally one of the Kimberley’s working cattle stations (they still run a few thousand head), the rundown million-acre property was purchased in 1991 by the then 23-year-old English aristocrat Will Burrell, for a princely one dollar an acre.

Expect sweeping views of The Kimberley

After 14 years of development by Burrell, Voyages took ownership in 2005 – for around $17 million – retaining the former owner’s eco-friendly focus and adding it to their long list of unique Australian accommodation destinations.

 

Rebuilt in 2005 after cyclone Ingrid washed the previous infrastructure away, Emma Gorge’s accommodation consists of 60 tented cabins with ensuites.

 

Our cabin, while not spacious, comfortably fits a queen size and two single beds. The ensuite is functional and the high ceilings are designed to facilitate airflow. We turn on a pedestal fan to assist the ceiling’s efforts. Through the flywire mesh at both ends of the cabin, the towering Cockburn’s provide an impressive backdrop.

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Emma Gorge rooms

Although huddled together in a relatively small area, the surrounding bushland of spear grass, spiral palms and boabs mean the cabins are surprisingly private. We relieve ourselves of luggage and wander along a crushed stone path to the resort’s bar, restaurant and pool, as the clouds of a gathering storm turn the sky a pewter grey.

Emma Gorge provides a comfortable way for the whole family to sleep under canvas

A soft breeze drifts through the expansive verandah bar, which affords colourful glimpses of the surrounding escarpments.

Eating at Emma Gorge Resort

On dusk we move to the open-air restaurant and nestle into a table for two overlooking a dusty, pink Kimberley sunset. The menu – modern Australian with a Kimberley slant – has us stalling the waiter as we struggle to choose

You won’t however have to sacrifice all the comforts of home

 

I settle for the Amelia Park Lamb Rack with spiced eggplant, Persian fetta, pine nuts and sultana crumble. My partner goes with the Crispy Confit Duck in an Asian wonton noodle broth with mange tout and fresh coriander.

 

The main courses are just as impeccable, and the wait staff pull back the concertina-style ceiling and our meals are served beneath a chandelier of stars, with the warm evening breeze rustling in the nearby trees, adding to the outback atmosphere.

 

We roll back to our “tent" via a quick dip in the salt waters of the pool, and fall to sleep with the sound of a nearby creek bubbling over shallow rapids.

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Things to do at Emma Gorge

With a million acres to explore, El Questro’s activity options are suitably numerous: do a lot, do a little or do nothing at all. Our time is spent swimming in the subtropical waterhole of Emma Gorge, bathing beneath an impenetrable umbrella of palms in the warm waters of Zebedee Springs, and taking gin and tonics by the pool.

A cluster of postcard accommodation awaits

Other options include exploring the park’s 4WD trails, cruising the Chamberlain Gorge, taking one of the guided tours and – for the more adventurous – jumping aboard a chopper for a spot of heli-fishing at one of the property’s more remote waterholes.

 

We’ve timed our visit late in the season and, while keeping the hordes away, the 35-degree October days don’t encourage us to stray far from our G&Ts on the veranda bar. Not a problem, I decide, as I sip my gin and fade into the ochre hues of another Kimberley sunset. 

 

MORE: Our ultimate guide to the Kimberley.

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Australia’s second-oldest wine region is also one of its best, but you may not have heard of it

(Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Continue
    A 25-minute drive from Perth is all you need to be amongst generations of grape growers. 

    You might not know Swan Valley, but the vines here twist through almost 200 years of history. Today, plump grapes are still plucked, pressed by juice-stained hands and fermented into wine – a journey led by the same families who will pour it into your glass. And with that first taste, you’ve unknowingly become part of a generations-old tradition. 

    So, sit back and take a sip of a crisp white under that sun-speckled pergola and listen to the warbling of magpies – here’s what makes the Swan Valley so special. 

    Western Australia’s oldest wine region 

    Mandoon Estate bathed in the warm glow of sunset.
    Sip your way through Swan Valley’s rich wine heritage. (Image: Tourism WA)

    In 1829, the very year Europeans settled in Perth, the first vines were planted in the Swan Valley. Later, Croatian and Italian migrants blended their southern European winemaking traditions into the local viticulture, a combination that works so well in the Mediterranean climate here. 

    The result today is crisp, tropical Verdelho, dark, fruity Shiraz and plenty of Chenin Blanc – a third of the country’s Chenin Blanc is crushed here. 

    So where to start uncorking? Mandoon Estate has an Aboriginal art gallery and a sculpture trail, where you can taste an Indigenous food platter of smoked crocodile and emu sausages. 

    For a taste of the valley’s Italian heritage, head to Pinelli Estate Winery. Or, for something indulgent – and a little unusual, considering the inland location – RiverBank Estate Winery serves lobster straight from tanks, paired with that Chenin Blanc. 

    If you prefer something stronger in your glass, Talijancich Wines knows a thing or two about fortified drops: try its aged tawny, Muscat and liqueur Verdelho. 

    Sensational dining 

    A beautifully presented dish paired with champagne.
    Pair great food with a scenic winery setting. (Image: Tourism Caversham)

    The Swan Valley follows that great Australian wine-country tradition, with everything from unfussily fantastic pub meals and beer gardens to unexpected fine dining at cellar doors. 

    Start at Edgecombe Winery, which does brunch as well as drops. Their brioche French toast with raspberry and rhubarb coulis, poached pear and roasted pistachios will taste best when you’re perched at a table outside. Don’t forget to explore their orchard and wetland afterwards. 

    Pick up a box of freshly baked macarons from Maison Saint-Honoré (bien sûr) before heading to Valley Social for a North American barbecue-inspired feed. Chow down on beef brisket burnt ends and wash them down with a hemp-infused craft beer. 

    Baskerville Tavern is brewing beer again in the former Feral Brewpub. Order their Monday special – a classic chicken parmi – and try Slumdog Brewing’s regular range, including a tart blueberry sour made with fresh and freeze-dried berries. In winter, it’s time for their seasonal seven-malt stout, with notes of dark chocolate, coffee and caramel. 

    An unbeatable visitor’s centre

    In Guildford is the Swan Valley Visitor Centre in a restored 1866 courthouse. Its award-winning staff know everything about anything happening in the Swan Valley. Pick their brains (and pick up a free map) before setting off. But, check out the centre’s Welcome to Country mural by local Whadjuk artist Chloe Caylon first. 

    Scenic drives 

    Use that handy Visitor Centre map to get a bit of everything on the Swan Valley’s 32-kilometre scenic loop, which connects over 150 attractions. Think roadside produce stalls, art galleries and historic buildings. Just remember to organise that designated driver if you’re extra keen on the vineyard stops. 

    Other drops 

    If the thought of wine makes your temples pulse, there are plenty of other tipples to tickle your fancy. Txoko Brewing in Baskerville takes its name from a Basque gathering place for cooking, drinking and socialising. Work through its rotating beers and plates of Spanish croquettes and sardines, then settle on the grass while the kids let off steam in the playground. 

    AmberChes Spirits Distillery uses locally sourced botanicals and fruit to make saltbush gin, lemon myrtle gin and Gincello, a twist on limoncello. Try its award-winning sloe gin, which was named Australia’s best at the 2025 Gin Guide Awards. Better yet, have a go at making your own in a hands-on gin-blending and distilling class among the vines. 

    Historic architecture and an arts scene 

    Traditional art celebrating First Nations culture.
    Explore the stories behind the Swan Valley. (Image: Tourism WA)

    Next: Guildford. It is one of WA’s earliest colonial settlements – but the history here goes back much further. The Whadjuk Noongar people are the land’s Traditional Custodians, whose Dreaming tells of the Wagyl serpent creating the gum tree-lined Swan River. Today, Guildford’s original town layout remains largely unchanged. Follow one of four heritage walks past 19th-century buildings, galleries and James Street’s antique shops. 

    Take home pantry staples 

    The display counter at Margaret River Chocolate Company.
    Treat yourself to a chocolate-filled detour. (Image: Tourism WA)

    Sometimes the little stops are just as good as the big hitters. Pull over at Margaret River Chocolate Company for free tastings of white, milk and dark chocolate. Then stop by Harvey Cheese Swan Valley for Lemon Myrtle Ash Brie or St Duke’s Red. End at The House of Honey, where you can sample local honey and get buzzy on honey ice cream pancakes. 

    Nature and wildlife 

    A close-up of a koala in its natural habitat.
    Add a little wildlife adventure. (Image: Tourism WA)

    If the kids have had enough of winery lawns, save the bottles for later and head to Caversham Wildlife Park. Here, you can hand-feed kangaroos and meet koalas and wombats. Catch working sheepdogs and sheep-shearing demonstrations at the Farm Show. Elsewhere in Whiteman Park, hop aboard a vintage train or tram, or cool off in the splash pool. 

    Finish at Bells Rapids, where fuchsia grevillea, crimson bottlebrush and yellow wattles bloom each spring. 

    Start planning your culinary escape at swanvalley.com.au.