Bullara Station is one of those magical places you come across when you are travelling that just makes you feel good.
You know what I mean?
When you find yourself with a smile on your face for no reason at all.
About Bullara
It’s situated halfway between Exmouth and Coral Bay which makes it an ideal place to base yourself to explore the Ningaloo area.
It is still a working station and spread over 1/4 million acres with around 3000 head of cattle.
Owned by the Shallcross family since the 1950’s, they have successfully diversified to accommodate travellers and holiday makers onto their land.
Bush Walks
There are a number of fantastic bush walks around the Station which really give you a feel as to how hard it must have been to make a living from this land.
It can be so desolate but beautiful at the same time.
The red dirt contrasting with the green bush foliage and the just, incredible sunsets.
Water
Potentially, a very scarce commodity in this part of the world.
Which is probably why the Station does not provide potable water, but bore water is available.
When we were there, the Station had recently gone through an extensive drought, which had broken with 90mm of rain falling within 24 hours.
A real deluge.
We also had a lot of rain during our stay and managed to collect, quite successfully, some of the falling rain.
However, our method was a bit more primitive than some of the more seasoned travellers.
This rainfall had been incredibly timely, as all the cattle had been rounded up prior to the rain’s arrival, and were due to be shipped out to greener pastures.
Not the case now thankfully.
Boules
Boules, or if you are from a Gallic background, ‘Petanque’, is a great fun game to play.
There is a purpose-built boules court adjacent to the camp kitchen which everyone can use and is lots of fun.
You might even get a few of the locals joining in.
Bush Showers
These ‘Lava Tree’ bush showers are fantastic and an absolute ‘must’.
A very liberating experience.
Especially if you enjoy a pre-bedtime shower, you can stargaze as you take in the never-ending sky.
The water for these come from a ‘donkey’.
A wood-fired furnace, which visitors are encouraged to keep going by adding logs of wood.
Damper John
At 5 pm each evening, for 5 days of the week, there is a communal gathering around the fire-pit at the camp kitchen, where complimentary damper is served.
Just remember to take your own butter and favourite topping.
This damper is traditionally made by ‘Damper John’. A regular seasonal visitor who, because of his dough making and baking skills, has acquired this name .
There can be anything up to 100 people sitting round the fire listening to John present his story and even some poetry about the region. Very entertaining.
Scones
Bullara also has the added attraction that there is an excellent cafe on site, which produces the most amazing home made scones.
If you’re anything like me, you absolutely must load them up with jam and cream, to be washed down with their delicious coffee.
There is also a bonus for those of you who are gluten intolerant, like my wife. In that yes, they do ‘gluten free’ scones which I’m told are also amazing.
But you need to get in early as they go fast.
There are a number of friendly animals that you will encounter around the station. Cattle, horses, sheep, dogs and kangaroos, all happy to mix in.
Bullara is also active in helping orphaned Joeys and is more than happy for visitors to lend a hand. It’s just fantastic getting so close up to these beautiful creatures.
We thoroughly recommend a visit to Bullara, whether it’s just for the barista coffee and scones, or to stay a bit longer.
You won’t be disappointed.
You can even add to the ‘Bullara Station Experience’ by leaving one of your bottles attached to the ‘Bottle Memory Tree’.
Ensuring that there is always a little bit of you left there.
As with many working Stations in Australia they regularly lay 1080 poison baits to reduce the number of wild dogs in the area, who can kill their live stock.
Because of this risk we have Ash wear a basket muzzle when out and about to ensure that if she was to come across a bait on the ground that she couldn’t eat it.
You can read more about how we help keep Ash safe, happy and healthy when travelling at our Blog right here on ‘Our Dogs Health & Wellbeing’.
Woofs and wags from us all at ‘Follow Your Nose”.
