Set within a huge working cattle station, 90km west of the mining town of Paraburdoo in the Western Australian Pilbara region, Cheela Plains Station Stay was a real surprise to us when we called in during our recent travels.

The tone for our visit was set immediately when we pulled in, with the camp host warmly welcoming us at the reception door and giving us a rundown on the station and its many attractions and facilities.

Promoted as an oasis between the Ningaloo coast at Exmouth and the beautiful Karijini National Park, Cheela Plains is a true outback experience with plenty of variety for anyone travelling through this region of WA.

Accommodation options out here include comfortable cabins or powered and unpowered campsites all set around a lovely central green grass area with shady trees, a great camp kitchen, a rustic communal fire pit and barbecue with tables and chairs.

An old mining haul truck

There is internet service available in this central area, as well as a laundry, toilets, hot showers, drinking water (you can fill your motorhome or campervan water tanks here) and space for the kids to play on the grass. Or, for not-so-active campers, the opportunity to sit on your camp chair watching the bird life and reading a book all adds up to a perfect outback experience.

Another real bonus here is the beaut Red Plains Cafe on site which is open daily from 7.30am until 2.30pm, offering delicious snacks (toasted sandwiches, wraps, etc), tea, coffee, juices, soft drinks or a good cuppa and cake for morning tea. There is also the option of a light or full cooked country breakfast and a two-course dinner in the cafe dining room each evening except Wednesdays, which is burger night ($10 for a delicious hamburger) cooked and served at the communal fire pit/barbecue. While we hadn’t planned it, the timing of our recent visit included a Wednesday, so we joined at least 50 other campers (BYO plates, etc) enjoying burgers (cooked by our camp hosts), a few drinks and the friendly sociable company of fellow travellers until around 9pm that night — all good fun.

A geological marvel

In addition to simply indulging in the relaxed atmosphere around the campground, a splendid option at Cheela Plains is to head off on a self-drive scenic tour (high vehicle clearance required and 4WD recommended) to the nearby Beasley River Gorge, and what a wonderful experience this turned out to be.

Armed with a map, tour notes, walking trails and details of the many fascinating geological features going back over 2,700 million years, we were also given a key ($20 bond) for the gorge entry gate. You must advise the camp hosts of your safe return, otherwise someone will come looking for you at the end of the day.

Another camping option here at Cheela is to arrange to camp out in the gorge at one of several scenic campgrounds.

Some of the beaut features we enjoyed during our tour included travelling through colourful escarpment country of the Hamersley Range, Woongarra Pool, where camping is allowed with a rustic camp kitchen, bush shower and toilet on site, Peaimatha Soak, where we watched corellas coming in for a drink and then on to picturesque Mussel Pool, where camping is also allowed and swimming is possible — though the water is quite cold — and then a  walking trail to nearby Perentie Falls. While there was no water flowing over these falls at the time of our visit, the falls are a colourful, dramatic rock face with a permanent pool at its base and well worth checking out, even with no water flowing.

Campfire cooking preparation

A side trip off the main trail leads to another majestic rock feature called ‘The Wall’ — a colourful cliff/amphitheatre and pool which is also a splendid waterfall after rain.

In all, after five hours, we travelled just under 100km during the day, including another side track to a large hillside cave only a couple of kilometres from camp, with broad views overlooking a large section of the station. Overall, a most enjoyable day’s outing, including a picnic lunch beside a nice waterhole along the way. The camp cafe can also prepare a takeaway lunch for you (sandwiches or wraps) if you don’t prepare your own.

Back at the campground after our busy day, we once again enjoyed a happy hour around the campfire with other visitors and our friendly camp hosts.

Another novelty aspect of the campground was the occasional sight of Milo the calf wandering through the camps which quickly reminded us that this is, after all, a cattle station. Telling tales about Milo, our camp hosts told  us that this very friendly local has a craving for watermelon and carrots, evidenced by a recent raid from a camp table when no-one was looking.

En route to Beasley River Gorge

Yet another optional activity for those with any energy left, is the walk/climb via the Sunset Walking Trail to two close hills, both of which are ideal places to take in a glorious sunset over the station, or even sunrise if you are out of bed early enough. Also worth checking out — though no close-up access is allowed — is a collection of old iron ore haul-pak trucks and other huge machinery from mining operations carried out on the station.

Overall, our visit to Cheela Plains was a real delight and while our travel schedule this time didn’t allow for more than two days, we would recommend at least three days to anyone planning to go there to ensure you take in all the best this great outback station stay has to offer.

Campsites are set around a central green grass area with shady trees

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Written: Thu 01 Sept 2022
Printed: September, 2022
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