OzWest Aviation

OzWest Aviation are about to comence flights to Wooleen Station! Don’t miss this fantastic oppertunity during one of our best seasons ever. Please read below for more information or get in contact with OzWest Aviation on the details list below

Day 1: Perth to Wooleen Station (LD)

• Scenic flight from Jandakot to Wooleen Station with views over the wildflower regions of Mullewa and lower Murchison in max 7 passenger aircraft.
• Aerial view Wooleen Station lakes and the stations Plutonic features.
• Stay in award winning Wooleen Station with hosts Frances Jones and Dave Pollock.
• Lunch at historical station homestead.
• Explore the homestead surrounds, visit the museum, walk the one hour eco-trail.
• 4pm depart with Dave on guided station tour encompassing aboriginal culture, pastoral ecology and bird watching.
• Arrive at a select location for sunset drinks and nibbles.
• 3 course dinner served in formal dining room. Margaret River wines for purchase.

 Day 2: Wooleen Station / Geraldton / Perth (B)

Spectacular Coastal Flight

• Awake to enjoy a sumptuous cooked station breakfast
• Fly to Geraldton, morning tea for purchase at Brearley Café in terminal building.
• Depart Geraldton for a spectacular coastal fight overflying the Pinnacles.
• Arrive Jandakot midday, 29th Sep

Cost: $840* per person twin share. *Some simple conditions apply

Hurry departs 28 Sep 2011

For further info or booking phone Ozwest Aviation (08) 9414 9095 email: info@ozwestaviation.com | web: www.ozwestaviation.com or click here

Frances Jones receiving Sir David Brand Young Achiever

On the 20th of November 2010 Tourism Council Western Australia held the state tourism awards at Burswood Entertainment Complex. The event was themed “Four Seasons” to capture WA’s ability to provide amazing destinations year round. The Gala Dinner saw the coming together of the top tourism businesses throughout Western Australia, and was attended by some 900 guests.

Tourism Council WA CEO, Graham Moss said that “there had been an increase in the number of entrants into the Eco and Cultural tourism categories. This is pleasing as these tourism experiences are certainly gathering popularity.” Moss, who is also the Chair of Judges for the Awards, said that “the standard of submissions were especially high this year which positions WA for success in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards which will be held on the 11^th March 2011 in Perth. He said that hosting the National Awards in Perth was a great opportunity to showcase WA tourism to an estimated 600 interstate tourism operators who will attend the Awards.”

Monsoonal Low that hit the coast of Western Australia

Heavy rainfall from a monsoonal low caused floods which have impacted on the shires of Ashburton, Exmouth, Carnarvon, Upper Gascoyne, Shark Bay, Murchison and Northampton on the 17th of December 2010.

The town of Carnarvon received more than its annual rainfall in less than 22 hours and it was feared that the town would be evacuated. Nine Mile Bridge on the Gascoyne peaked at 7.8m early on Monday, WA’s Bureau of Meteorology reported, but has now subsided. The town was saved by reinforced levees along the river however substantial damage has been done to plantations, crops and pastoral stations have barely begun counting stock losses.

It’s feared many of the historic mud-brick pastoral homesteads on the Gascoyne River could have been irreparably damaged after going under water.

All rivers in the region are running including the Murchison and Rodderick Rivers which feed the Wooleen Lake at Wooleen Station.

Wooleen Lake is a fresh water lake which fills only to capacity 1 every 9 years. The Lake is currently filling at a rapid rate as water surges down the river. Birds from near and far and flocking to settle at the site where they may remain for up to 1 year to nest. Some of these species include Blue-billed Duck, Black Swan, Australian Shelduck, Australian Wood Duck, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Shoveler, Grey Teal, Chestnut Teal, Pink-eared Duck, Hardhead, Darter, Little Black Cormorant, Australian Pelican, White-faced Heron, White-necked Heron, Great Egret, Glossy Ibis, Australian White Ibis, Straw-necked Ibis, Yellow-billed Spoonbill and many many more including all the dry land birds.

Aside from the birds the lake will also spring to life with many crustaceans, fish, frogs and turtles which have been lying dormant waiting for the rain.

Although the rain which fell from the monsoonal low has caused some substantial damage soon the Gascoyne and Murchison region will be a wealth of green growth and annual pasture. River site crossings will be a picturesque setting to stop for a picnic, station stays at there best and bird watching a not to be missed experience.

We also have 3 new sinks for washing up anything you like, in fact you could probably get in them and do a few laps if you wanted!

Our camp kitchen has got a stove, plenty of utensils and space for chopping up all your dinner needs.

Please come along and test it all out. We hope to see you soon!

Gascoyne Murchison Outback Pathways

The Gascoyne Murchison Outback Pathways is the best way to explore and travel the wonders of this region. Providing ready access to the brilliant red landscape each pathway has interpretive sites which offer travelers information, history and photographs to enrich the experience.

The pathways consist of three routes, The Wool Wagon Pathway, The Miners Pathway and the King Ford Smith Mailrun each offering a unique experience through out different areas of the Region.

Full of interesting information the Wooleen Wool Shed features as site number 6 on the Wool Wagon Pathway with 2 interpretive sites explaining the shed, its history and its fate. 

The pathways come with a full colour 175 page guide book and CD. The book offers further stories and history plus stunning photography by Samille Mitchell Grab a copy to assist with your holiday and then keep the book as a beautiful momento of the trip. Books can be purchased from the Department of Environment and Conservation here or from Visitor Centres in the area. Visit The Outback Pathways for more information.

ContactWooleen Station for further information or to purchase a copy of the Gascoyne Murchison Pathways.

Location of the Pathways in WA

The 1930 A Model Phaton Ford

On the 25th of April Brett Pollock and his team will begin The Slow Drive in an A Model Ford across Australia to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctors Service and create awareness of outback tourism.

The drive will start in Gladstone, Qld and finish in Perth, WA. Brett purchased the A model (pictured left) earlier in the year from Graham Wilson in Gladstone who has restored and looked after the car for many years. Brett has been on the look out for an A model for some time as it was the first car owned and driven around Wooleen Station in 1928.

The trip is 4700 kilometres through outback regions and will hopefully be completed in 14 days. Working with Dessert Knowledge Brett hopes to promote outback travel – If he can do it in an 80 year old car, SO CAN YOU!

The trip is dedicated to the RFDS and all the help and support they give to saving lives everyday. You can donate to the cause online or if your lucky enough to see Brett on the road you can donate then. You never know when you may need their help!

So visit The Slow Drive and support a great and exciting cause. You may even see the car at Wooleen one day soon!

Wooleen Lake: Settle your chair in and relax at dusk.

The recent rain from Cyclone Dominic in January has turned the usually dry lake bed of Wooleen Lake into a wet wealth of life.

Wooleen Lake is approx. 5000 ha and has now been transformed into a wetland oasis. The flora surrounding the lake has already turned brilliant green contrasting with the red earth.

Bird life is flocking in from near and far for the coming nesting season. Some of these include swans, pelicans, herons, ibis, terns, countless ducks and many more, a full list of birds can be found here.

As well as birds the lake also comes to life with all sorts of crustaceans, frogs, turtles and fish whose eggs lay dormant in the dry lake bed until water arrives.

The water should remain for up to 10 months and is definitely not a  site to be missed!

The Murchison River has recieved large amounts of rain in its basin area of 82000 square kilometres and is now flowing. 36 kilometres of the river flows through Wooleen. As well as the Murchison River, the Rodderick River has also recieved heavy fall within it’s catchment and is flowing. The Rodderick river terminates as the Wooleen Lake and so an average coverage of water on the lake is expected to bring many bird species out for nesting.

Come Walkabout on Wooleen

Sometimes we have to get lost to find ourselves. Sometimes we gotta go WALKABOUT.

The release of Baz Lurhmann’s “Australia” has created much hype and interest in the Australia outback over the world.

“Australia” is Baz Luhrmann’s first feature film since 2001 musical success Moulin Rouge! The highly anticipated film centres on an English aristocrat in the 1930s, played by Nicole Kidman, who comes to northern Australia to sell a cattle property the size of Belgium. After an epic journey across the country with a rough-hewn drover, Hugh Jackman, they are caught in the bombing of Darwin during World War II. Filming began late April 2007, concluded December 19th 2007 and was released in November 2008.

The rich colour palette and unique landscape of the Australian outback is truley amazing and has inspired many people to come and see it for themselves. Lady Ashley is captivated by the red magic of the land and aborginal people in the movie – and you can be to!

Tourism Australia has used the movie extensively in a marketing campaign to attract visitation to Australia. Tourism Australia’s Managing Director Geoff Buckley said the unique opportunity created by the production of Luhrmann’s epic film Australia was one the organization could not let pass.

“We knew that this huge film would create a wave of publicity that would put the country in the spotlight around the globe,” he said. “And we found that the film’s story had a remarkable resonance for what we do marketing the country as a travel destination.

As Nullah, the small aboriginal child in the film, states: “Sometimes we have to get lost to find ourselves. Sometimes we gotta go WALKABOUT.” So we at Wooleen invite you to come and experience the true Australia Outback at it’s best.

Come WALKABOUT on Wooleen.

Facebook - Social Networking

Wooleen Station has just become a member of the social-networking site Facebook.

Joining has enabled us to offer guests another level of interaction and a place to trade comments and experiences, upload photo’s and give us their opinions!

Facebook is free to join if your not signed up and a great way to keep in touch with family and friends! For everyone who is a member search for Friends of Wooleen and join us on Facebook today!