Jack's Waterhole

Following some recent discussion on the whereabouts of Jack's Waterhole in the Kimberley, I have included the following current information which I have managed to source from the limited information on the internet and this blog will link to photos taken by myself during an outback camping tour way back in 1998/99.

The photos were taken when long time friends, Judy, Carole and myself, met in Broome to embark on similar tours along the Gibb River Road in the Kimberley region out of Broome, and Carole and I shared the route which included Jack's Waterhole.

These photos are over 20 years old and are not of the best quality, but at least they capture the essence of this remote area. There are 12 photos which I have moved for simplicity to the start of this Kimberley gallery, commencing with the tented camp site, although this does take the photos of the features of this section of the Gibb River Road out of sequence. If you click on the header blog photo it will take you to the relevant gallery.

From my research it seems that ‘Jack’ (Campbell) had been a horseman for over 30 years on the Durack Station until the 1950s. In 1978 the Durack Station was amalgamated with the Home Valley and Karunjie stations and the new owner redeveloped the waterhole area into a campsite with hot showers (via a large boiler) and (water flush) toilets.

Of interest is my photo of the shower/toilet facilities as they were then, but which were washed away when the Durack River flooded in 2002. These facilities were never rebuilt.

This area is no longer open to the public and is now only accessible via Home Valley Station who I believe run fishing tours that visit Jack’s Waterhole.

My understanding is that Home Valley Station was once a working cattle station but is now a tourism destination and Indigenous training facility. It is managed by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia a subsidiary of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC). The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC) purchased Home Valley Station along with Karunjie Station and Durack River Station on behalf of the Balanggarra people (Home Valley Station) and the Nyaliga people (Karunjie and Durack River Stations) of the East Kimberley, who are the traditional owners. If you click on the header photo it will link to the relevant Kimberley-Gibb River Road gallery. The first