yeeda kimberley tours broome

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Yeeda Kimberley Tours. The Real Deal.

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Considered to be one of the world’s last true wilderness regions, Kimberley in Australia offers travellers a taste of what it is like to be on the edge of civilisation. Strikingly beautiful and rugged, this wild and unforgiving land leaves everyone who sees it with a deep respect for the life that thrives here. And an appreciation for the fact that this is the real deal.

Twenty years ago, Jack and Vicki Burton began a small free-range meat business in this region named Yeeda Beef. Demonstrating the sort of grit, focus and determination that this land prefers, over the following two decades this business grew to become the first fully integrated free-range meat production company in the area. Owning a herd of over 80,000 animals, in a plot of land covering a million square kilometres.

“This is the wilderness,” Jack says, “It comes with its own set of rules and it is a completely different way of life than what most people expect. We have lived and worked here for twenty years, and as our business has grown, we’ve been fortunate enough to be able to explore it fully.”

In 2017, they launched Yeeda Kimberley Tours to provide the opportunity for guests to experience all of this first hand. Welcoming visitors from around the world seeking not only to explore this land but to immerse themselves into a different lifestyle, a different pace and a different flavour.

THE INSPIRATION

“This is an invitation to visit our backyard,” Jack explains, “And get an insight into what it takes to work a cattle station and everything which that includes.”

People are attracted to Kimberley because of its harshness and uncivilised beauty. It stirs up the intrepid explorer and adventurer in all who see it and challenges them to do better, because only those who move forward can ever thrive here.

“Centuries worth of floods from upstream have turned the valley into an extremely fertile land and there is evidence that various groups of people have lived here for over 40,000 years,” Jack explains, “The local peoples know the area as Mardoowarra and there is a great and solemn respect for it. By helping people travel through it and explore it safely we can educate them on it as well as inspire them.”

This area may sometimes seem dry, but Kimberley holds 80% of Western Australia’s fresh surface water resources. It hasn’t experienced a severe drought in over a hundred years thanks to its consistent rainfall and this has created a land of great diversity and scope. Gorges, waterfalls, caves, lush rainforests and a huge variety of unique wildlife in the land and ocean are just waiting to be explored.

Its remoteness has actually aided organised tourism growth over recent years as it has become a sought-after destination for that authentic Australian outback adventure.  One of the world’s hidden treasures, it is also one of the most exciting agricultural regions and Jack explains that there is an irrigation scheme to develop part of the tropical north for further agriculture along the Ord River.

“For us, over the years, increasing livestock numbers has been the major objective for the business,” Jack says, “But of equal importance is preservation and enhancement of Yeeda’s pastoral environment. There is photographic and documented evidence that the land under our Company’s control has been progressively enhanced over the past ten years. Which our travelling guests can also appreciate now.”

Jack says that it is all about unique experiences and the tour, which is really just an example of how life is at Yeeda, nonetheless takes people out of the realm of their normal day to day lives. Guests travel in their comfortable 4WD bus through the Yeeda properties, passing through vast paddocks they can see cattle watering points and station yards, stockmen at work, cattle grazing and the amazing wildlife that also inhabits the millions of acres that Jack and Vicki call home.

“If that doesn’t stir something inside you, we also do crocodile spotting at night by the river,” Jack suggests.

There is also a cultural and historical element to the tour including real billy tea and a delicious long table lunch of Yeeda Beef and Kimberley Barramundi at the Yeeda Station homestead. Here you can learn the deeply involved and exciting history of the station which goes back to the 1800s and how Yeeda Pastoral Company came to be one of the most progressive pastoral companies in Kimberley.

“In the tourism part of our business we employ roughly twenty people, but this does change throughout the season,” Jack says, adding that they always try to recruit locally and are careful to bring in the right kind of people with the right kind of experience and skillsets.

Interestingly, Jack’s father Peter is the tour guide, responsible for regaling visitors with stories of the people and the places, told with an engaging method and a healthy dose of humour

 “The most important thing is that our staff love what they do and where they live,” Jack says.

RELATIONSHIPS

To him, relationships are one of the things that are very important, especially out in the remote regions.  Yeeda Kimberley Tours is a member of various tourism bodies including SKAL International and they have partnerships with other tourism operators too.

Despite the size of their other businesses, their tour business is still young and both Jack and Vicki are wise enough to know that they are still learning and have their own share of hurdles to get over for this young enterprise.

“These relationships we make with partners and staff are key to helping keep us current and on top of trends,” Jack explains, “We have a good team to keep things moving as the business will always change and evolve as required. We believe in organic growth in all things, things happen as they are meant to.”

WHAT GUESTS CAN EXPECT

While there are plans to create tours that last up to ten days at a time, currently they only operate One Day Tours in this area. Going to Kilto Station, Yeeda Station and the iconic Willare Bridge Roadhouse which is also owned by the company. This is the heart of the beef and barra country, a place to meet the local Yeeda cattlemen, have a drink and a delicious meal and enjoy the region’s finest.

Other tours include Yeeda Station Stay, Helicopter Flights in the East and Bungle Bungle Caravan Park which is the gateway to the Purnululu National Park and comes with its own cache of tours and potential adventures. Certain to satisfy any appetite for adventure.

Other visitors include a wide cross section of travellers, including lots of locals from the region, retired farmers from all over Australia, aboriginal organisations and passing Grey Nomads who all make full use of the accommodation and the sites available.

The Bungle Bungle Caravan Park for example is extremely busy during the dry season which is April through to Sept.

THE ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation is provided at both Yeeda Station and the Bungle Bungle Caravan Park. Both sites offer powered caravan and camping sites and glamping accommodation that adds a special flavour to any stay and at Yeeda there are homestead facilities too.

There is no argument that with the expansive outback and wild surroundings, glamping fits in perfectly with both Yeeda Station and Bungle Bungle Caravan Park. Guests can find spacious open plan eco safari tents that come with their own en suites and highly comfortable interiors.

“Guests also get exclusive access to station fishing spots and there are communal BBQ facilities for guests,” Jack says, “This is Australia after all, there has to be a barbi.”

WEBSITE : www.callofthekimberely.com.au

PRICE/NIGHT : (if applicable.) $250

ADDRESS : Head Office 3 Farrell St Broome WA 6725

TELEPHONE NUMBER : 0891928854

EMAIL : [email protected]

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Yeeda Call Of The Kimberley Station Tour

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An invitation to visit our backyard. Gain an insight into the day to day life on a working cattle station in the Kimberley on a full day guided tour to the Yeeda Pastoral Company properties.

Travel in our comfortable 4WD bus through the Yeeda properties along station tracks, through vast paddocks, via cattle watering points and station yards. Take in the millions of acres, catch stockmen at work, and see cattle grazing and amazing wildlife.

Enjoy real billy tea and a delicious long table lunch of Yeeda Beef and Kimberley Barramundi at the Yeeda Station homestead.

Learn about the history of the station which goes back to the 1800’s and about how Yeeda Pastoral Company came to be one of the most progressive pastoral companies in the Kimberley.

Discover true outback life in this beautiful part of the world.

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Yeeda Kimberley Tours

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• Monday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Tuesday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Wednesday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Thursday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Friday 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
• Saturday Closed
• Sunday Closed

About Yeeda Kimberley Tours

Yeeda Kimberley Tours is an Australian Travel Agency based in Broome, Western Australia. Yeeda Kimberley Tours is located at 3 Farrell St, Broome WA 6725, Australia.

Please contact with Yeeda Kimberley Tours using information above: Address, Phone number, Fax, Postal code, Website address, E-mail, Facebook. Find Yeeda Kimberley Tours opening hours and driving directions or map. Find real customer reviews and ratings or write your own review.

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Management, board changes for WA’s Yeeda and Kimberley Meat Co

Yeeda Pastoral Co and its subsidiary, Kimberley Meat Co – the nation’s most isolated beef processing facility operating near Broome in northern WA – has made a series of management and board appointments in advance of its 2021 slaughter season

KMC does not anticipate starting its 2021 slaughter season until late April, as a big wet season across the Kimberley region livestock catchment area has delayed the start to annual mustering.

Yeeda’s chief operating officer David Hanson has taken on the role of interim chief executive officer, following the resignation of Anthony Wilkes for personal reasons. Laurence Macri continues to manage Yeeda’s wholly owned subsidiary Kimberley Meat Co, while Tim Munroe has been promoted to group commercial finance manager.

Steve Petty

Yeeda has also appointed Dr Steve Petty from Spektrum Agribusiness as an adviser and consultant to assist the company with herd and rangelands management.

Dr Petty has 32 years’ experience in the northern pastoral and agricultural industries focused on efficient and profitable business management, business development as well as the implementation of innovative technology in rural production systems.

In addition, James Campbell will join Yeeda’s board of directors, starting next month. Mr Campbell has 20 years of corporate and commercial agribusiness experience with KPMG, ANZ and Sanger Australia, held board roles with Red Meat Advisory Council and the Australian Meat Processing Corporation. He is currently executive chairman of Amaretto Almonds, an entity within the ADM Capital-managed Cibus private equity fund.

James Campbell

Commenting on the leadership changes, Yeeda co-founder and chairman Mervyn Key said the company was indebted to Anthony Wilkes for the stability and good governance that he brought to and instilled in the company after he took over from the previous management a year ago.

“Anthony has made a substantial contribution towards putting Yeeda back on the right track and we wish him well for the future,” Mr Key said.

“We have a strong management team that is running Yeeda and the additions of Steve Petty and James Campbell will further bolster our agribusiness expertise and help position us well for the future,” he said in a statement.

Further investment

The exceptionally good wet season in the Kimberley has prompted the pastoral industry to delay mustering activities. As a result, KMC will re-open for processing at the end of April, by when Yeeda will have also completed additional investment in new power generators and major refrigeration installations and the further extension of holding yards, located adjacent to the plant.

In 2020, KMC processed about 40,000 head of cattle – a strong performance given the industry-wide cattle shortages – and is planning to process a similar number this year until its scheduled annual maintenance shutdown in mid-December.

The impact on meat processors this year because of record-high cattle prices and continued limited supply was, to some extent, offset by Yeeda having its own herd of more than 72,000 Brahman and Droughtmaster cattle in the Kimberley, Mr Key said.

Yeeda has committed further capital investment in its assets and strategic position in the Kimberley, and has tasked Dr Petty with working with the company to further improve the quality of Yeeda’s herd, and execute a strategy to enhance the condition and carrying capacity of Yeeda’s pastoral rangelands, totalling more than one million hectares.

Strategies are also being executed around sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint, the company said.

This includes working with Dr Petty on assessing and implementing carbon sequestration opportunities. In addition, Yeeda has begun exploring new green hydrogen technology initiatives that can take advantage of the company’s location at the mouth of the Fitzroy River, which – when in flood – is one of the largest rivers in the world.

About Yeeda Pastoral Co

Yeeda Pastoral Co owns and operates the Kimberley Meat Co processing plant halfway between Broome and Derby in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. The plant can handle up to 60,000 head per year and is the only abattoir in WA’s North.

Seasonal rains dependent, the plant is usually operational between the end of February and early December before the annual shutdown during the Kimberley’s wet season. In 2019, Kimberley Meat Co was named Regional Exporter of the Year at the prestigious WA Industry and Export Awards, sponsored by the WA Government and the Export Council of Australia. In addition to Kimberley Meat Co, Yeeda has several Kimberley livestock properties, including Yeeda Station, covering more than one million hectares.

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Please advise if there is a retail outlet in Broome? Thank you

Kimberley Meat Co is not processing cattle this year, Mary, having sold its cow turnoff back east into the red-hot market for replacement breeders. Editor

Passengers on charter from Broome to Karratha forced to sleep overnight in bus after breakdown

Nearly a week after six people were forced to spend the night in a broken-down bus on the side of a highway in Western Australia's north, a passenger says she has not received an apology or refund despite calling the company multiple times.

"I haven't heard anything back at all and that's really annoying, extremely annoying, and I find it quite rude," Karen Jones said.

"I think they should have contacted all passengers on that bus and sent an apology through to us all — 'Sorry the bus broke down for this reason' — just out of courtesy."

The service between the towns of Broome and Karratha in the state's north-west is run by Integrity Coach Lines, owned by the Pinnacle Travel Group.

Ms Jones was one of four passengers and said the charter bus bound for Karratha broke down at around 10pm on Saturday, 100 kilometres from the Sandfire Roadhouse on a remote stretch of the Great Northern Highway. 

"The driver let us know that the bus was broken down and we would have to wait by the road until someone came out," she said.

Ms Jones said the two drivers could not get the satellite phone to work and used a mobile phone to call for help before they tried to determine the cause of the breakdown.

"They went outside and they were looking around, trying to muck around with the engine … looking at the fuel," she said.

Some of the passengers then received text messages from the company which told them their journey would be delayed 12 hours.

'Stressful' night spent on side of highway

Ms Jones said one of the drivers informed them no-one from Broome was available to drive out, which meant they would have to wait until the next morning for assistance.

"Surely there was some way they could organise someone to come out and pick us up or do something, but there was nothing," she said.

Ms Jones said the passengers were upset by the delay, with about 10 bottles of water on board, family waiting to collect them, and one woman on a working visa with limited funds to travel. 

Trying to sleep that evening inside the bus was uncomfortable as she was two weeks post-surgery, she said.

"It was quite stressful knowing that you're sleeping on the side of the road with five strangers and in the complete darkness."

Ms Jones said the driver told her the bus broke down because it had run out of fuel, which baffled her.

"How does that happen in this day and age, two-and-a-half hours out of Broome, on a coach that goes up and down all the time and it's run out of fuel?"

A Pinnacles Bus Tour coach arrived the next day around 9.30am, which Ms Jones said provided refreshments and fuel for the bus so it could continue its journey.

Incident was 'unfortunate'

Pinnacle Travel Group sales director Graeme Skeggs said the breakdown was unfortunate.

"There was an unfortunate breakdown on this Perth-Broome service that caused a delay to passengers, however passengers were provided with adequate water and fully assisted by the two drivers at all times, despite the long delay," he said.

Mr Skeggs said refreshments were supplied once the service was operational again on Sunday.

"The challenge of operating in remote areas and the tyranny of distance, being the only Perth-Broome service … when breakdowns occur there is little immediate assistance," he said.

Upon return to Perth this week, the company confirmed the vehicle was undergoing "extensive diagnostics" to ascertain the cause of the breakdown.

Mr Skeggs said he had received no complaints from passengers on the service.

"To my knowledge we have not received any negative feedback from the affected passengers other than any comments that may have been directed to the drivers at the point of breakdown," he said.

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