Background
Bullo River Station is a working cattle station in the north-east corner of the Northern Territory around the Bullo and Victoria Rivers, a significant part of which is set aside for conservation (over 80% of the property). The owners and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy jointly managed the conservation area. The Doc visited Bullo River as part of an AWC Supporter’s Event in May 2025.

Bullo River Station is near the headwaters of the Victoria River close to the Northern Territory and Western Australia border, also called the Eastern Kimberleys. More accurately, it is the Victoria Bonaparte Bio Region (named after the Victoria River and the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, into which the Victoria River flows).

The Gulf is part of the larger Timor Sea. The Doc has not been this close to the coast in this part of Australia before, another first. He has only ever been well south around Timber Creek, Kununurra and Wyndham.

The Victoria River flows into the eastern side of the little-known Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, while the 5 Rivers up Wyndham way feed into the Cambridge Gulf on the western side of the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf.

Joseph Bonaparte was the older brother of the more famous Bonaparte.

Ownership
Bullo River Station, which enclosures all the Bullo River, is a new Station even by Australian standards, founded in 1960.

If Bullo River Station sounds familiar, it was made famous by Sarah Henderson’s book From Strength to Strength.

The current owners are Julian and Alexandra Burt, long term AWC supporters. The current owners believed the property could be a successful cattle station while setting aside a significant part for conservation. Around 15% of the property is used for cattle, the overall headcount was significantly reduced and they are building a herd of Brahman/Wagyu cross. The headcount is reduced, but the increased return on the Brahman/Wagyu cross meat will offset the reduced headcount. Supporters enjoyed steak and sausages from this Brahman/Wagyu cross during the event.

Changing the model
Cattle access to swamps and the river has been stopped, feral animals like pigs, water buffalo and feral cattle have been reduced significantly. The swamps have turned back into stunning wetlands, and the brolgas are breeding breed again and wetland birds are coming back – replacing the mud pits caused by pigs and buffalo wallowing.

The Bullo River has been fenced off in the cattle area so crocodiles cannot take them, reducing stock losses (crocs also like a good steak).

Most of this information was courtesy of the AWC and Bull River guides during The Doc’s stay. The AWC team was Genevieve, Lucy, Issie, Owen, Jess and Mary plus the Bullo River team. Nick and Ethan were the helicopter pilots. Nick was the pilot for The Doc’s 4 day helicopter trip around Arnhem Land and Kakadu.

AWC Supporter’s event
Supporters were supposed to fly into the Bullo River airstrip but the day before unexpected heavy rains prevented that (very unusual for the dry season). Instead, supporters were diverted to the sealed airstrip at Kununurra and driven to Bullo River Station, which has the longest driveway in the Northern Territory.

Joe and Katherine are the Station Managers. Kathrine led the Bullo Team picking us up at Kunnurra and driving us into the property.

That afternoon we were all flown up to lookout above Lake Lesley for drinks. Click on any image to see it full size.

Upon our return, we had personal time and then an AWC talk and later a roast pork dinner, prepared by a chef.

Day 2
On Day 2 were divided into groups and over the next 3 days did all the activities The Doc will describe. The descriptions are in the order in which the Doc did them.

Bird watching
At 5.45am were all meet to be driven to Billabong 1 for bird watching. The Doc thinks Bullo should have a naming competition for  a better name than Billabongs 1 and 2.  With no telephoto lens the Doc took a few images of barks, the billabong and looked for frogs. We spotted Jacanas (known as the Jesus bird as it can “walk” on water), Green Pygmy Geese, Flycatchers, and a White Bellied Sea Eagle.

River cruise
Back to the Homestead then off to a river cruise along the Bullo River in the Bullo Gorge. Ben was our guide. It was a long drive and there were no saltwater crocodiles where we cruised, but there are freshwater crocodiles.

There was a roost of small red flying foxes, pygmy shags, rainbow bee eaters, Livastonia Victoria palms and the Bullo River Gorge. Before we turned around, we enjoyed a cold breakfast on the river.

Station tour
That afternoon, Pat and Ben guided us around Bullo River Station, including power generation (diesel and solar), the vegetable garden and the cattle yards. Plus water tanks holding over 5 million litres of water, sourced from both rain and bores.

The tour finished with a visit to the Felixier, a device using AI to identify feral cats and sprays them, and only them, with 1080 poison. Last stop was the cemetery in Graveyard Paddock.

Back to base for a second talk and dinner, Bullo River Steak and vegetables.

That night another talk and then Owen led the stargazing.

Day 3 – day of days
The phrase The Doc uses when he travels around the sanctuary in a helicopter. This trip included Bullo River Sands, in the Bullo River Gorge on Bullo River Station. Lots of bull there!

We take off and fly over the mouth of the Bullo River where it joins the Victoria River. The tide was out and the extensive mud flats visible.

After about 20 minutes we headed towards a Science team pitfall trapping at Cockatiel Springs, a permanent spring fed water source. The Doc met up with Eridani one of the AWC Field Ecologists he has known for quite a few years.

Back into the helicopter off the breakfast at Bullo Sands, along the Bullo River.

Out we get to enjoy breakfast in the gorge at Bullo Sands.

We stayed at Bullo Sands for a while, the cold temperatures meant no one went for a swim! Then a short trip back to the Homestead.

Wow, what a great morning.

Lunch, another tour and the Mighty Joab
Back for lunch, but not at the Homestead. We were all taken to Marlee’s Baths for lunch. Only the brave went for a dip in the creek.

After lunch The Doc’s group went on a tour around the property including Finch Creek.

The Mighty Joab
The Group started to make our way back to the Homestead but not before taking one final diversion to the Dingo Boab (aka the Joab, after Joe who found it), in Dingo Field next to Dingo Creek. This boab is gigantic, the biggest boab the Doc has ever seen. As large as the massive Prison Boab at Derby, but the Mighty Joab had no hollows. It was speculated that the boab has its tap root down in Dingo Creek, meaning it has water all year round. The Joab was only discovered in the last few years.

Evening talk
That evening there was another AWC talk about future projects, then another magnificent meal and off to bed.

Day 4 – time to leave as we say our farewells
Next day we went bird watching early and around 10am flew out to Darwin. We said our goodbyes and thanked the AWC staff and the Bullo River team and headed to the airstrip.

The Doc got to sit up front next to the pilot.

Back in Darwin at Hardy Aviation we said our farewells to the other supporters, as they were dropped off by the minibus. Some were flying out straight away, others staying a few more days.

The Doc visited Corroboree Billabong in the following week as well as taking walks and using the Big Bus around Darwin.

A summary page of all The Doc’s AWC adventures is here.