Lake Argyle and Home Valley Station Field School
October 2025
- Starts on: 10/10/2025
- Ends on: 15/10/2025
Register for our Field School here.
We are thrilled to invite you to our 84th Savannah Guides Professional Development Field School in the magnificent East Kimberley region of Western Australia.
This Field School will take a remarkable journey from the engineered waters of Lake Argyle to the ranges of Balanggarra Country at Home Valley Station and include Core Guiding Skills, Workshops, Brainstorming and a heap of fun! Open to all – new and experienced tour guides, tour operators and nature-lovers.
Come along and join us! Connect, reflect and celebrate the landscapes and cultures that define the East Kimberley.
Program overview
DAY 1 - FRI 10 OCTOBER 2025
ARRIVALS AND WELCOMES
- 3:00pm – Coach Pick-up from Hotel Kununurra, 37 Messmate Way, Kununurra
- 3:30pm – Coach Pick-up from Kununurra Airport
- 4:30pm – Arrive Discovery Resorts Lake Argyle
- Check-in to accommodation
- 5:30pm – Registration in Main Foyer
- 6:00pm – Welcome Drinks
- Field School Welcomes
- Introduction around the Room
- Twitchathon Briefing – Open your mind to the world of Birds! Join our famous and fun bird-spotting competition to build your birding skills and knowledge
- 6:30pm – Welcome Dinner at Lake Argyle Cafe
DAY 2 - SAT 11 OCTOBER 2025
EXPERIENCE LAKE ARGYLE
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity
- Your Connection with Savannah Guides by Russell Boswell, Manager, Savannah Guides
- Overview of East Kimberley Region
- Guiding Skills: Vocal and Body Language Techniques
- First Nation’s Tourism around Australia
- Guiding Skills: Ten Elements of Memorable Experiences
- 12:00pm – Lunch at Lake Argyle Cafe
- 1:45pm – Kimberley Durack Sunset Explorer Cruise on Lake Argyle. Explore the environmental significance, cultural context and history of this vast man-made lake. Take in the breathtaking sunset, birdlife and freshwater crocodiles
- Camaraderie and Dinner at Lake Argyle Cafe
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 3 - SUN 12 OCTOBER 2025
THE WONDERS OF WYNDHAM
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity
- Depart Discovery Resorts Lake Argyle
- Grab your binoculars for our visit to Marlgu Billabong situated within the Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve. A renowned wetland sanctuary celebrated for its rich biodiversity and a great opportunity to add to your Twitchathon List!
- Wyndham, the oldest town in the Kimberley with a fascinating blend of rugged natural beauty, rich Aboriginal culture and historical significance
- Five Rivers Lookout offers panoramic views of the Ord, Forrest, King, Durack and Pentecost Rivers converging into the Cambridge Gulf
- Travel the spectacular Gibb River Road enroute to Balanggarra Country
- Arrive Home Valley Station
- Camaraderie and Dinner at Dusty’s Bar
- Stargazing Stories from around the World!
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 4 - MON 13 OCTOBER 2025
GUIDING SKILLS AND TOURISM'S FUTURE
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity
- Set off on the Mount Baldy Lookout Trail. Uninterrupted views, expansive vistas and distant landscapes dominate this trail. Don’t forget your binoculars and camera!
- Guiding Skills: Cultural Protocols Discussion
- The Cultural Messages of Balanggarra Ventures
- Tourism opportunities in the East Kimberley
- WAITOC Update and their support for Indigenous tourism
- Camaraderie and Dinner at Dusty’s Bar
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
DAY 5 - TUE 14 OCTOBER 2025
THE NATURAL EAST KIMBERLEY
- Optional Early Morning Birding Activity
- Magnificant escarpments, savannah woodland, sandstone slabs and boulders await us on the Bindoola Gorge Trail. Classic East Kimberley gorge country with permanent waterholes, crocodiles and diverse birdlife.
- Guiding Skills: Risk Management Assessment Exercise
- Savannah Guides Annual General Meeting
- Behind the scenes of Home Valley Station’s tourism operations
- Explore the Cultural and Environmental responsibilities of the Balanggarra Rangers
- Presentation of the post-mining future of the Argyle Diamond Mine for Country and Community
- Twitchathon Results and Prizes
- Sunset Camaraderie overlooking the spectacular Cockburn Range
- Savannah Guides Hot Seat!
- Farewell Dinner and fireside Karaoke!
DAY 6 - WED 15 OCTOBER 2025
FINAL DAY FAREWELLS
- Take-home Messages and Close of Field School
- 8:00am – Coach departures from Home Valley Station
- 10:00am – Drop-off Kununurra Airport
- 10:30am – Drop-off Hotel Kununurra
Need to know Information
Getting Involved
We welcome your contributions to the Field School! Please help make it an even greater success by:
- Sharing this Field School Information through your networks
- Bringing your colleagues and friends – the training, team building and camaraderie at Savannah Guides Field Schools are legendary! Everyone is welcome!
- Participating in the Field School Twitchathon! Listen and learn with your team-mates as you have fun and tally your confirmed bird sightings over the Field School for fun and very modest prizes!
- Considering Membership – Savannah Guides welcomes Tour Guides and like-minded people and organisations. JOIN US!
Getting There
- Please make your own way to Kununurra. There are regular flights.
- Fri 10 October: We will have only ONE coach departure from Kununurra to Discovery Resorts Lake Argyle:
- 3:00pm – Pick-up from Hotel Kununurra, 37 Messmate Way, Kununurra
- 3:30pm – Pick-up from Kununurra Airport
- 4:30pm – Arrive Discovery Resorts Lake Argyle
- Wed 15 October: We will have only ONE coach departure from Home Valley Station to Kununurra:
- 8:00am – Depart Home Valley Station
- 10:00am – Drop-off Kununurra Airport (in time for 11:25am flight to Broome)
- 10:30am – Drop-off Hotel Kununurra, 37 Messmate Way, Kununurra
Weather – What to Expect!
- Average Daily Maximum of 39o, with a Minimum of 24o
- Average Humidity is 45-50%
- A lot of our time will be spent outdoors
Mobile Phone Coverage
- Both Telstra and Optus have limited coverage at Discovery Resorts Lake Argyle and Home Valley Station
- Telstra is the best provider in Australia’s outback. Telstra “Blue Tick” phones guarantee superior coverage in regional and rural areas
Food and Beverage
Your Registration Fee includes the following Meals:
Fri 10 Oct D
Sat 11 Oct B, L, PM, D
Sun 12 Oct B, AM, L, D
Mon 13 Oct B, AM, L, D
Tue 14 Oct B, AM, L, D
Wed 15 Oct B
(B) Breakfast, (AM) Morning Tea or Snack, (L) Lunch, (PM) Afternoon Tea or Snack, (D) Dinner
What to Bring
- LARGE Water Bottle
- Keep Cup
- Small Backpack / Day Pack
- Enlosed Walking Shoes / Boots
- Hat, Sunscreen, Insect Repellent
- Hydralytes and Cooling Towel
- Swimwear and Small Towel
- Torch
- Notepad and Pens / Pencils
- Bird Field Guides and Binoculars (if you have them)
- Plant Field Guides (if you have them)
- Face Mask (for your personal use if you wish)
- RAT Tests (for your personal use if you wish)
- Small Personal Hand Sanitiser
- Willingness to Learn and Contribute
- Smile, Fun and Laughter!
Accommodation
This is not included in your Registration Fee. We will be staying at the following locations:
- Discovery Resorts Lake Argyle – $185 per room per night
- Home Valley Station – $160 per person per night twin-share
- In order to maximise participant numbers some participants may be required to twin-share. Sam will arrange this accommodation for participants and once finalised, will send Accommodation Invoices to you, which must be paid prior to the commencement of the Field School. Room rates will vary, depending on room type and configuration etc. Sam will try to accommodate your requests, but please understand if she is unable to do so.
Camping is also available and is a cheaper option.
Photography Disclaimer
Photographers will be taking photos and filming during the duration of the Field School. Images will be retained by Savannah Guides Limited for marketing purposes. If you have any concerns with your image being used in future promotional material, please advise [email protected] prior to or at the commencement of the Field School.