Luxury Australia — I’m saving up for ‘Crocodiles and Canapes’
Browsing through my Sunday Times travel section yesterday (always the first bit of the paper I read!), I spotted this article about a new luxury ’safari lodge’ in Australia that brings you closer to the crocs, while not making you rough it ‘Mick Dundee’ style 
The safari lodge is called Bamurru Plains, and it’s not cheap… it costs around £900 per couple to stay there PER NIGHT. Definitely one for a special occasion! You also have the option of booking a 2-night break for approx £1100 per person (twin share), which includes flights and transfers from Darwin. There’s more info on the rates here…
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| The infinity pool (32ft long) that just gives you a ‘far-as-the-eye-can-see’ view of the bush is enough to convince me |
If money is no object, though, then I have to say that Bamurru Plains does look amazing. The infinity pool (32ft long) that just gives you a ‘far-as-the-eye-can-see’ view of the bush is enough to convince me. Mind you, the airboat rides look pretty cool too!
We’ve been out croc-spotting in Far North Queensland (Daintree), and it was funny to read that the ’same old joke’ of spending most of your time spotting “logodiles” is true, no matter how much you pay for a tour! (Translation – a ‘logodile’ is a piece of floating wood, or ‘log’, that to the untrained/paranoid eye looks like a crocodile every time).
The best time to go to the Northern Territory is June through to September, as that is dry season. But, in fact, if you don’t mind getting a bit wet, the bush in the Top End can look incredible in the Monsoon season, too (which is February to April).
You will need to fly into Darwin to visit Bamurru Plains, which you can do directly from the UK (well, direct via Singapore) with Qantas. Otherwise, you can connect with Darwin from every major city in Australia on an internal flight with Qantas, or Virgin Blue, or another regional airline (routes depending).
If anyone goes to stay at Bamurru, please tell me all about it. I will, of course, be very jealous, but will want to hear all about it nonetheless 
Read more posts in these categories: News, Places to stay, Things to do, Wildlife
We were at Bamurru in June. But I don’t think we paid as much as that, as ours was an inclusive holiday.Our flight Sydney to Darwin was delayed by over 2 hours due to fog at Sydney, so we arrived too late for the charter flight transfer from Darwin to Bamurru, as it had to return in daylight. There are no landing lights or other facilities at Bamurru airstrip. So they arranged a road transfer & we arrived at Bamurru in the dark after about 2 & a half hours driving & went straight to eat in the Lodge which is a very welcoming building. We were then shown to our huts. When we first entered the hut, I thought, “what have we come to?” as it seemed like a windowless quite austere unit in the dark. This feeling was exacerbated by the odd noises heard throughout the night, as if there was something actually in the hut with us. It was quite unnerving. I did get some sleep and was awoken by the cookaburras just before dawn. Then with dawn came the most amazing sight. The walls (apart from the corrugated iron bathroom at the back) were not opaque but made of some kind of transparent gauze-type material so we could see out to the trees& waterbuffalo on the floodplain. It was magic. It also explained why the animal noises & scurryings, which had seemed to be inside, were actually outside. These were probably the wallabies bumping into the hut walls, we were told by the staff.
That morning, our group was taken on a 4WD safari & nature ride with Hamish who was great explaining the flora & fauna. Towards the end of the trip, we drove to a creek & from a distance, saw a 4 metre long crocodile. We were back around 11 & as it is so hot, no activity was planned until later in the afternoon so there was time to swim, read etc. Later at around 3.30 we went out in the airboat an exhilarating experience as magpie geese, waterbuffalo etc fly & jump out of the way. We saw upteen different birds including 2 jabaroos. Our stay coincided with that of Franz who runs Bullo River Station (with his wife Marlee who was not there) , who had brought his parents visiting from Austria. Franz kindly took us up in his helicopter over the floodplain & down to the sea where we saw vast shoals of fish & even 2 saltwater crocodiles fighting. Later we watched the sunset from the Lodge deck with drinks & canapés.
I felt that Bumurru was probably geared for a 2 night stay but my husband disagrees. The activities are basically the 4WD safari & the airboat, although they are hoping to build a pontoon for river cruises in the future.
On our second full day, we went out again in the airboat in the morning, but for longer & to a different part of the floodplain. In the afternoon, my husband requested to go on a walk. I felt it was too hot to go walking even at 4 pm so he & our daughter went off with Hamish who took a gun with him in case of aggressive waterbuffalo – not to shoot them but to fire to scare them away if necessary. A 3 night stay does give the opportunity to relax a while in idyllic surroundings away from everything, although the birds (sulphur crested cockatoos & also corellas) could be very noisy! We were the only guests that third night & in the morning the manager John personally took us out again for an hour on the airboat before we left to take our flight back to Darwin.
The food was excellent & service was also very good. I even got used to groping my way back to the hut in the dark after dinner by torchlight, (wind-up ecologically friendly torches – no batteries) trying not to step on the poisonous cane toads – I counted 3 on our last night.
Certainly a memorable experience & to be recommended.
30 Jul 2008 at 5:22 pm
Thanks so much for this amazing first hand review of Bamurru. Great to hear that the place lived up to expectations. Means I am still saving up!
08 Aug 2008 at 6:51 pm
[...] (Northern Territory) which I would like to point out I have already shared with you! Here’s my post and here’s the Mr & Mrs Smith write [...]
15 Dec 2008 at 9:30 pm