A lease called “Spurling’s Pocket” was first taken up in 1903 - It was located on today’s El Questro Wilderness Park. Due to the rugged and rocky land, the area was not successful as a cattle station and ownership changed hands numerous times.
In the late 1950’s, Torrance MacMiking and Morris Marshall took the lease up and named it El Questro. Besides cattle, they grew vegetables on irrigated paddocks and sold them to the Kununurra township, which was in the process of being built. The grave of Michael, son of Morris Marshall, can be seen under a large Boab tree, near the station’s driveway.
In 1984, after several years on the market, the lease of El Questro finally passed from a consortium to the brothers James and Ben Salerno. In 1991, the property changed hands again to Will and Celia Burrel. On inspection, The Burrells found the property in disrepair - trees had fallen over the roads and the station buildings were near derelict. However, they saw huge potential in the property and purchased the pastoral lease that very same year.
Emma Gorge’s Resort accommodation at El Questro was built during the wet season of 1992, and El Questro opened as a Wilderness Park for the first time in May of that year.
With its spectacular location on the Chamberlain River, El Questro Homestead was opened in October 1992 with the Station surround and stone bungalows following in May 1993.
Since then, continual improvements have been made to the property, with new bungalows, tented cabins and staff accommodation also being added, as well as various maintenance and upgrades.
Will and Celia Burrell reluctantly sold El Questro to General Property Trust in 2005. General Property Trust onsold the Wilderness Park to Delaware North Parks and Resorts in March 2010.
Delaware North Australia Parks & Resorts is a member of Delaware North Companies, a nearly 100-year-old organisation whose family-owned companies are innovators in hospitality, entertainment, food service and retail. The company has upgraded many of El Questro’s facilities, with the latest upgrade being the three new Cliffside Retreats at The Homestead.