Bamurru Plains Wild Bush luxury with AABH
Bamurru is built amongst the savannah bush fringing the floodplains to provide a high level of comfort whilst giving guests unobstructed views of the surrounding wetlands and their teeming populations of birds and animals.
The main lodge provides an oasis of tropical calm in the midst of a noisy wildlife spectacle; comfortable wicker sofas; a well stocked library offers a collection of reference books on the Top End and Australia’s natural heritage. During the heat of the day the cooling waters of the infinity pool beckon and later the lodge deck is the ideal place to watch wildlife graze through the camp. An expert chef conjures up delicious meals, peppered with local ingredients. Anytime of the day you can help yourself to a cold drink from the bar – be it a crisp white wine, a gin and tonic or sparkling water – best enjoyed with one of Bamurru’s spectacular sunsets.
Surrounded by an exotic landscape of wild pandanus and twisting trees, Bamurru Plains is the perfect spot from which to explore the mysteries and magnificence of this ancient land.
The ‘Wild Bush Luxury’ concept brings a uniquely Australian style to your stay – a down to earth yet attentive level of service; an appreciation of the finer details; and above all a team of hosts and guides who are passionate about the area and its wildlife.
Proudly without wifi or even mobile phone reception, a stay here allows you to focus on nature’s stage show.
Bamurru is built amongst the savannah bush fringing the floodplains to provide a high level of comfort whilst giving guests unobstructed views of the surrounding wetlands and their teeming populations of birds and animals.
The main lodge provides an oasis of tropical calm in the midst of a noisy wildlife spectacle; comfortable wicker sofas; a well stocked library offers a collection of reference books on the Top End and Australia’s natural heritage. During the heat of the day the cooling waters of the infinity pool beckon and later the lodge deck is the ideal place to watch wildlife graze through the camp. An expert chef conjures up delicious meals, peppered with local ingredients. Anytime of the day you can help yourself to a cold drink from the bar – be it a crisp white wine, a gin and tonic or sparkling water – best enjoyed with one of Bamurru’s spectacular sunsets.
ULTIMATE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE PACKAGE
BAMURRU PLAINS RATES
ULTIMATE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE PACKAGE
Inclusions:
● Safari Bungalow, Kingfisher Suite or Jabiru Retreat accommodation
● Bush-inspired meals
● Beverages – a selection of local Australian sparkling, wine and beers, and selected spirits
● Daily shared, guided wilderness safaris which may include airboat safaris, open-top safari drives,
crocodile spotting river cruises, guided wilderness walks and more. Much like being on safari in
Africa, guided activities cannot be guaranteed in advance, and a varied activity program will be
curated and communicated with guests locally to maximise enjoyment according to local
conditions.
● Jabiru Retreat only
○ Private plunge pool with shaded deck and mini-bar
○ Daily private poolside lunch (excluding arrival and departure days)
Safari Bungalows
Our seven fan-cooled and three air-conditioned Safari Bungalows are approximately 31sqm with sheer,
mesh walls and a minimalist design allowing guests to connect to the environment from the comfort of
their bed. Each spacious bungalow contains a private ensuite.
Being an eco-friendly property, air-conditioning is one of the single biggest users of power, and as such
there is a small surcharge applied to our three air-conditioned Safari Bungalows. Please request when
booking.
Rooms can be reconfigured from a King to a Twin room. Please request when booking.
Kingfisher Suite
Spanning over 81 sqm, Kingfisher Suite features an open-plan layout that effortlessly combines the indoors
with the outdoors. Floor-to-ceiling mesh walls offer panoramic views of the ever-changing landscape,
allowing you to observe the wildlife right from the comfort of your plush king-size bed or lounge area.
Optional Swag Beds (authentic Australian bedding, consisting of a rolled canvas with inbuilt mattress) can
be provided to cater for up to three children. Please request when booking.
Jabiru Retreat
Jabiru Retreat is a private, ‘camp within a camp’ featuring two Safari Bungalows connected via a raised
walkway leading to an exclusive-use plunge pool and outdoor lounge deck.
Jabiru Retreat pricing accommodates up to four people. At extra cost, an additional two children can be
accommodated in swag bed sleeping, catering to six guests in total. Please request when booking.
Airconditioned accommodation rates on request
Accomodation Choices
SAFARI BUNGALOWS
Supremely comfortable beds
Mesh on 3 sides
Spacious and cool, each of the nine safari bungalows are built on stilts overlooking the floodplains frequented by a myriad of bird and animal life. Mesh screens serve as your walls on three sides of your Safari Bungalow. Being surrounded by semi-transparent screens provides an experience in which you can hear, see and almost touch the wildlife and wilderness around you. The alarm clock in the morning is the call of Magpie Geese, after whom the camp is named, as the orange light of dawn spreads across the floodplain, all is audible and visible without having to leave your bed!
The focus is on a supremely comfortable bed (organic cotton linen, pillow menu) and a spacious ensuite bathroom with high pressure showers. In addition to corrugated iron and lantern lighting, the bungalow décor reflects the region’s earlier indigenous, hunting and pastoral history with buffalo horns, explorer’s maps, Aboriginal art work and fish traps as well as old photos providing a sense of the human heritage of the area. Each room has a cold water thermos, local flora and fauna reading materials and species list.
You won’t find a television, CD player, mini bar or even mobile phone reception here – a true escape to your immediate environment. At night, the only sound is the meanderings of marsupials in the foliage and the croak of frogs.
Ensuite bathrooms with high pressure showers
KINGFISHER SUITE
The largest safari bungalow is the Kingfisher Suite with expansive floodplain views through Bamurru’s trademark ceiling to floor mesh walls. It really does feel as if you are right amongst it with an intimate sense of connection to the wildlife and wilderness outside.
With 81m2 space in the bedroom alone, the suite features a king size bed, generous lounge area and space to accommodate a family of five in comfort. For honeymooners looking for a sense of privacy, the size of the Kingfisher Suite allows for an intimate in-room candlelit dinner with only the sounds of the bush as company.
The bathroom features twin basins and showers, within a décor of rustic chic timber and recycled corrugated walls, utterly in tune with the environment and pastoral heritage of the area. For maximum exposure (and only the local Agile Wallabies as company) the suite also offers a shower with full ceiling to floor views across the floodplain and surrounding paperbark forests.
Plenty of space
The Kingfisher Suite has 81 metres squared in the bedroom alone.
Private dining
The Kingfisher Suite allows for an intimate in-room candlelit dinner
Family friendly
Deluxe swags are provided for children.
Food and Wine
Bamurru’s philosophy to provoke, inspire and reconnect guests to the bush is reflected in every aspect of your stay at Bamurru Plains, including your dining experience.
Bamurru’s chefs incorporate native and locally sourced produce to provide a gourmet experience integrating authentic, yet contemporary Australian recipes, from kangaroo skewers to crispy barramundi with finger lime salsa and quandong ice-cream.
Dining is enjoyed with fellow guests, where the day’s stories are recounted and new friends are made.
DAILY DELIGHTS OF NATIVE AND LOCAL AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE
After you’ve woken to the laugh of a blue-winged kookaburra, the soundtrack of the corellas’ cacophony and the chorus of thousands of magpie geese, enjoy a light breakfast such as freshly baked wild berry & wattle seed muffins, ‘bush eggs’ any style on sourdough with bacon, tomato, warrigal green & kutjera relish or house blend bircher museli with Manuka honey, bush apple and a dollop of vanilla bean yoghurt.
Lunch is generally served on the wildlife observation deck overlooking the floodplains, where you might enjoy citrus and fennel warm chicken salad with roasted macadamia nuts while watching a changing cast of birds, brumbies, buffalo and wallabies.
Canapés and sundowners are enjoyed out in the wilderness during your afternoon activity or on the lodge deck just before dinner.
Nightly, a three-course dinner hosted by one of your field guides is served at the long timber dining table as frogs break into a croaky serenade. The menu features Australian bush-inspired recipes. Watch our chef create his favourite bush spiced duck confit in the open kitchen from the dinner table.
Guests can help themselves to drinks at any time from the self-service bar offering a variety of refreshments, including an after dinner tipple for those so inclined.
Bamurru Plains
SIESTA LUNCH RETREAT AT THE HIDE
The most exclusive way of enjoying lunch in the bush at one of Australia’s most exclusive bush properties is at The Hide – designed in true Wild Bush Luxury style. With a gourmet picnic hamper, a selection of premium wines, a bird book, set of binoculars and a two way radio to stay in touch, let one of Bamurru’s field guides drop you at The Hide to enjoy a romantic lunch and afternoon siesta with just the sounds and sights of the floodplain to keep you company.
$95 per person for two hours including a private safari drive or airboat to The Hide with a chef-prepared picnic lunch and premium wine.
NB: There is a minimum of 2, maximum of 6 for the Siesta Lunch Retreat
Getting There
Private Charter rates from Darwin starting at $884 per Aircraft one way with capacity for 4 travellers
Check with us for other options
Booking Enquiry
3-NIGHT ART OF ARNHEM LAND EXPERIENCE
PACKAGES
3-NIGHT ART OF ARNHEM LAND EXPERIENCE
Immerse yourself in the all-inclusive three-night experience at Bamurru Plains, where daily overland and
airboat safari adventures await. Embark on the extraordinary ‘Art of Arnhem Land’ journey, which includes a
full-day excursion to the captivating Arnhem Land. Discover the breathtaking beauty and rich culture of this
Aboriginal land as you witness ancient rock art, encounter vibrant bird and wildlife, and connect with local
Aboriginal artists at the Injalak Arts and Craft Centre in Oenpelli (Gunbalanya). The highlight of the day is a
guided visit to Injalak Hill (Long Tom Dreaming), home to some of the finest examples of rock art in
Western Arnhem Land and perhaps even Australia.
Departures: 22 September 2024 | 5 October 2024 | 21 October 2024
Minimum 8, maximum 12 guests.
Inclusions:
● Return shared transfers to / from Bamurru Plains
● Three-nights Safai Bungalow accommodation
● Bush-inspired meals
● Unlimited beverages – beer, wine and spirits included
● Daily guided wilderness safaris which may include airboat safaris, open-top safari drives, crocodile
spotting river cruises, guided wilderness walks and more. Much like being on safari in Africa, guided
activities cannot be guaranteed in advance, and a varied activity program will be curated and
communicated with guests locally to maximise enjoyment according to local conditions.
● Return shared transfers to / from Oenpelli
● Guided Injalak Hill and Arts Centre experience
● Picnic lunch and refreshments
Itinerary
Day 1 – 1.30pm shared charter flight from Darwin to Bamurru Plains (Overnight Bamurru Plains)
Day 2 – Outback safari activities at Bamurru Plains (Overnight Bamurru Plains)
Day 3 – Shared charter flight from Bamurru to Oenpelli with scenic loop over Kakadu. Guided Injalak Hill and
Arts Centre experience (Overnight Bamurru Plains). Return shared charter flight to Bamurru.
Day 4 – Morning safari experience at Bamurru Plains. 11.30am shared charter to Darwin arriving at 12pm.
Based on a Safari Bungalow
Wild Bush Fishing Adventures
FLOODPLAIN CHILL OUT PACKAGE
FLOODPLAIN CHILL OUT PACKAGE
Floodplain Chill Out rates are valid from 1 May 2021 to 31 October 2021.
INCLUSIONS: Safari Bungalow accommodation, chef prepared meals and beverages (including alcohol)
from a select open bar. Guided wilderness safaris are not included in this package but can be booked and
paid for locally, subject to availability and weather conditions.
SAFARI BUNGALOW
Per Person per night minimum 2 nights 1 May – 30 Jun & 1 Sep – 31 Oct
Twin Share $680, Single $1020 , Children under 16 Twin Share $612 , Swag Bedding Customers under 18 sharing $340
1 Jul – 31 Aug
Twin Share $748, Single $1122 , Children under 16 Twin Share $673 , Swag Bedding Customers under 18 sharing $374
KINGFISHER SUITE
Per Person per night minimum 2 nights 1 May – 30 Jun & 1 Sep – 31 Oct
Twin Share $1025, Single $1538, Swag Bedding Customers under 18 sharing $340
1 Jul – 31 Aug
Twin Share $1128, Single $1692 , Swag Bedding Customers under 18 sharing $374
ATIVITIES AND EXCURSIONS
ASK US ABOUT
ON-SITE EXPERIENCES
Mary River Flood Plains NT
AIRBOAT SAFARIS
Bamurru’s signature experience is a thrilling ride across the floodplains by airboat. This wildlife-packed journey takes you from wide open grasslands to a lagoon surrounded by peeling paper bark trees. Feel the rush as you skim the surface at speed then float in silence listening to the sound of nothing but the bush.
BIRDING
The Mary River catchment is home to some 236 species of bird, many of which are found at Bamurru Plains. The significance of this particular property comes in the variety of habitat: black soil floodplains, paperbark swamps, savannah woodland, river mangroves and coastal beaches support an extraordinary diversity of birdlife. For serious birders we can arrange for private experiences with ornithologists who specialise in this region of Australia.
RIVER CRUISES
Our relaxing river cruise takes you for a meander along the Sampan Creek, home to countless crocodiles and even more birds. This riverine habitat showcases different scenery and wildlife to elsewhere on the property, with mangroves lining the banks of the creek and the occasional barra leaping out of the water.
OPEN TOP GAME DRIVES
One of the best ways to see the variety of wildlife that teems here is on an open-top game drive, more akin to an African safari across the savannah. You’ll see agile wallabies, estuarine crocodiles, wild horses, buffalo’s and some of the 236 bird species on the property.
GUIDED WALKS
A guided walking safari at Bamurru is the perfect antidote to a busy life. You’re compelled to slow down and absorb the sights and sounds of the bush, understanding how every element has its place. At this pace, nature has a way of showing you what’s important.
The Hide at Bamurru Plains
THE HIDE
Raised six metres above the ground in the tree canopy overlooking the Mary River floodplain, The Hide is the ultimate eyrie from which birdlife and other wildlife can be observed undisturbed in their natural habitat. The Hide gives guests a unique perspective on this fragile environment.
QUAD BIKE TOURS
Criss-crossing between floodplain savannah, monsoonal forests and dry, open areas dotted with termite mounds alongside buffalo and brumbies, explore Bamurru from the wheel of your own quad bike.
DISCONNECT
While technically not a real activity, some of our guests prefer to do absolutely nothing. The best bit is that the wildlife will come to you. Watch hundreds of birds take flight from around the infinity-edge pool, see buffalo roam and Agile wallabies hop past your bungalow as you wake to sounds of thousands of Magpie Geese. If all you want to do is switch off, chill out and get away from the hustle and bustle of life then Bamurru is one of the best places in the world to do it.
OTHER EXPERIENCES
KAKADU DAY EXCURSION
Just a short hop by light aircraft across the river systems that separate Bamurru Plains from Kakadu brings you to the heart of this country. Rock art galleries reveal stories of Aboriginal people and their ancient culture. Textures of colours, vistas across savannah woodlands and floodplains provide a sense of the spirituality of this ancient landscape.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Bamurru’s abundance of bird and wildlife, sweeping vistas and stunning sunrises and sunsets offer both the novice and experienced photographers first-class opportunities to take magical photographs. At certain times of the year we run specific photography courses.
BARRAMUNDI FISHING
In the wet, the Mary River floodplains are full of water and Barra, as are the creeks of the Mary River System which adjoin Bamurru Plains. The highlight for any fisherman at Bamurru however, is fishing out on the floodplains by airboat.