On The Verandah Art Itineraries

COVID 19 UPDATE 
On the basis of advice and information provided by Tourism WA, our State and Federal Governments and the WHO, we have cancelled our 2020 season. We have a great tourism association here in WA and with their support we are making sure we are trained and ready to welcome you to the magnificent Kimberley.

Thank you for your patience as we gradually add new dates for our trips and introduce some shorter options to our 2021 Kimberley calendar. We hope you will be able to join us for one of them. Until we meet again, stay well and safe - Andrew & Rachel

Kimberley Painting and Drawing Workshop with Judith White

Kimberley Artists Retreat
​(untutored)

9 DAY ITINERARY^
June 28 – July 6, 2021
 
Day 1 – Monday 28 June
If you have spent your early morning flying or driving into Kununurra, we’ll meet you mid morning, at the airport. If you arrived the day before, we’ll pick you up mid morning, from your accommodation.
 
After all guests have been collected, we travel to our first venue nestled in a high-walled ancient valley, set up for our two night camp and have lunch. After setting up our workspaces, and a swim in the spring-fed pool, we’ll watch sunset from the lookout and do some sketching. Afterwards it’s welcome bubbles and nibbles before dinner around 6.30pm.
 
Day 2 – Tuesday 29 June
Breakfast about 7.30am. Lunch about midday and dinner around 6.30pm. Prepare for a full day immersing in the pandanus-fringed landscape with art demos and sessions with Judith. 
 
Day 3 – Wednesday 30 June
Breakfast about 7.30am. An opportunity to get the most from the art sessions all morning, until packing up and lunch.
 
Around 1pm, we travel to the Digger’s Rest Station for the remainder of the workshop. On arrival we’ll get you settled into your bush hut or shared air-conditioned, bunkhouse room. You’ll meet the owners, Alida and Roderick Woodland and their staff and enjoy dinner around 6.30pm, by the fire or on the stonehouse verandahs.
 
Day 4 – Thursday 1 July 
There's no super early start planned for today’s activities but we encourage you to rise early so as not to miss early wildlife or the morning colour show on the Cockburn Range (best just before sunup). 
 
We’ll have Billy tea on at the stonehouse from 6am with breakfast around 7.30am. Listen out for the breakfast bell! Digger’s breakfasts usually have either cooked bacon, beans, eggs, snags and cereals and fruit. 
 
After breakfast dive into an art session with Judith. Lunch is around midday. Continue your work in the bush studio. Mid afternoon we’ll meet at the vehicles and travel to an art location. Dinner around 6.30pm.
 
Day 5 – Friday 2 July 
Billy tea is on from 6am, with breakfast around 7.30am. An art session around the homestead until lunch. After lunch, art continues in the bush studio with the option of a break before we leave for an afternoon panoramic art location (taking some soil samples and textures) to take us through to sunset and returning to the station in time for dinner around 6.30. 

Day 6 – Saturday 3 July 
Billy tea is on from 6, breakfast around 7.30am; lunch midday; dinner around 6.30pm. A full day is available to immerse yourself in the bush studio, catch up on washing, or lie in a hammock! Those keen to try barramundi fishing, please let Andrew or Rachel know in advance.
 
Day 7 – Sunday 4 July 
Billy tea is on from 6, breakfast 7am. After breakfast, pack your art materials, swimmers, towel, thongs and walking shoes. At 8am we’ll leave for a day out and explore new scenery. We’ll be back at Digger’s Rest in time for happy hour and a freshen up before dinner.
 
Day 8 – Monday 5 July 
Billy tea is on from 6, breakfast 7.30am, lunch at midday. We have options up our sleeve for additional exploring but we’ll be guided by Judith and you the guests as to whether you’d like to spend more time out and about or continue on your works in the bush studio. Tonight is our exhibition and party so we’ll knock off mid-afternoon and hang the works. 
 
At 5.30pm it’s time to celebrate and we’ll ask the owners, Roderick and Alida to open the exhibition. Dress up with a splash of Kimberley colour to finish off our time together in Kimberley style. Dinner about 7.30pm.
 
Day 9 – Tuesday 6 July
Billy tea is on from 6, breakfast 7.30am. Enjoy a leisurely morning#. By 10am we say our goodbyes to Digger’s and head into Kununurra to meet your afternoon flights. Time permitting we’ll visit a wetland or lookout before going to a café for lunch.**

^All itineraries are provided as a guide only. We reserve the right to vary itinerary content due to COVID restrictions, weather, safety, road access, time constraints, station and third party priorities and situations out of our control. Similarly, items may be added to the itinerary as opportunities arise at the station. During the workshop, you’ll be able to refer to the blackboard each day and check for changes.
#Horse riding is an optional extra. Conditions apply. You can arrange rides with station staff on arrival. 
** The café lunch is at the guest’s expense.

7 DAY ITINERARY*
2021 Dates TBC
Day 1 – 
We’ll arrange with you in advance whether we are to pick you up from the Kununurra airport or from your hotel. Pickups take place between 10 and 11am.

Once all guests have been collected, we usually go for lunch at a Kununurra Café then travel to the cattle station where you’ll be staying for the week. On arrival we’ll show you to your accommodation and show you around. Enjoy happy hour around the fire from 5pm and meet the owners over dinner about 6.30pm.

Day 2 –
Billy tea is on at the fire from 6am with breakfast around 7.30am - if you rise early and have a wander out on the flat, you’ll be glad you did - the pre-dawn colour show on the Cockburn Range is something else. After breakfast you’ll have until lunch to immerse yourself in your art. For those who would like to try fishing for barramundi - the tides are just right mid-morning so that's an option. After lunch, you can continue your work in the bush studio (or relax). Mid afternoon we’ll gather everyone up and travel to our favourite panoramic location under the boabs to enjoy our official welcome champers and nibbles. Experienced horse riders can schedule a sunset ride# with Digger’s Rest for the afternoon time slot if they wish (Additional cost and conditions apply.) Dinner back at the station is about 6.30pm.

Day 3 –
Grab your sketchpad (or camera/tripod) and join us for a Billy Tea and dawn art session of about 2 hours in the Boab grove, about 10 minutes drive from the station. Then it’s back to the station for breakfast at around 7.30am. You have the option of an art session (or free time) around the homestead until lunch. Alternatively, there are good tides again mid-morning to give barramundi fishing a try. Late in the day we have an option to drive 10 minutes to watch the sunset glow across the King River to the Erskine Range (with optional cold beverage and sketchpad) returning to the station for dinner around 6.30pm. Experienced horse riders can schedule a sunset ride# with Digger’s Rest for the afternoon time slot if they wish (Additional cost and conditions apply.)

Day 4 – 
Today you have the option of joining us on the only full day out, or stay at the station to relax or work on your art projects. The outing begins with a visit to the historic Prison Boab tree, followed by a good local gallery of aboriginal cave art, and an opportunity to sketch, paint or photograph a spring-fed, waterlily-covered, paperbark-lined billabong. The location is renowned for bird watching so pack your travel binoculars if you’re fond of a twitch! We visit a bird hide at Marlgu Billabong and a lookout where you’ll gain an appreciation of the extent of the Parry Creek wetland system, and why it is prized worldwide as a biodiversity hotspot. Next, it’s our shout for lunch at a local café before a visit to historic Wyndham Port; wander through the quirky museum; local character, Pixie’s second hand store, or along the wharf. We wrap up the day by travelling to the top of the Bastion where you can see tiny rock wallabies and contemplate sunset views across the waters of the Cambridge Gulf before we meander back to the station for dinner.

Day 5 – 
Billy tea is on at the fire from 6, breakfast around 7.30am. Today you have until lunch to immerse yourself in your art, or put your feet up and watch the goings on of the station from the comfort of a hammock! After lunch, pack some art materials, camera gear, binoculars, swimmers, towel, walking shoes etc as there’s a special place hidden in the valley for you to explore. We arrive back at Digger’s Rest in time for happy hour and a freshen up before dinner and some music around the fire.
 
Day 6 – 
Billy tea is on at the fire from 6, breakfast 7.30am. We have options up our sleeve for additional exploring but we’ll be guided by you as to whether you’d like to spend more time out and about or continue on your projects in the bush studio. Tonight is our exhibition and party so we generally pack up mid-afternoon and hang the works. After 5pm we’ll open our little exhibition and let the champagne flow. Dress with a flourish of Kimberley colour to finish off our time together in Kimberley style. Dinner about 7.30pm.
 
Day 7 –
​Billy tea is on at the fire from 6, breakfast 7.30am. Enjoy a leisurely morning or schedule another horse ride#. After lunch we say our goodbyes to Digger’s Rest and head into Kununurra in time for your afternoon flights. 

*All itineraries are provided as a guide only. We reserve the right to vary itinerary due to COVID restrictions, weather, safety, road access, time constraints, station and third party priorities and situations out of our control. Similarly, items may be added to the itinerary as opportunities arise at the station. During the workshop, you’ll be able to refer to the blackboard each day and check for changes.
#Horse riding is an optional extra. Conditions apply. You can arrange rides with station staff on arrival.