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This magical outback feast is hidden amid boab trees and red cliffs

Eleanor Edström Eleanor Edström
The award-winning, gourmet camp oven feast in Western Australia’s Kimberley region is something you need to experience at least once in your life.

The crackling of outdoor fires, the flavours of the outback singing on the palate, a thousand stars above. Little wonder the Gourmet Camp Oven Experience in Kununurra in Western Australia’s East Kimberley has been crowned the Best Tourism Restaurant in WA for two consecutive years.

Returning in April 2026, the outdoor feast is a four-course celebration of Australian ingredients cooked over coals – from lemon myrtle and pepperberry to barramundi and crocodile – taking place within a secret off-grid Kimberley setting. The small family business will soon fly to Perth as Western Australia’s official nominated representative for two categories at the National Tourism Awards: Food Excellence and Best Tourism Restaurant in Australia. 

“To stand alongside the best tourism restaurants in the country is an incredible honour – not just for us, but for regional Western Australia and the East Kimberley," says chef Josh Melville, who created and hosts the dining experience alongside his wife, hostess and sous chef Tamsyn. 

Gourmet Camp Oven Experience kimberley
Experience the wonders of the Kimberley’s landscapes and flavours.

The family-run company in remote WA grew out of the couple’s deep passion for food and nature, and operates seasonally to allow for land regeneration, firmly sticking to ‘leave no trace’ principles.

“If our journey helps shift perceptions about what regional Australia can deliver – and inspires other operators to innovate sustainably and confidently – then that is perhaps the most meaningful outcome of all," says Melville.

The setting

Kununurra Gourmet Camp Oven Experience setting
The Gourmet Camp Oven Experience takes place at a hidden Kimberley location.

Part of what makes the Gourmet Camp Oven Experience so special is its setting. A maximum of 24 guests are picked up from their accommodation in Kununurra and taken to a secret Kimberley location amid jagged red cliffs and breathtaking boab trees. The location is off-grid and 100 per cent solar powered, with dishes cooked over locally sourced Indian sandalwood offcuts that would otherwise go to waste.

As the sun sets, the rocky horizon transforms into a multi-hued melting pot of hibiscus pink, plum and amber – before the stars settle in. Guests bask under the warm glow of solar-powered chandeliers, with live music adding to the magic.

Australian Traveller print editor Imogen Eveson says the experience was an unexpected highlight of her Kimberley trip three years ago.

“I was whisked to a hidden location in Kununurra at sunset and didn’t quite know what to expect," she recalls.

“The tone was set when I was welcomed by a red carpet rolled out under a majestic boab tree. What ensued was an evening of fine dining, music and creativity under the Kimberley stars. It was pure magic. Bonus points for the quirky touches – like the ‘loo with a view’, which made for the most scenic toilet break I’ve ever had!"

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The food at Gourmet Camp Oven Experience

Kununurra Gourmet Camp Oven Experience dinner
The Gourmet Camp Oven Experience emphasises locally sourced produce.

The culinary experience exceeds expectations with bright local flavours that tell stories of the outback. The feast kicks off with Top End saltwater crocodile cooked over open flames and elevated with lemon myrtle, wild hibiscus jam and Ord Valley dill. Then comes a potato rosti and wild-caught barramundi stack flavoured with saltbush and pepperberry, and served with Ord Valley tomatoes, Kimberley honey drizzle and balsamic glaze.

The main? Crispy pork belly that’s slow-cooked in the camp oven and smoked over local Indian sandalwood embers. It’s accompanied by a vibrant mango sauce, basil-infused damper and melon topped with a Kununurra lime dressing. For dessert, expect a warm Ord River rum and chocolate brownie with vanilla bean ice cream, oozy salted caramel sauce and wild rosella – sprinkled with powdered boab pith. If you’re salivating, you’re not alone.  

Sustainability at the core

Kununurra Gourmet Camp Oven Experience chef
Gourmet Camp Oven Experience hosts Josh Josh Melville and his wife Tamsyn are passionate about community and environmental responsibility.

Gourmet Camp Oven Experience is completely solar powered, demonstrating that premium hospitality and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.

Melville emphasises that the experience’s National Tourism Awards nominations carry enormous significance for not only the business itself but the local community, especially given its remote location. “It validates the idea that world-class culinary experiences don’t need to exist in metropolitan centres to be influential. They can be built in regional communities, powered by collaboration and commitment," he says.

“Importantly, this recognition reflects more than just the dining experience itself. We prioritise local supply chains, support neighbouring tourism operators and ensure any suitable leftover food is donated to the local community food shelter. For us, success is measured not only in guest feedback and awards, but in the positive contribution we make to the region that supports us."

The details

Experience: Gourmet Camp Oven Experience
Location: All tours depart from your Kununurra hotel or caravan park, from where you’ll be taken to a secret outback location
Duration: Approximately three hours
Price: $225 for adults, $165 for children (4–12)
Availability: Six nights a week, booking in advance is recommended
Dietaries: All dietary requirements can be catered for

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Eleanor Edström
Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or hunting down Sydney's cosiest cafes.
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Australia’s second-oldest wine region is also one of its best, but you may not have heard of it

(Image: Tourism Western Australia)

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    A 25-minute drive from Perth is all you need to be amongst generations of grape growers. 

    You might not know Swan Valley, but the vines here twist through almost 200 years of history. Today, plump grapes are still plucked, pressed by juice-stained hands and fermented into wine – a journey led by the same families who will pour it into your glass. And with that first taste, you’ve unknowingly become part of a generations-old tradition. 

    So, sit back and take a sip of a crisp white under that sun-speckled pergola and listen to the warbling of magpies – here’s what makes the Swan Valley so special. 

    Western Australia’s oldest wine region 

    Mandoon Estate bathed in the warm glow of sunset.
    Sip your way through Swan Valley’s rich wine heritage. (Image: Tourism WA)

    In 1829, the very year Europeans settled in Perth, the first vines were planted in the Swan Valley. Later, Croatian and Italian migrants blended their southern European winemaking traditions into the local viticulture, a combination that works so well in the Mediterranean climate here. 

    The result today is crisp, tropical Verdelho, dark, fruity Shiraz and plenty of Chenin Blanc – a third of the country’s Chenin Blanc is crushed here. 

    So where to start uncorking? Mandoon Estate has an Aboriginal art gallery and a sculpture trail, where you can taste an Indigenous food platter of smoked crocodile and emu sausages. 

    For a taste of the valley’s Italian heritage, head to Pinelli Estate Winery. Or, for something indulgent – and a little unusual, considering the inland location – RiverBank Estate Winery serves lobster straight from tanks, paired with that Chenin Blanc. 

    If you prefer something stronger in your glass, Talijancich Wines knows a thing or two about fortified drops: try its aged tawny, Muscat and liqueur Verdelho. 

    Sensational dining 

    A beautifully presented dish paired with champagne.
    Pair great food with a scenic winery setting. (Image: Tourism Caversham)

    The Swan Valley follows that great Australian wine-country tradition, with everything from unfussily fantastic pub meals and beer gardens to unexpected fine dining at cellar doors. 

    Start at Edgecombe Winery, which does brunch as well as drops. Their brioche French toast with raspberry and rhubarb coulis, poached pear and roasted pistachios will taste best when you’re perched at a table outside. Don’t forget to explore their orchard and wetland afterwards. 

    Pick up a box of freshly baked macarons from Maison Saint-Honoré (bien sûr) before heading to Valley Social for a North American barbecue-inspired feed. Chow down on beef brisket burnt ends and wash them down with a hemp-infused craft beer. 

    Baskerville Tavern is brewing beer again in the former Feral Brewpub. Order their Monday special – a classic chicken parmi – and try Slumdog Brewing’s regular range, including a tart blueberry sour made with fresh and freeze-dried berries. In winter, it’s time for their seasonal seven-malt stout, with notes of dark chocolate, coffee and caramel. 

    An unbeatable visitor’s centre

    In Guildford is the Swan Valley Visitor Centre in a restored 1866 courthouse. Its award-winning staff know everything about anything happening in the Swan Valley. Pick their brains (and pick up a free map) before setting off. But, check out the centre’s Welcome to Country mural by local Whadjuk artist Chloe Caylon first. 

    Scenic drives 

    Use that handy Visitor Centre map to get a bit of everything on the Swan Valley’s 32-kilometre scenic loop, which connects over 150 attractions. Think roadside produce stalls, art galleries and historic buildings. Just remember to organise that designated driver if you’re extra keen on the vineyard stops. 

    Other drops 

    If the thought of wine makes your temples pulse, there are plenty of other tipples to tickle your fancy. Txoko Brewing in Baskerville takes its name from a Basque gathering place for cooking, drinking and socialising. Work through its rotating beers and plates of Spanish croquettes and sardines, then settle on the grass while the kids let off steam in the playground. 

    AmberChes Spirits Distillery uses locally sourced botanicals and fruit to make saltbush gin, lemon myrtle gin and Gincello, a twist on limoncello. Try its award-winning sloe gin, which was named Australia’s best at the 2025 Gin Guide Awards. Better yet, have a go at making your own in a hands-on gin-blending and distilling class among the vines. 

    Historic architecture and an arts scene 

    Traditional art celebrating First Nations culture.
    Explore the stories behind the Swan Valley. (Image: Tourism WA)

    Next: Guildford. It is one of WA’s earliest colonial settlements – but the history here goes back much further. The Whadjuk Noongar people are the land’s Traditional Custodians, whose Dreaming tells of the Wagyl serpent creating the gum tree-lined Swan River. Today, Guildford’s original town layout remains largely unchanged. Follow one of four heritage walks past 19th-century buildings, galleries and James Street’s antique shops. 

    Take home pantry staples 

    The display counter at Margaret River Chocolate Company.
    Treat yourself to a chocolate-filled detour. (Image: Tourism WA)

    Sometimes the little stops are just as good as the big hitters. Pull over at Margaret River Chocolate Company for free tastings of white, milk and dark chocolate. Then stop by Harvey Cheese Swan Valley for Lemon Myrtle Ash Brie or St Duke’s Red. End at The House of Honey, where you can sample local honey and get buzzy on honey ice cream pancakes. 

    Nature and wildlife 

    A close-up of a koala in its natural habitat.
    Add a little wildlife adventure. (Image: Tourism WA)

    If the kids have had enough of winery lawns, save the bottles for later and head to Caversham Wildlife Park. Here, you can hand-feed kangaroos and meet koalas and wombats. Catch working sheepdogs and sheep-shearing demonstrations at the Farm Show. Elsewhere in Whiteman Park, hop aboard a vintage train or tram, or cool off in the splash pool. 

    Finish at Bells Rapids, where fuchsia grevillea, crimson bottlebrush and yellow wattles bloom each spring. 

    Start planning your culinary escape at swanvalley.com.au.