Gnylmarung

Gnylmarung has long been one of our favourite bush camps on the Dampier Peninsula. It’s one of those rare places that stays with you long after you’ve left—not just because of its spectacular location, but because of the people who make it so special. Since 1991, Alphonse and Delma have welcomed travellers,creating memories that have lasted a lifetime.

Our first visit was in 2018. Back then, the road from Broome to Gnylmarung was unsealed all the way. Today, the Broome–Cape Leveque Road is sealed, but the final 30 kilometres from the turn-off remain much as they’ve always been—narrow, unsealed and corrugated in places. It’s a fitting reminder that some of the best places are still found at the end of a dusty road.

Life at Gnylmarung revolves around its beautiful stretch of beach overlooking the Indian Ocean. High tide brings opportunities for swimming, boating and fishing, while low tide reveals rock pools waiting to be explored. The days are shaped by the rhythm of the tides, and time seems to slow as the sun rises and sets over this remarkable coastline.

This year we returned for an extended stay, knowing it would also be our last. Alphonse and Delma have decided it’s time to retire, bringing to an end 35 years of welcoming visitors to this little piece of paradise.

For the many people who have returned to Gnylmarung year after year, it will be a bittersweet moment when the gates finally close. Places like this are becoming increasingly rare, and it’s the people as much as the landscape that make them unforgettable.

Good things don’t last forever, but Gnylmarung truly is a place “where dreams are made.” We feel incredibly fortunate to have experienced it and to have shared in the warmth and simple pleasures that define this special corner of the Dampier Peninsula. The memories we’ve made here will stay with us forever.

One memory, in particular, will always bring a smile. A family camped nearby generously shared their fresh catch with us—Spanish Mackerel, Estuary Cod and, as the pièce de résistance, an enormous mud crab. It was an act of kindness that perfectly reflected the spirit of Gnylmarung. Every time we plate up fresh seafood, we’ll think of them, and of this extraordinary place that has given so much joy to so many.

Thank you, Alphonse and Delma, for opening your home and sharing your slice of paradise with countless travellers over the past 35 years. We wish you every happiness in your well-earned retirement. Gnylmarung may be closing its gates, but it will never close the place it holds in our hearts.