Big River Ranch, Kalbarri: Horse-riding & farmstay accommodation

The Big River Ranch in Kalbarri, Western Australia, offers farmstay accommodation and horse-riding tours along the Murchison River.

Big River Ranch in Kalbarri brings a Western Australian twist to the American ranch holiday. There are two ways of approaching this west coast ranch – one is as a horse-riding operator, the other is as farmstay accommodation.

Kalbarri horse-riding tours

If it’s the horse riding you’re after, the basic option is the pony rides. These cost $20 per lap. But far more interesting are the morning and afternoon trail rides. The morning ride is slightly longer, costing $150 and lasting two hours. This heads along the ocean river to the top of a dune for prime Indian Ocean Views.

The afternoon trail ride at Big River Ranch is a little shorter and cheaper. It costs $125 for one-and-a-half hours, and is more focused on natural bushland and wildlife. You do get to go for a swim with your horse, though.

These Kalbarri horse-riding tours have a weight limit of 95kg.

6 great Kalbarri experiences to book before you arrive

See the colours of the giant cliffs change on a sunset cliffs cruise.
Have fun catching the local lobsters on a lobster pot pulling tour.
Learn about the area’s history, nature and wildlife on a Murchison River cruise.
See migrating humpbacks on a seasonal whale-watching experience.
Take a scenic flight to Monkey Mia for a dolphin-feeding encounter.
Fly over the infamous Batavia shipwreck on an Abrolhos Islands tour by plane.

Big River Ranch accommodation

It is also possible to stay at the Big River Ranch, Kalbarri. The cheapest option is camping, which costs $20 per adult for an unpowered site and $25 for a powered site.

There is also basic farmstay accommodation, which sleeps up to eight people. This comes with a shared bathroom and costs from $40 per person.

The best option, however, is the self-contained two bedroom unit with its own bathroom and kitchenette. This costs $50 per adult. See the Big River Ranch website for more information.

For alternative Kalbarri accommodation, try the Kalbarri Palms Resort near the beach, the facilities-heavy Murchison View Apartments and the swish Sols Place Boutique Pool Villas.

Other things to do in Kalbarri include lobster pot-pulling tours, whale-watching outings and sunset cruises.