Chantelle Hunt is a professional chef, cheesemaker, wife and a mother of five. She has a passion for good healthy wholesome food and was one of the first stall holders at the iconic Willunga Farmers market, selling her own garden produce and cakes and tarts made with handpicked wild berries. Chantelle and her family packed up their lives in Adelaide and moved to Ambalindum Station in January 2015 to manage the cattle station and homestead. Chantelle loves the rawness of nature in Central Australia and the adventure of life on the station. She musters cattle with quad bikes and plans to build a mud brick café at Ambalindum, selling produce grown on the property.

 

View some of Chantelle’s experiences in this short 30 second television commercial airing on Imparja, GO and GEM.

Get to know Chantelle in this extended 2 minute web version and learn about her adventure experiences in the Red Centre featuring motorcycling and bike riding.

From South Australia’s McLaren Vale to the Red Centre of Australia, my husband and I and our five children were asked by my cousins to come and manage a small part of their one million acre cattle station in the EastMacDonnell Ranges of Central Australia. Our role was to manage and grow the tourism opportunities at Ambalindum Station. So in January 2015, our family packed up our home in South Australia’s wine country and headed off for an adventure of a lifetime!

As a family we have a love for people, quality of food and sustainability. Restoration is a key word that is behind our dreams and actions. Restoring the old ruins at Ambalindum, restoring people’s health with beautiful organic produce and restoring barren land with sustainable practices are our objectives and why we are here in the heart of Australia. Our end goal is to make Ambalindum Station completely self-sufficient. Dairy cows are our next investment so that we can produce our own cheese along with plans for a mudbrick café and developing courses in cheese making, raw desserts, bread making and gluten-free cooking.

Since moving to Central Australia, our lives have been full of excitement, adventure and discovery. For visitors to the region and for locals, there are so many adventure experiences in our own backyard to discover. I was lucky enough to spend three days on a road trip between Alice Springs and Kings Canyon discovering the ‘action’ jewels of the region. These adventures reaffirmed to me that I can do anything and that life is ultimately one big ADVENTURE!

Chantelle’s Top Red Centre Adventures

 1. Sunrise hot air balloon flight 

This is my number one adventure experience in the Red Centre. I was very apprehensive prior to taking off but as soon as we were in the air, all my doubts and fears dissolved. Floating in the air as the sun was rising was an incredibly majestic experience and surpassed all my expectations. Looking down at the landscape and realising that this was my backyard and where I live, work and dream was a very special moment.

2. Camel riding with Pyndan Camel Tracks

The camel trek was a really beautiful experience. Riding high on the back of a large camel was a calm and reflective adventure that allowed me to look at the ranges and be immersed in the natural beauty of the landscape around Ilparpa. These creatures are amazing - they are so resilient and strong. Being out in that country made me think of Central Australia’s pioneering past and the many men and women who played a part in making the Red Centre what it is today.

3. Sunrise Rim Walk @ Kings Canyon 

Rising before dawn to climb the 500+ steps to reach the top of Kings Canyon was LITERALLY breathtaking! Standing on top and watching the sky change from darkness to light with the myriad of colours in between while the world was still sleeping was such a surreal moment in time. And for the rest of the Rim Walk, I felt like I was Indiana Jones discovering an ancient lost city.

4. Quad biking @ Kings Creek Station 

Quad biking on a cattle station is such a fun Red Centre adventure! I was in my element riding fast, dodging tree branches, flying through sand dunes and squeezing through narrow tracks. I laughed so hard during this ride and absolutely loved it. This is one adventure experience that I will definitely be revisiting with my family.

 

5. Glamping @ Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge

 Some may dispute that this is adventure, but I call it luxury adventure! The Lodge is such a great stay in the Kings Canyon region and to enjoy luxury wilderness accommodation and hospitality after a day of dusty adventure is a MUST. These tents have the most comfortable beds and still allow you to enjoy the benefits of camping – but with luxurious benefits. We also dined under the stars with fellow lodgers and it’s such a nice way for locals to meet visitors from all over the world, enjoy great food and a good yarn.