'''Kununurra''' is a town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is reasonably new in that it was only gazetted in the 1960s. Its reason for being is the Ord River Irrigation Scheme which is supplied from '''Lake Argyle''', the largest inland waterway in Australia.
The town's growth has been steady and 40 years later it has a population of 7,000. Growth has been fuelled by mining, agriculture and tourism.
Get in
Access is by fully sealed road, located nearly midway between Darwin and Broome around 900km from each give or take 100km.
Air North [http://www.airnorth.com.au] flies from Darwin and from Broome.
Get around
See
Within easy reach of Kununurra are:
'''Celebrity Tree Park''' - a grove of trees planted by famous Australian people eg Rolf Harris
'''Lake Argyle'''
'''Lake Kununurra'''
Do
'''The Ord River'''. It is a full day trip by boat up to the dam. Along the way the river passes through gorges, and expansive flooded wetlands that a teaming with birdlife. See small fresh water crocs, sunning themselves on the banks. Go for a swim off the boat into the river, so best to wear swimming attire under your clothes.
Buy
Kunnanurra is a good town for supplies. It has a major supermarket.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
There is a selection of motels, and other accommodation in Kunnanurra. The Accor chain is even represented, with an "All Seasons" motel.
Get out
Mirima National Park
Purnululu National Park
Turkey Creek (Warmun) - An Aboriginal community with a roadhouse which provides basic accommodation and access to the Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle Range) from the heliport adjacent to the roadhouse. Flights into the Park cost $220 AUD per person.
Wyndham - This is an adjacent town which among other interesting features has a superb lookout site overlooking five rivers which enter the Cambridge Gulf. The rivers are the Ord, Forrest, King, Durrack and Pentecost.