The great Kununurra Escape
Days start early in the East Kimberley's hub, just 25km from the Northern Territory border. Moments after sunrise, it could begin to feel like an outdoor sauna, so it's best to maximise early starts, especially if travelling long distances is involved.
The town 3019km northeast of Perth and 827km southeast of Darwin resides on Miriwoong Gajerrong country. Its name derives from the local language meaning ‘big waters’ – a fitting name with the town of 5300 verging the mighty 650km-long Ord River, encircled by ancient arid red landscapes.
More than just a typical country town, Kununurra is a springboard to some of the state's, if not the world’s, most diverse environments. Nearby you'll find the World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park and its distinctive bee-hive-shaped rock formations, the Bungle Bungles. Rivers, waterways and seas teeming with banquet-worthy barramundi. Native wildlife in abundance along the snaking Ord River. Dammed freshwater lake demonstrating the spectacular outcome of true ingenuity, Lake Argyle. A short ride along the legendary Gibb River Road to the outback oasis, El Questro Wilderness Park.
Besides these famed must-visits, some equally impressive lures are on Kununurra's doorstep. And whether you venture further afield or not, Kununurra is hardly a place to sit idle or keep clean. Its rugged lands and pristine waterways were made for exploring. And so, the early wake-up call is warranted…
Young and full of innovation
A bakery breeze of hot air hit us as soon as we arrived in Kununurra. It was mid-spring, and I knew some sweat factor would be involved, but the humidity quickly overwhelmed me. Temperatures usually hover in the high 30s during spring, and my partner and I sought cool comforts.
There is little to do in the town centre on a Saturday afternoon. Most places – art galleries in town and a short drive away – are shut, so we opted for another cultural immersion: mingling with locals.
We quickly found respite at Hotel Kununurra. We joined the throngs of tourists sitting in the beer garden, watching the AFL unfold on multiple screens and doing our best to cool off with an ice-cold tap beer providing some relief. Outdoor fans only did so much to help improve the situation, flirting with my face every so often.
This typical country pub is almost as old as the town itself. Kununurra is one of Australia's youngest towns. It was established in the early 1960s to support mining developments and the Ord River Irrigation scheme.
It was an engineering feat of its day – and now – with the river and its tributaries forming one of Australia's most important waterways. Designed to take advantage of the river's seasonal flow, it prevented flooding during the wet season and redirected and supplied water to areas subjected to drought. Construction started in 1963, with the completion of the 335-metre-high Kununurra Diversion Dam in 1967. Since then, the scheme has grown to include more sections.
The diversion soon transformed the semi-arid region from cattle country to bountiful lands. It became akin to an outdoor supermarket with more than 20,000 hectares of agricultural land bordering the town's centre. Tropical fruits, sugarcane, chia seeds and sandalwood are just some things cultivated in the region. The creation of reservoirs also led to new aquatic playgrounds: the state's largest freshwater lake, Lake Argyle and wetland wonderland, Lake Kununurra.
In hindsight, the pub was a good starting point. A colourful mural boasting what's good about Kununurra adjourns the pub walls: Best this, best that. World's oldest, Australia's largest. It was a checklist of what to expect in town and around bright-hued lands and waterways.
Wet and wild
To grasp Kununurra's unusual origins requires a long boat ride.
Triple J Tours offers Australia's longest continuous daily river cruise along the Ord River. Mirroring its longevity is the cruise itself, travelling 55km between Kununurra and the dam wall at Lake Argyle. The award-winning tours are a great way to intertwine sightseeing Kununurra's diverse environments and engineering feats.
Leaving from Lake Kununurra, we were quickly transported to Jurassic times. Sceneries morphed from seas of lily pads, shrublands and forests to encounter the Ord River's rising red cliffs – the signature landscapes the Kimberley is known for. Tour guide Joey was swift to help us make sense of the region and multifaceted irrigation scheme. He inadvertently proved himself as a human encyclopedia with facts running off the tongue.
"The scheme is one of the few examples in the world where human interaction in terms of damning a major waterway twice has had a relatively positive impact on the environment around it, rather than a negative one," Joey said as he pointed out the flora flanking the riverside.
Damming has paved the way for ecosystems to flourish. The Kimberley is home to over 300 bird species, with Lake Kununurra's permanent wetlands providing a refuge for waterbirds. Binoculars were hardly necessary with birds such as the red-legged jabiru, osprey and little black cormorant a constant presence. But it wasn't just about sighting what flaps above us; freshwater crocodiles rule here. Along the riverbanks, we spotted countless crocodiles either half submerged in water, enjoying a sun-scorched siesta on the shore, or balancing on a branch. Rock wallabies are also ones to spot here, although most remain elusive.
The scenic cruise ended abruptly. With all talk of damming, now we were faced with it. A 98-metre-high rock wall towered over the boat, with water gushing out of two pipes below. Behind the wall is Lake Argyle.
We would soon see what all the fuss is about ourselves, standing atop the wall – a one-way road – that separates Lake Argyle from the Ord River. It's a spectacular sight to behold: a navy-blue inland sea – a waterbody believed to hold more than 18 times the volume of Sydney Harbour – dotted with mountaintop islands. Spoilt with nature, spoilt with views: I'm glad this human intervention was a win-win for all.
Call us the intrepid anglers
Remember how I mentioned those early mornings? A chance of reeling in the region's prized fish in a far-flung locale deserves waking up at an ungodly hour.
East Kimberley Charters offers one of Australia's most remote fishing tours. The locally owned and operated charter takes guests onboard an intimate fishing trip for a chance to catch the highly sought barramundi in the Cambridge Gulf.
Just expect a long day ahead. The trip involves travelling 100km north to Wyndham Port to board a 6.6m marine vessel to venture into the region's most remote waterways. Despite enduring great distances, it soon became evident – even without the purpose of fishing – that the rewards were abundant.
Winds were non-existent, the sun shining; we had everything going for us – including having this cinematic view all to ourselves.
"This is like the Kimberley summed up in one river," owner and tour guide Brad told us as we zoomed along the placid Lyne River.
Like other parts of the East Kimberley region, the vivid scenes before us were nothing short of spectacular. A blissfully teal waterway fringed by emerald-green mangroves and occasional fields of tawny round rocks. Burnished orange ranges soar in the distance. Still, I could spot the trees standing like arm hairs along the ridge line. The barren setting was soon interrupted by a medium-sized-raptor Brahmini kite, extending its brown wings above us, snooping almost to suss out our destination.
Born and raised in Kununurra, Brad knows the region like the back of his palm. That includes blitzing its canals which, after an hour on the water, felt like we were deep in a labyrinth. Rest assured, he knew where he was going, even if it did feel like uncharted territory, eventually pulling up just metres from the mangroves.
"This is not the time to collect wood," Brad laughed as we started casting our lines.
Forget deep water; it was low tide, and we aimed towards bare branches buried in water. Drunken trees provide predators with a vantage point for food and signify a beacon of hope, potentially landing a catch.
I'm a novice at the reel, but I eventually got into the rhythm of casting straight towards the trees. As I waited patiently for a snag, I dreamt of the feast we would hopefully have later that night—Barra on the barbie, fish tacos, oh, the possibilities.
Sometimes my casts hooked onto thirsty trunks instead of sweet lips. Even when dealing with those entanglements, Brad's enthusiasm never waned, determined for us intrepid anglers to get a bite. My practice of catching and releasing trees soon paid off – twice! – reeling in barramundi and estuary cod. Practice makes perfect – and a fine dinner too.
The perfect alternative
I took a shortcut to visit one of WA's natural icons.
Minutes from the town centre is Mirima National Park (Hidden Valley). Often dubbed a mini-version of the World-Heritage Bungle Bungle range, it dates back 360 million years and features similar unique rounded orange sandstone formations with beehive-like horizontal layers. It is also a place of great cultural significance for the Miriwoong people, with rock art and engravings found in the park.
Unlike the Bungle Bungle range, Mirima is open all year round. Five walking trails within the park, each at different lengths. The sun was beating hard, so completing a trek of over two hours was out of the question. Instead, we went along the 800m-long Derdbe-gerring Banan trail to ascend to the lookout for our cheap thrill. Who needs an expensive scenic flight when afforded views of the river valley and ruddy ranges in the distance?
After all the adventures, boat rides, and epic climbs, it was time for something low-key. Our sundown comedown involved sitting along Discovery Parks - Lake Kununurra's waterfront, keeping an eye out for the park's sharped-tooth regular. A lone freshwater crocodile has a habit of startling those at the barbecue. Unfortunately, we missed the scaley prankster. Thankfully, we were still privy to another showstopper – a post-sunset glow over the horizon slicing through a dark cobalt blue sky.
Even on a balmy night, Kununurra guarantees the hair frizzle and dishevelled look. Or perhaps just blame it on the early alarm.
Fast Facts
Discovery Parks Lake Kununurra
P: 08 9168 1031
E: admin@discoveryparks.com.au
W: discoveryholidayparks.com.au
East Kimberley Charters
P: 0499 556 393
E: eastkimberleycharters@outlook.com
W: eastkimberleycharters.com.au
Triple J Tours
P: 08 9168 2682