Kununurra, home of the might Ord, Argyle Diamonds and the gateway to the west. For us Kununurra was a huge surprise. Our time here was thoroughly enjoyable. We left completely understanding why people have been drawn to this place and made it their home.
The Ord
The mighty Ord River feels like the beating heart of town. You can scarcely go anywhere without being reminded that the modern Kununurra was built upon the flow of the mighty Ord River. It was dammed twice to supply water for the town and to irrigate the land in the area. The volumes of water are unbelievable and the design of the irrigation scheme is ingenious, with very limited pumping required to keep the water flowing through the various channels.
The damming did completely change the river, taking it from a seasonally flowing river with permanent water holes to an always flowing beast. In the time since it was dammed an entirely new ecosystem has developed and is a mecca for wildlife. Birds, fish and crocodiles are abundant.
The river is best experienced by boat. There are several different tour options and although the prices feel steep, they are well worth it for the experience. We had an incredibly knowledgeable guide who could share information about seemingly endless topics. He had even noticed this new ecosystem changing (for the worst) after recently introduced changes to the area. The inner environmentalist in us was curious, but it was not the time or place to ask further.
Talking to fellow travellers, the boat tours onto Lake Argyle (the second dam) were also very good. Our money isn’t limitless and we were content with one boat tour.
Diamonds
Kununurra is also the home of the recently closed Argyle Diamond mine. It is famous for the rare pink diamonds mined there. There are several jewellery shops in town selling the local product and it’s always nice to stop and admire.
Or you could be like us and stop, admire and buy. Christian had always had a picture in his head for a gift for Abby. Pink, blue and yellow diamonds on a necklace instead of an eternity ring. He’d costed it years before but never committed. One stop at Kimberley Fine Diamonds (just to look) and we walked out having paid a deposit on a necklace. We chose the stones and developed a design with one of the inhouse jewellers. Two days later we returned and collected our handcrafted piece for Abby. It’s one hell of a souvenir, but something to keep forever.
They were an incredibly generous business, taking their time with us to ensure we were happy and never applied pressure to buy. Frauke (who owns the business) has also written a book about her life in Kununurra. She gifted Abby a signed copy and it was a very, very interesting read.
Geology Feast
All around the area are a combination of national parks, nature reserves and tourist spots offering willing travellers walks, sights and (although not for us) swims. The Mirima National Park is right next door and combines amazing red and orange rock formations with town views. The climb up Kelly’s Knob gave 360-degree views over the town. It was a steepish challenging climb that gave us flashbacks to Castle Hill.
A little further out was The Grotto, waterfall that cascades into a very deep pool. Unfortunately with no rain and no flow it wasn’t any good for a swim. Others wed met tried some of the springs around town, but with some serious 4WDing require to reach them we passed them by.
But wait…
There is also the simple stuff to do there. The first dam has created a stunning wetland in town and we were treated to several sightings of the resident Jabiru. It was easy to spend an evening watching the sunset over the wetlands. It was another time we wished for our kayak. There is also a swimming beach on the wetlands as well as cycle trails. More adventurous souls can try the 4WD tracks or give the rig a test on Ivanhoe’s Crossing.
We also gave Wyndham a visit. It is a small community that has fallen on tough times. It’s about an hour’s drive, but the lookout makes the effort worth it.
