Overview
Kimberley Region is Western Australia’s northern most region, known for its ancient and dramatic landscapes. It is so remote and undeveloped that people who want to experience the Kimberley Region are often required to join extensive road or cruise tours, which could be quite expensive.
But there is this place in the Kimberley Region, where you can easily access by commercial flights, and enjoy the beauty of the Kimberley Region on your own. That is Kununurra.
Kununurra is located on the northeastern part of the Kimberley Region, and borders with Northern Territory. Regular commercial flights connect Kununurra with Darwin (1 hour) and Broome (1.5 hours), and Perth (3.5 hours).
Despite its remote location, Kununurra is surprisingly a neat functional country town, thanks to the agricultural industries, which were created by the Ord River Irrigation Scheme during 20th century.
Here in Kununurra, there are many choices of accommodation. You can explore the wild outback on your own during the day, and come back to a comfortable modern room with good facility to rest and relax. There are also a range of day tours out of Kununurra, such as Ord River Cruises, Lake Argyle Cruise, and scenic flights over Bungle Bungle.
What to Do and See – Kununurra
Mirima National Park
Mirima National Park is a small but beautiful national park, located just outside of Kununurra. Often referred to as “Mini Bungle Bungle”, you can see the beehive-shaped ancient rock formations here, and enjoy easy walks.
> Read more about Mirima National Park
Kelly’s Knob
Located at the edge of the town, this rocky hill offers 360-degrees view over Kununurra. It is a fun 20 minutes walk from the parking lot to the lookout.
> Read more about Kelly’s Knob
Lily Creek Lagoon & Lake Kununurra
Lily Creek Lagoon is a beautiful wetland near the town centre of Kununurra. It links to Lake Kununurra, which was created in 1963 by the construction of the Diversion Dam.
> Read more about Lily Creek Lagoon & Lake Kununurra
Ivanhoe Crossing
Just 10km out of the town, Ivanhoe Crossing is a concrete causeway built over the Ord River, where you can cross the river with 4WD when the water level is not high.
Ord River Irrigation Area
Around the town of Kununurra, the Ord River Irrigation Area consists of over 20,000 hectares of agricultural land growing fruits, chickpeas, sugarcane, chia seeds, sandalwood and other crops.
Hoochery Distillery
Hoochery Distillery produces award winning rum from locally grown sugarcane. You can enjoy rum-tasting at their cellardoor. They also serve lunch during dry season (May-Sep).
> Read more about Hoochery Distillery
Souvenir Shopping
Enjoy souvenir shoppings in Kununurra, such as Aboriginal art, accessory & ornament made from Zebra Rock, or Argyle pink diamonds.
> Read more about Souvenir Shopping in Kununurra
What to See & Do – Out of Kununurra
Wyndham
Wydham is a small town where five rivers meet and flow into the ocean. Enjoy the specutaclar views from the Five Rivers Lookout. It is an easy 100km drive on the sealed roads from Kununurra.
Grotto
The Grotto is a beautiful waterhole surrounded by high cliff. It’s located between Kununurra and Wyndham.
> Read more about Whyndham & Grotto
King River Road (4WD Access)
From the edge of Wyndham, unsealed King River Road leads to the site where you can see some Aboriginal cave paintings.
Telegraph Hill (4WD Access)
Near Wyndahm, unsealed Parry Creek Road leads to a scenic Telegraph Hill, where foundations of the historic telegraph stations still remain.
Parry Creek Natural Reserve (4WD Access)
Also on the Parry Creek Road, this protected wetland is a paradise for birds.
> Read more about King River Road, Telegraph Hill, and Parry Creek Natural Reserve
El Questro
Located approx 80-110km from Kununurra, El Questro is a wilderness park with a range of accommodation, where you can enjoy the real outback experiences. Most of the area within El Questro require 4WD, but they also provide transfer & tours if you do not want to drive for yourself.
> Read more about El Questro
Tours from Kununurra
Ord River Cruise
Triple J Tours provides cruises on Ord River between Lake Argyle and Kununurra. It is one of the most memorable and fun activities in Kununurra.
> Read more about Ord River Cruise
Lake Argyle Cruise
Located 75km from Kununurra, Lake Argyle is a beautiful lake created as a result of Ord River Irrigation Scheme. There are a variety of cruise tours available. You can self-drive to the lake, or the tours provide transfer services from Kununurra.
> Read more about Lake Argyle Cruise
Bungle Bungle
Bungle Bungle (Purnululu National Park) is located 250km south of Kununurra. You can take a scenic flight from Kununurra, or join a 2-day 4WD tour from Kununurra to witness this breathtaking landscape.
> Read more about Bungle Bungle
Where to Stay in Kununurra
Kununurra has a range of accommodation. My first pick is Freshwater East Kimberley Apartments.
Where to Eat in Kununurra
There are many restaurants & cafes in the town centre of Kununurra. If you would like to dine with a view, try PumpHouse Kununurra by Lake Kununurra.
For self catering, there are 2 supermarkets (IGA and Coles) in the town centre.
Weather & Best Season in Kununurra
Like other places in Kimberly, Kununurra has wet season (Oct-Apr) & dry season (May-Sep). Wet season is very hot & humid with heavy rains, and you may not be able to access to many places because of the heavy rain. On the other hand, dry season is always sunny and comfortable.
The best season to visit Kununurra is between Jun-Aug, which is generally winter months in Australia (= summer months in Northern Hemisphere).
Access to Kununurra
By Air
- From Darwin: 1 hour flight by Air North (Qantas)
- From Broome: 1.5 hours flight by Air North (Qantas)
- From Perth: 3.5 hours flight by Virgin Australia
By Car
- From Darwin 830km
- From Broome 1050km
