Kununurra

The vast, stunning landscapes, remarkable waterways and lush farmland around Kununurra are both surprising and awe-inspiring.

Kununurra is the perfect backdrop for an outback adventure and your gateway to the eastern end of the Gibb River Road.

Allow some time to experience the range of things to see and do in Kununurra and within easy range of the town itself. Kununurra is also a great base to join tours to some of the region’s major attractions, including the Mitchell Falls, the Bungle Bungles and Lake Argyle.

How to get to Kununurra

Kununurra is located on the banks of one of the Kimberley’s main waterways – the Ord River – and sits close to the Northern Territory border, just 225km from Timber Creek.

By Road

From Broome, Kununurra is 1000km via the Great Northern Highway through Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek, about 10.5 hours drive. Another route is to take several days for adventure along the unsealed Gibb River Road, one of Australia’s iconic outback drives.

From Darwin, it’s an 829km, or 8.5 hour drive along the Stuart and Victoria Highways to Kununurra, via Katherine (510km from Kununurra) and Timber Creek (253km from Kununurra).

From Perth, Kununurra is approximately 3200km or 33 hours, depending on the road you choose – the North West Coastal Highway via Geraldton, Carnarvon, Karratha and onwards through Broome (3,333km), or the inland route via Meekatharra, Newman, Karratha and onwards through Broome on the Great Northern Highway (3,206km).

Airnorth offers services from Darwin, Broome and Perth to Kununurra. Bookings can be made through the Airnorth or Qantas websites. Virgin Australia fly direct from Perth to Kununurra from 29 March to 30 September 2021, with fares starting from $249. 

By Air

Kununurra is serviced by year-round direct flights from Broome, Perth and Darwin.

If you’re travelling from Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane, seasonal direct flights to Broome will allow you to connect onwards from Broome to Kununurra.

Airnorth offers services from Darwin, Broome and Perth to Kununurra. Bookings can be made through the Airnorth or Qantas websites.

Virgin Australia fly direct from Perth to Kununurra from 29 March to 30 September 2021.

Heritage

First gazetted in 1961 as the centre for the Ord River Irrigation Scheme, Kununurra is the Kimberley’s youngest town. The name is derived from the word “Goonoonorrang” in the language of the local Miriwoong people, meaning river.

The construction of Diversion Dam in 1962 and the completion of the Ord River Dam, which created Lake Argyle, provided for the development of over 14,000ha of irrigated land. A later development was the construction of a hydro-electric power station at the base of the Ord River Dam which supplies renewable power to Kununurra, Wyndham, the Argyle village and the Argyle Diamond Mine. A diverse range of crops is produced in the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA), including sugar cane, chickpeas, melons, pumpkins, mangoes, bananas, citrus and sandalwood. Further expansion of ORIA took place in from 2009, with over 15,000ha of irrigated land released.

Explore

Discover more about Kununurra’s waterways and lakes with tours from Lake Argyle and Kununurra. Connect with nature and take in some of the seasonal and spring-fed waterfalls and swimming holes located within a short drive of town, and visit Mirima National Park, often described as the mini-Bungles. At Kelly’s Knob, view the sunset over the majestic hills and ranges surrounding Kununurra.