EXPLORING KUNUNURRA
AFTER a few days looking around Wyndham, I headed east along Parry Creek Road, skirting along the northern side of Ngamoowalem Conservation Park towards Kununurra, known as ‘Kunnas’ to the locals.
This dirt road is a good alternative to the tar, and it’s about 90km to Kununurra, with several camping options along the way. Hairy Dogs Fishing Camp is situated on the Ord River and is perfect for those chasing Barra. Further towards Kunnas, a short 4x4 track leads you to Middle Springs waterfall and Black Rock Falls. I was there late in the dry season and even though there was water in the pools, it wasn’t very inviting. I can only imagine the huge volume of water that would crash over the rocks into the pools during the wet season.
Buttons Gap is also on the Parry Creek Road and while not really noticeable as a major landmark, several tracks here lead down to the Ord River where free camping is permitted. With nearly 4km of campsites, some of which are in a private setting, this is a beautiful spot to camp just outside Kununurra. But remember, this is big saltwater crocodile country, so be vigilant when camping and fishing, and definitely don’t swim in the river.
Further on towards Kununurra is the infamous Ivanhoe Crossing. This long curved concrete causeway holds back water upstream from the Ord River Dam wall, and with a single-lane road on top it’s an exciting drive across. Keen fishos throw lures and live bait around trying to hook a barra here, and going by the amount of fish scales on the rocks around the river bank, many fish are caught.
Head to town and you’ll discover that Kununurra is an interesting place where many cultures come together; with indigenous people, overseas fruit pickers and travellers all staying in town, it’s a busy place in the dry season.
Mirima NP, often regarded as the little Bungle Bungles, is only a few minutes to the east of town. The local Miriuwung people welcome visitors to walk around in Mirima to admire the towering eroded sandstone rock formations, and there are several walking trails. The beehive-type rock formations date back millions of years and most of the trails lead you too lookouts or points of interest along the way.
Kununurra is known as the food bowl of Western Australia, where crops and huge plantations of sandalwood trees grow in the fertile soil, and where abundant water is available from the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. And speaking of water, no trip to Kununurra is complete without heading out to the massive Lake Argyle.
Spending time around Wyndham and Kununurra showed me just how much this area has to offer. Two things have stayed with me since my visit: one is that everything is huge up here and sometimes hard to capture through a lens, and the other is that I will be back for more as soon as I can.