Kununurra, Western Australia
An Antipodean travel company serving World Travellers since 1983
History
The traditional owners of the land in and the are Australia’s indigenous people, specifically the Miriwoong and Gajirrabeng people, with a history of continued habitation in Australia, and dating back roughly 60,000 years, when Aboriginal Australians arrived on the continent. The could possibly even be one of the original points from which Aboriginal Australians arrived, with different theories proposing this site, as well as others in the as the most likely landing points from the islands of southeast Asia. The Kimberley showcases a rich cultural legacy of Aboriginal habitation from throughout this lengthy period, with only 1-2% of the region’s aboriginal rock and cave art having been recorded thus far, indicating the scale of indigenous involvement in the region. The Kimberley is also home to what is believed to be the world’s oldest examples of rock art, dating back at least 16,000 years. One example, the Gwion Gwion rock paintings, display distinctive spindly stick figures, ornamented with accessories such as bags, headdresses, and tassels. Another major form of rock painting in the Kimberley are the Wandjina, believed by the local Mowanjum people to be the supreme creator, depicted with huge eyes but no mouth. The first Wandjina are believed to have been painted 4000 years ago, with the figures continuing to be painted today, making it the world’s oldest continuous sacred painting movement. As for itself, the name is derived from the indigenous , with the similar Miriwoong word ‘Goonoonoorrang’, translating to the word ‘‘.
As for European contact with the and , one of the first major influences was Irish-Australian pioneer pastoralist Patrick Durack. Durack and his family emigrated to New South Wales in 1853, escaping the harsh life of tenant farming, made increasingly untenable by the crippling land rents and potato blights present in the period. Though originally settling in New South Wales, the Duracks were pioneers when it came to finding new land for livestock, pushing through Queensland, the , and eventually to the near today’s . The area the Duracks settled upon in the , named Ivanhoe station was established in 1893, and marked the first penetration of the old world into Australia’s Kimberley’s, which in subsequent years was earmarked as a concession for sugar cane planting by the Western Australian government, though this was largely never exploited. Interest in the area was spurred again in the late 1950’s with experimental farms being set up to test the viability of growing cash crops in the fertile tropical climate. This ultimately culminated in the irrigation scheme, with the goal of creating an Irrigation Area by damming and redirecting the flow of the . The was the first part of this project to be completed, irrigating about 750 square kilometers of land for agricultural use, with the second phase being completed 6 years later, which flooded the Argyle downs area, once home to the Duracks home station, turning it into the man made Argyle. Today is a large producer of a variety of tropical produce, including sandalwood, melons, mangoes, sugarcane, chickpeas, cotton and much more, proving the irrigation efforts to have been a successful endeavor. In addition to its agricultural importance, is also host to one of the world’s largest diamond mines, with the Argyle diamond mine producing upwards of 90% of the world’s pink and red diamonds, as well as highly coveted and extraordinarily rare blue diamonds. In modern pop culture the town has come into the spotlight as the main filming location for Baz Luhrmann’s 2008 film ‘Australia’, which follows the story of cattle ranchers in Australia’s far north.
Travelling to
For those looking to delve into some of wild Australia’s most unforgettable places, a is a great way to experience the unique and otherworldly beauty of Australia’s and beyond. Starting with the town itself, one of the more iconic landmarks is definitely Argyle. This colossal man made is home to a huge host of wildlife, including birds, fish and , making it the perfect spot for either watersports like kayaking, or even a nature . With such , are a popular way to experience both Argyle and the , with an Argyle, or being a relaxing way to soak in the endless horizons, and vibrant subsets, perhaps with a refreshing or along the way. It’s also interesting to note that the dam produces the town’s entire power supply through its hydro-electric station, even servicing the towns large diamond mine. Heading south of the town is one of ‘s most spectacular natural landscapes, namely the . Located in Purnululu , the was largely unknown to the general public until 1983, when it was ‘discovered’ by a film crew producing a documentary about the Kimberley’s. Following its accession to public note, the area has become one of ‘s best known tourist destinations, with its distinctive beehive shaped sandstone towers making it look like an almost otherworldly marvel, with this in mind one of the more popular ways to see the area has been by air, with either a , or being popular ways to see this wild sight in all its resplendent glory.
Somewhat closer to town, you can also find what’s called the ‘mini ‘ at Mirima , which features some similar looking natural rock formations, albeit at a much smaller scale that Purnululu. To the west of , another popular destination for exploring the Kimberley’s is the El Questro wilderness area, another must see spot on any . The El Questro area is full of waterfalls, gorges, wildlife, and from its lookouts, with local on site making it a perfect wilderness escape. Heading west out of town another possibility is to take the road, this rugged route can be a great way to experience some of ‘s most amazing landscapes, running from in the east, all the way to Broome in the west, just take heed that this track is designed for 4×4 vehicles. Odyssey visits as part of our small group of the Kimberley, with the highlight of our stay in town being a along the as well as Argyle, before venturing forward on to Purnululu . Odyssey’s of the Kimberley visits most of the major attractions and landmarks along our way, venturing forward from Broome, past Cape Leveque, to Bell , Mitchell Falls, El Questro station, and much more, before arriving and and looping around. One of the best ways to experience what and the has to offer is with a small group . Odyssey specialises in this kind of , offering and engaged, and intimate to Kununurra ideal for seniors, solo travellers, or couples heading to Western Australia and the Kununurra.
