Kununurra

城市概覽

"We are still 300 miles from the telegraph line and cannot, of course, tell what difficulties may not yet be in store for us, so I feel bound to push on, at the same time no one can regret more than I do that I am unable to follow this magnificent stream to its mouth . . . " - journal of Alexander Forrest, who prudently named the river after WA Governor Sir Harry St George Ord Kimberley was the first part of Australia to be settled by humans, maybe 65,000 years ago, and the Miriwoong are their descendants in the area they call Goonoonooram, "river". It was this River Ord, 651 km long, that grabbed the attention of the first European explorers, led by Alexander Forrest in 1879. Its fertile plains were crying out for farming, initially as cattle ranches - the patriarch of this Ponderosa was Patrick Durack, who in 1882 drove 7250 head of cattle and 200 horses overland from Queensland to establish the Lissadell, Argyle, Rosewood and Ivanhoe stations. They soon realised that fruit and veg would be even more profitable in these rich alluvial soils, and the more water (and more constant supply) they could get, the better. But Victorian technology could be no match for this forceful river. A town only appeared from 1958, with "Goonoonooram" westernised as Kununurra, when the Ord Irrigation Scheme sought to harness and regulate the huge monsoon flow. The first stage was completed in 1963 with the construction of the Diversion Dam over the natural dam of Bandicoot Rock. This created Lake Kununurra, drowned the old highway to Darwin, and fed a network of canals to nearby farms. Rice, cotton and sugar were the intended crops, but these were ravaged by pests; still there was enough profitable agriculture to go for a second stage. The Ord River Dam further south upstream was completed in 1971 and created Lake Argyle, Australia's second largest artificial lake. Its initial capacity of 5641 gigalitre was doubled in the 1990s by raising the dam's earth wall, and a hydroelectric pow

如何抵達

Agriculture inspections: Western Australia has rules on what food and plant material may be brought in. This mostly affects arrivals from the nearby Northern Territory, with checks on air and (more visibly) road travellers. They're trying to keep pests at bay (though the battle against cane toads may be a lost cause, see below) and to re-assure export customers that WA produce is safe. See the official website for what is or is not allowed: there are stiff fines for failing to declare or dump (say) a stash of apples. Best eat any fresh produce beforehand, and it's too bad about the floral tributes you were bringing for your late aunt Gladys.

By plane 1 Kununurra airport (KNX IATA East Kimberley Regional Airport) (4 km west of town). Airnorth fly daily from Broome, taking 90 min, and continue to Darwin, another hour plus a one-hour time switch. Once a week they fly direct from Perth, and Virgin fly three days a week, 3 hours non-stop. Qantas no longer fly here, change in Broome. KNX airport is small but modern and the runway has a scenic approach. There's car hire, which you'd best reserve as their fleets are small. (updated Jul 2024) To town: taxis await incoming flights and cost around $12 to town. Several hotels offer a free transfer if you're staying with them. There isn’t a bus.

By road Are you sure about this? Kununurra is only 30 km from the Northern Territory border, but a very long way from anywhere else. From Perth by road the first objective is to reach Broome, a three-day journey of 2360 km by the North West Coastal Highway via Carnarvon, or 2050 km by the Great Northern Highway inland via Newman. These highways join at Port Hedland. From Broome the only safe, all-weather onward route is the Great Northern Highway, 1044 km via Camballin, Fitzroy Crossing and Ord River. Reckon two days. Gibb River Road is a scenic "short-cut", 650 km but it will take most of a week, lurching over lumps and stream beds and potholes. It's a dirt track for 4WD only,

當地交通

You can walk around town, but it's damned hot, and even reaching Elephant Rock needs a car. Driving around town is laid-back, with few other cars, no traffic lights, and free parking. Other nations spurn "give way" and "stop" signs in a spirit of aggression, but here it's a languid view that braking would be sort-of nice but we can't be bothered right now. Car hire is available from Avis, Budget, Kununurra and Thrifty, all based at the airport but you could probably negotiate a pick-up downtown. Hertz no longer operate here.

必看景點

Sunset and sunrise are the best times to view natural features: it's cooler, the low slanting light fires the rocks into luminous orange, and there's more wildlife about. But at sunset think about the getting back, and don't be caught out on rough unfamiliar ground when darkness falls.

Near town

Celebrity Tree Park is the triangle between Victoria Highway, Lily Creek Lagoon, and Kimberland on Old Darwin Rd. A park has existed since 1984, but filming of the 2008 film Australia brought a celebrity crowd to town and each celeb planted a different species of tree. The tourist agencies reckoned this would do for Kununurra what Lord of the Rings did for New Zealand, but several trees have died and plaques have dropped off others, so you may struggle to identify whether your dog is lifting its leg against one planted by Nicole Kidman or one by Baz Luhrmann. The film got mixed reviews but in 2023 was adapted as a six-part TV series. The park is free to access 24 hours. Lily Creek Lagoon is the small lake just south of the highway, a side-arm of the much larger Kununurra Lake. Kununurra Museum, 72 Coolibah Drive, ☏ +61 8 9169 3331. M-F 12:30-5:30PM. Local history museum with enthusiastic curator. Donation. (updated Jul 2024) Art galleries: see Buy for these, as the work is for sale, but they won't mind you just browsing. 1 Kelly's Knob at 191 m is the local landmark and highest point for miles. You get a fair view of the surrounding countryside from the car park at the head of Kelly Road (off Speargrass Road), but for the full panorama follow the well worn trail to the service stairs up to the TV tower at the peak. 2 Mirima National Park, Hidden Valley Rd, ☏ +61 8 9169 4200. 24 hours. The highlight is the "Hidden Valley" of striking sandstone formations, often described as a miniature Bungle Bungles, with walking trails of 0.5 to 4 km. The rest of the park is open bushland with unmarked trails winding around the rocks and boab trees. You can hike into it free from anyw

體驗活動

What's going on? Read Kimberley Echo, published Thursdays. Or listen to Redwave Media Spirit on 102.5 FM. Leisure Centre, 115 Coolibah Drive (next to Visitor Centre), ☏ +61 8 9168 2120. M-Th 5AM-8PM, F 6AM-6PM, Sa Su 9AM-5PM. There's a gym, but the main draws are the outdoor 6-lane 25 m swimming pool and the children's water play areas. (updated Jul 2024) Footy: Ord River Magpies men and women play Australian rules football in the amateur leagues, at Ivanhoe Rd ne