Kununurra

On the way into Kununurra we went and checked out Lake Arygle. The sheer size of that lake from what you can see standing at one of the look outs is impressive. What is even more impressive is when you discover that the portion you can see from the viewing point is only 1% of the lake. They were onto something when they built that lake, if only one could be built and filled in every state of Australia.

Expectations of Kununurra were not high prior to getting there (for me). There was the lake, river and irrigation system to see but when we got there I have to say I was amazed at the thriving township and the industry that it has created. We stayed for 3 nights, think if we had the time could of easily have stayed another 2 nights and filled our time in easily.

To take in the ambience of this area of the Kimberley we went on a 'JJJ' Cruise from the base of the Lake Argyle dam wall, along the Ord River onto Lake Kununurra. Talk about service, we got dropped off on the shoreline of our caravan park, don't get service like that everyday. JJJ Tours were great, 5 hours of learning about how Kununurra came to be, the thriving industries it has created, all whilst cruising down the picturesque Ord River and Lake Kununurra. It's a pity we didn't travel some 15 years ago, apparently 15 years ago they tried selling blocks of land on Lake Kununurra not that far from town. No one wanted them. If only they'd known what they are worth today they sure would have snapped them up, over $1M.


(Sunset over Lake Kununurra)

The other tour we took was a flight over Lake Argyle, the Bungle Bungles back via the Lake Argyle diamond mine in a Cessna "buzz box"that seated 6. Good way to see a lot in 2 hours, not so good when the pilot decides to tell us that when he was learning to fly his instructor didn't teach him how to navigate properly so he nearly had an accident in his early career. Just what I wanted to hear!


(After our flight, looking a little warn out cause we got up at sparrow farts time, I was crock before boarding plane and you couldn't swing a cat in the plane if you tried, no way of coming out looking too flash after that)

The 'Industry' - what can't they produce here? Mangoes, sandalwood, chia, pumpkins the list goes on with the best one of all being pink diamonds. I'd like to know who just pops into the jewellers in Kununurra (of all places) to pick up a pair of pink diamond earrings at a mere $220k. Can't say I'd be wearing them but I would take the $52 k stone. The diamond mine sources one champagne glass of pink diamonds (most expensive type of diamond on the market in the world).

Dinner recommendation if you ever make it up this way is the 'Pump House' restaurant, great wood fired pizza on the lake. Nifty way to recycle a pump house.