East Kimberley - Adventure
Adventure the way you want it
East Kimberley
Lake Argyle
The damming of the Ord River in 1972 formed Lake Argyle – the largest man-made lake in Australia. Set amongst the Carr-Boyd Ranges and covering an area of around 1,000 square kilometres, Lake Argyle is an awesome sight with many bays, islands, creeks and waterfalls.
Take a scenic flight over the lake, cruise the placid waters, take a canoe or simply relax on the banks and enjoy some leisurely fishing.
The turnoff to the lake, which supports a wide variety of wildlife, is just seven kilometres from the Northern Territory/Western Australia border.
The Ord River
The most famous river of the East Kimberley, the mighty Ord, creates a variety of diverse ecosystems and is the water source for the Ord Irrigation Scheme. A large number of tourism related operations utilise the river and it provides a huge recreational waterway for both locals and visitors.
Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles) Purnululu National Park is home to one of the most spectacular landforms on earth, the peculiar rocky striped mounds (or Bungle Bungles). These huge orange and black striped domes, formed from layers of sandstone and minerals, are a sight to see.
There are some fantastic gorges around the park, with Echidna Chasm in the northern section, and Cathedral Gorge in the southern section.
Both are a one-hour walk from the carpark, although if you have the time and energy the long ten hour walk of Piccaninny Gorge is worth the effort. Scenic flights over the park are available, or the 55-kilometre trip by four-wheel drive only, will take around 3 hours.
East Kimberley - Connections
Connection to Country
East Kimberley
Welcome to Kununurra! Goonoonoorrang is the Miriuwung and Gajerrong word for Kununurra, meaning “River,” and is the perfect base for many travellers exploring the region. The ancient landscape of the East Kimberley is a contrast of rugged ranges and stunning gorges and is the gateway to some of Australia’s most popular attractions including Purnululu National Park (the Bungle Bungles), Mitchell Plateau, Lake Argyle and El Questro.
West Arnhem - Adventure
Adventure the way you want it
West Arnhem & Cobourg Peninsula
Wildlife Photography
For the keen photographer, the Cobourg Peninsula offers excellent opportunities to capture the true nature of this remote region.
With an abundance of wildlife including buffalo, Timor ponies, wild boar, crocodiles and wallabies, and with an array of colourful birdlife, there is no better location in the Top End to capture that ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ shot.
Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, The Cobourg Peninsula
Pronounced Gah-rig Goon-uk Bar-loo, is Northern Australia’s first flora and fauna protected reserve, and the surrounding Cobourg Marine Park, provide an ideal habitat for many thousands of waterfowl and other bird species.
West Arnhem - Fishing
Fishing
West Arnhem & Cobourg Peninsula
Considered to be one of the finest fishing spots in the country, the waters around the Cobourg Peninsula abound with Spanish mackerel, giant trevally, queenfish and coral trout, whilst in the tidal creeks and estuaries barramundi, mangrove jack and threadfin salmon lie in wait to tempt the serious angler. The Cobourg Peninsula, remote and rugged, is fringed with magnificent white sandy beaches and is accessible only by four-wheel drive from Oenpelli via Jabiru (permit needed from NLC for Gunbalanya) or a charter flight from Darwin. Note, permit is required and it’s essential that you report to the Ranger Station on arrival.
West Arnhem - History
History
West Arnhem & Cobourg Peninsula
There are many areas of historic significance including the ruins of an early European colony at Victoria Settlement in Garig Gunak Barlu National Park, on the secluded Cobourg Peninsula and the Black Point Cultural Centre which displays Aboriginal, Macassan and European histories of the area.
Take time to visit Kennedy Bay and Port Essington where, over 190 years ago, the British made an attempt to establish settlements. Explore the ruins at Victoria Settlement (1838) which met with failure – the harsh conditions proving too much for the early settlers.
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