NORTH WEST
Broome simply oozes with colour. It's Western Australia's secret getaway - right on the Indian Ocean's doorstep and the gateway to Australia's last frontier of pristine wilderness - the Kimberley. From its rough and tumble, romantic pearling history to the cosmopolitan character of Chinatown, to the turquoise waters, red sandstone cliffs and the endless expanse of white sand at Cable Beach....the colours and moods of Broome will capture your soul. You'll never want to leave.
Broome owes its existence to the 'Pinctada Maxima' - the world's largest pearl oyster shell - discovered in Roebuck Bay in 1861. The giant pinctada shells caused a sensation overseas and soon a melting pot of nationalities flocked to the shores of Broome in the hope of making their fortune. Japanese, Malays and Koepangers joined the Aboriginal pearl divers, whilst the Chinese became the shopkeepers in town.
Today, remnants of Broome's exotic past are everywhere. The town's multicultural society ensures a wonderful array of gourmet tastes, colourful characters and cultural influences. Pearling still remains a thriving industry and the world famous South Sea pearls feature in Chinatown's string of pearl galleries.
Kununurra, located in the far north, is the eastern gateway to Western Australia's top end and home of outback adventure. With year round warm weather and plentiful water, Kununurra is lush and fertile, and produces much of the State's fruit and vegetables. Developed in the 1960s as a service town for the Ord Irrigation Scheme, it has a population of approximately 6,000 people.
Kununurra has developed into the regional centre for the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley and is the base of development of the Ord Irrigation Scheme, parts one and two. A feature of the town is the extensive waterway which forms the basis of the Ord Irrigation Scheme. The mighty Ord River, once a series of waterholes during dry season, is now a permanent waterway.
From the Diversion Dam upstream to Lake Argyle, the Ord has developed into an intricate and interesting ecosystem of rivers, wetlands and lakes. Surrounding the town itself is a variety of unique and unusual rock formations which are typical of the region. Good examples of the colours and shapes of these formations can been seen at Mirima Nature Park, known locally as Hidden Valley.
The town is the ideal base for an adventure holiday, utilising one of the many four wheel drive cruise or flight operators located in Kununurra. Popular destinations accessible from Kununurra include the Bungle Bungles, Lake Argyle, Gibb River Road, Mitchell Plateau, Ord River, Argyle Diamond Mine, and much more.
For those who wish to be totally independent, local hire car companies can arrange short or long term vehicle hire. Visitors to Kununurra should beware, however, that local rumour has it that once a person has tasted the waters of the Ord River, they are destined to return.
