Head to Kununurra for its great outdoors, to camp under the stars and to engage in its rich Aboriginal culture, and you’ll see why it appears as no. 34 on your list of Top 50 Aussie Towns.
I didn’t want to holiday in Kununurra. I was only going to the East Kimberley town to get groceries on the way to El Questro, a 283,000-hectare slice of majestic Kimberley wilderness.
Then we had car problems. “How dreadful, we’re stuck," my partner said. But up popped the Saturday farmers’ markets with homemade mango ice cream, a fiery sunset atop Kelly’s Knob, and award-winning rums, whiskeys and gins at the Hoochery Distillery. I was hooked.
Visiting the Hoochery Distillery Cafe is a must. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
To think we could have missed this speck on the map, home to about 5300 folks and what feels like as many waterholes, local characters, and stars lighting up the night sky.
Since that first unplanned encounter, Kununurra’s serenity and rugged beauty has lured me back. And not just for a short stopover en route to the famous 660-kilometre Gibb River Road trip between Wyndham and Derby.
The Hoochery Distillery is the oldest operating legal still in WA. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
My Kununurra bucket list for first-time visitors is too long to detail here. But the top three experiences are: flying in a Cessna over the town’s agricultural plains, onto the (now closed) Argyle Diamond Mine and over the otherworldly Bungle Bungle Range; cruising along 55 kilometres of the Ord River with Triple J Tours to spot crocs, ospreys and white-bellied sea eagles; and experiencing Miriwoong Country with an Indigenous guide from Waringarri Aboriginal Arts.
Established in the late 1970s, Waringarri Aboriginal Arts was WA’s first wholly Indigenous-owned art centre. Today, its gallery supports more than 100 painters, boab nut engravers and wood carvers, and its tours take visitors through the stunning sandstone gorges of Mirima National Park.
Explore Mirima National Park with a local Indigenous guide. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
For art lovers, this experience alone could be reason enough to visit. For folks who can’t handle the heat, you’ll need to visit in the coldest month, July, which has an average daytime temperature of about 30° Celsius.
Over the dry season, tourists and farm workers push the population to about 10,000, so make sure to book ahead. Culture fiends should catch the Ord Valley Muster, featuring 30 music, foodie and arty events over nine days (from 19 May until 27 May in 2023).
But want to know a local secret? The best time of year to visit is the wet season (from around December to April) when waterfalls are raging, the skies are on fire and there are only a few hardy visitors in town.
Take in the beauty of the Ord River. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.
Leah McLennan is a freelance writer based in Darwin. She was a journalist in Sydney for over a decade and counts her time as travel editor for Australian Associated Press as one of the highlights of her career. From exploring remote campsites in the Top End with her family, to seeking out new art galleries in faraway cities, she’ll grab an adventurous or arty travel experience within her reach.
Blend the addictive energy of dance, creative cinematic movies, captivating theatre, and energising music during Perth Festival.
Perth Festival has extraordinary roots. Born as a summer community experiment back in 1953, the brainchild of Professor Fred Alexander, it’s now Australia’s longest-running international art-based festival. From its first event at University of Western Australia, it now spans across Noongar Boodjar country (Perth City) bringing worldclass performances into the hearts of ardent festivalgoers. Hundreds of curtain calls, including numerous free events, are set to linger and leave a lasting impression on those who seek thrills that fill life’s in-between spaces. Featuring unmissable highlights from 6th February to 1st March, we’ve done the legwork for you – here’s what’s on, and where:
1. East Perth Power Station
See East Perth Power Station come alive. (Image: Jessica Wyld Photography)
Abandoned, run-down and shutdown in 1981, East Perth Power Station, located on the banks of the stunning Swan River, was reinvented in 2025 as an entertainment venue for the Perth Festival. Pack a picnic, bring the family and kick back under paperbark trees at Casa Musica – a free event featuring a melting pot of world-class musicians from Australian shores and around the globe. The diversity will have you bopping until the final encore.
A decade after David Bowie’s passing, his powerful music lives on in the electrifying show, Rebel Rebel. Powerhouse vocalists join Perth Symphony Orchestra for one incredible night showcasing the singer-songwriter’s iconic hits. Illuminate your world through the eyes of First Nation Noongar artist, Lance Chadd Tjyllyungoo in a free event. His distinctive paintings and Dreamtime stories decorate the Power Station’s walls depicting spiritual beliefs. Or settle in to watch British indie pop singer-songwriter, Nilüfer Yanya.
2. St Mary’s Cathedral
Take in Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth. (Image: Anja Schutz)
Step into the lofty ceilings of Perth’s grandest cathedral, St Mary’s, and soak up choral harmonies. Dating back to 1865, the stained-glass reproductions of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper are a talking point, add talented maestros, and the stage is set to enthral.
The international line-up is impressive. Master Irish fiddler, Martin Hayes takes to the stage with exquisite lyrical compositions from his native land. Åkervinda, an award winning Swedish quartet, weave stories of love, loss, and resilience into harmonious Nordic folk songs. The USA Grammy Award-winning vocal group, Roomful of Teeth, break all the rules. Hear their voices echo through the arched vaulted ceilings.
3. Lotterywest Films
Discover the Lotterywest Films program. (Credit: Jessia Wyld Photograpghy)
One of the festivals longest-running favourites, Lotterywest Films run a rich tapestry of cinematic features showing until 29th of March. Pack a picnic, cushions, popcorn and pop a cork under a Somerville Pine Tree as the sun sets and screenings begin. Cinema lovers, choose your poison from thrillers, deep-dive documentaries, tearjerkers, raunchy rom-coms and side-splitting comedies. The program is fantastically full, the filmmakers the best in the business, and the outdoor setting, unequalled.
4. The Embassy
Step into the old world glitz of The Embassy. (Image: Franz Bato)
Modelled on Perth’s historic Embassy Ballroom, a devilish dance venue that operated in the 1900s, The Embassy in Perth Town Hall, serves sophistication in its A-list shows. Set your sequins a’sparkle at the, What’s TINA Got to Do With It extravaganza where guest artists play tribute as they belt out the glitzy star’s hits. The returning act, Ali Bodycoat & The Embassy Big Band, will have you jiving as you take to the dance floor reimagining a bygone era. Who doesn’t like chocolate? Black-bearded drag sensation, La Gateau Chocolat puts the raw in cacao. World-renowned for his feisty range of storied songs, he reveals the inner-man come artist through his deliciously sweet and intimate act.
5. Unusual locations
Watch a star-studded cast in The Trial. (Image: Cole Baxter)
We’ve all heard of the hit show, The Office, but a spinetingling operatic thriller acted out in disused office space? Philip Glass’ nail-biter, The Trial, has a star-studded line-up. Together they deliver a dramatic ordeal showcasing Oscar-winner Christopher Hampton’s libretto; the suspense lingers after the final bow.
Sit back under starry skies and soak up dynamic dance at Ballet at the Quarry: Incandescence. Four exclusive classical and contemporary acts illuminate the amphitheatre’s stage as Perth City twinkles at nightfall. Mystery excites the mind. West Australian Opera returns again with another ‘secret opera’. Be led from an undisclosed meeting point and let the music lead to the secret.
6. A View From A Bridge
Share your innermost thoughts at A View From A Bridge.
Free, connecting strangers, and inclusive to everyone, artist, Joe Bloom’s collaborative project, A View From A Bridge has one prop – an old red telephone. Talk into the receiver, share thoughts, innermost feelings, memories, hopes and dreams as Bloom captures you from afar. The freedom to speak through the telephone movement has a worldwide following. A range of clips will be shown online.
What else to do in Perth
Taste the best of Perth at eateries like Shadow Wine Bar.
Endless blue skies crown Perth during February, making it the perfect time to explore Australia’s most western capital city. The city might be compact, but it packs a punch when it comes to what’s on. Perth Cultural Centre houses the city’s art-scene venues: Western Australian Art Gallery, WA Museum Boola Bardip and Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).
After exploring the city’s alleyways, hidden corners, and main hub, savour worldclass food in Perth’s vibrant eateries. Award-winning restaurants, rooftop bars, and cafes can be found throughout; the leisurely eat-and-drink scene is literally mouthwatering, so book extra nights.
