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)
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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.
With its prime position on one of Australia’s most iconic beaches, lush tropical surrounds and exceptional dining, wellness and leisure experiences, Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa is the perfect base for exploring the spectacular Kimberley region
For many travellers, Broome is the gateway to the wild grandeur of the Kimberley – a launch point for epic 4WD journeys along the legendary Gibb River Road, rugged outback tours and expedition cruises tracing the remote coastline. Whether you’re arriving dust-covered from the red dirt or preparing to venture deep into the region’s untamed landscapes, Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa offers the perfect place to begin or end the adventure. The only fully integrated resort in Broome, the property unfolds along meandering pathways that wind through lush tropical gardens, past tranquil lily ponds and hand-carved timber sculptures that subtly guide guests towards reception.
Location
Let friendly staff help you book a camel ride on Cable Beach. (Credit: Tourism WA/ Matt Deakin)
Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa lies just steps from the famed Cable Beach, where the silhouettes of camels crossing the shoreline at sunset have become one of Australia’s most enduring tourism images. The only beachfront resort in Broome, it’s also just a few minutes’ drive to the centre of town, where guests can wander through Chinatown and peruse its pearl stores and galleries or catch a movie beneath the stars at the heritage-listed Sun Pictures.
The friendly team at the resort’s tour desk can also help tailor your stay, whether that’s an iconic camel ride along the beach, a visit to Willie Creek Pearl Farm to discover how the gems are harvested or a guided tour to see the ancient dinosaur footprints revealed among the rust-red rocks of Gantheaume Point at low tide.
Style and character
Walk into an eclectic blend of influences and eras.
Few resorts capture the essence of their surroundings quite like Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa. First opened in 1988, the resort is a celebration of Broome’s rich multicultural past from its Japanese pearl divers to Chinese merchants. The result is an eclectic blend of influences and eras. The resort features wide timber verandas, corrugated iron walls and tin roofs designed to temper the tropical climate. To keep it breezy, Brrome’s signature lattice (a distinct painted timber lattice detailing iconic to the tropical architecture of the Kimberley region) has been used across the resort with two functions – allowing a breeze through while mainting privacy.
Scattered throughout the manicured gardens is an impressive collection of rare Asian and international artefacts. Chinese bluestone lions stand sentinel at the entrance, while terracotta warrior horses, vermillion Japanese torii gates and traditional Shishi (lion-dog) statues lend an air of quiet grandeur. Fragrant with frangipani blossoms and shaded by century-old boab and mango trees, the grounds are also a haven for native wildlife. Birds provide a constant soundtrack, while wallabies and tiny lizards rustle through the foliage.
Rooms
Sleep in comfort and style.
The extensive accommodation options span studios, bungalows, club apartments, villas and suites. Family bungalows draw inspiration from the grand homes of Broome’s pearl masters, translating that heritage into generous layouts, high ceilings and verandahs that open to the gardens. Studios and suites are designed for couples and longer stays, pairing soft coastal tones with private balconies or terraces. While club apartments and suites offer multiple bedrooms, kitchen facilities and seamless indoor-outdoor living.
Food and drink
Tuck into an Asian fusion menu at Kichi Kichi.
The dining scene at Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa reflects Broome’s position at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean and Asia, where coastal produce meets a tapestry of multicultural influences.
Contemporary Asian fusion dishes – from crisp fried pork belly and roast Peking duck breast to Burmese lamb curry – deliver bold, vibrant flavours at Kichi Kichi. While the handmade tortellini filled with pearl meat and prawn served at atmospheric Italian restaurant, Cichetti, is the kind of dish that you will remember long after the final bite. Elsewhere on the menu, find effortless flair across dishes like Wedge Island octopus, market fish crudo and silky goat’s milk panna cotta.
As the sun begins to dip below the horizon, Sunset Bar & Grill becomes the place to be. Here, guests gather over freshly shucked oysters, cured meat platters and buckets of sweet Exmouth prawns. Or, for a quieter evening in, guests can retreat to the comfort of their room and order from Cable Eats, the resort’s in-room dining service.
Pools
Relax by the adults-only Ocean Pool.
Two distinct pool settings invite guests to shape their day exactly as they please. Drift into the calm of the adults-only Ocean Pool, where attentive service delivers dishes such as grilled prawn skewers and salt-and-pepper calamari straight to your cabana or sunbed well into the afternoon.
The mood at the family-friendly Kimberley Pool – framed by a cascading waterfall, the heart of the resort’s recreational precinct – is decidedly more playful. Here, younger guests are catered for with a dedicated kids’ menu of familiar favourites including chicken nuggets, fish and chips and ham-and-cheese toasties, while parents can graze on more refined poolside fare, such as fried squid, soba noodle salad and gourmet burgers.
Chahoya Spa & Salon
Book a treatment at Chahoya Spa.
Chahoya Spa brings a refined sense of indulgence inspired by its Japanese name, meaning “pamper”, with signature treatments including the Kimberley Dreamtime ritual and Chahoya Pearl Massage designed to soothe tired bodies and quiet busy minds. There is also an on-site salon providing personalised cuts, colour services and restorative hair care, ensuring guests leave feeling polished and renewed.
Other facilities
Join a yoga class at the Buddha Sanctuary.
Wellness continues at the Buddha Sanctuary, a serene open-air pavilion just beyond the main resort grounds, where yoga classes are held six days a week amid ornamental gardens and a striking 3.5-metre hand-carved crystal Buddha statue. Beyond the sanctuary, the resort caters to every pace of stay, with a children’s playground, mini golf, tennis courts and a fully-equipped gym. Guests can also browse the resort’s boutique gift shop, home to Allure South Sea Pearls – the brand behind Broome’s first dedicated pearl boutique in Chinatown.
