The hidden treasures of the outback town of Kununurra

A laid-back outback town with hidden treasures? In Western Australia, Fleur Bainger finds Kununurra’s far-flung retreats, magnificent rock formations and colossal waterfalls are the rewards for those who go in search of them.

A boat making its way on King George Falls — The spectacular King George Falls. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Lurking through the looming rock domes of the Bungle Bungles by moonlight is not something that happens on a regular basis. In fact, I’ve had to cajole my guide to take me under the night’s blanket of Kimberley stars. Still, his eyes did light up at the suggestion and now I see why. Totally alone, we follow a dirt path between rugged 350-million-year-old forms. Hundreds of them have been sculptured and horizontally banded in black and orange by the greatest artist of all, Mother Nature. Some rise 300 metres tall, throwing huge oval shadows emboldened by the full moon.

Boab Trees during sunset — Boab trees dot the horizon at sunset near Kununurra. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Purnululu National Park

Purnululu National Park, which holds the Bungle Bungle Range and thoroughly deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status, feels about as remote and raw as it gets. Yet it’s only about 300 kilometres from Kununurra, the eastern Kimberley’s civic hub. The outback town of 5000 people is lined with saffron-red dirt, facing a lake rippling with barramundi and surrounded by fields of chia, sandalwood and mango trees. It’s a place that isn’t fancy or posh; instead, it garners instant affection for being its true-blue self. Even the pink diamond boutiques (the world’s rarest diamond was mined nearby until 2020) are unpretentious.

Kununurra, Lake Argyle — Kununurra is a place that deserves more attention. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Despite its many wonders – from dramatic waterfalls to hideaway gorges and the largest island-studded lake in the southern hemisphere – Kununurra remains under the radar for most Australians. Hit by the COVID-19 yo-yo – forgotten in 2020, swamped in 2021, and now fearful of the impact WA’s unpredictable borders might have in 2022 – Kununurra is a place that deserves more attention. Even, if you ask me, equal billing with its dramatically different neighbour, beachy, buzzy Broome. So, let’s get acquainted.

Marvel at the Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu National Park. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Marveling from above

While driving into the Bungle Bungles from Kununurra is a top-shelf adventure, flying comes with the bonus of understanding the scale of the rock forest from above. Most aerial tours take in Lake Argyle, the aforementioned lake so big it inundated more than 70 mountains when it was dammed, turning them into uninhabited islands. I’ve opted for a special chopper jaunt that includes a James Bond-style landing on one of the isles’ elevated sides. I emerge to wrap-around views of flat, velvety water, rubbly red islets and glimpses of the nearby resort’s famous infinity pool. The pilot is a local, sporting the regional uniform of cobalt workman’s shirt and subdermal tan, and he’s clearly at home touching down anywhere I point. He tells me pilots come from everywhere to supercharge their flying hours in Kununurra; the airport is a hive of light aircraft, float planes and helicopters.

An aerial view of the El Questro Homestead located on the Chamberlain River, near Kununurra. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

I take his word for it and join a scenic flight over the King George Falls, twin cascades that plummet 100 metres down, flanked by dramatic red cliffs. From above, I can trace the waterway winding inland through the vast, boab-dotted landscape, collecting the wet season’s abundant rains before dumping them over the edge. We land just beyond, at the bush hideaway, Faraway Bay. The solar-powered retreat, rebuilt after a wet-season cyclone in 2005, is relatively simple given its nightly price tag. But as I relax into the casual Kimberley vibe, I realise it’s an exact fit for this barely populated wilderness. Overlooking an empty beach (save for a resident croc or two), the handcrafted dipping pool and swinging hammock become coveted spots when I’m not hiking through scrub to rarely seen rock art or sitting around the campfire talking food with the chef.

View from the HeliSpirit — Chart the course of the Lower Ord River with HeliSpirit.

Marveling from the water

One day, we boat along the King George River, reaching the falls some 12 kilometres in. This time we’re at toe level, an entirely different and rather humbling perspective. The vessel nudges up to the splintering water and we allow ourselves to be saturated with heavy, gravity-bound droplets. It’s thrilling.

Take the iconic drive along the Gibb River Road to El Questro.

Before I move on, I have to share Faraway Bay’s other little secret: the spring-fed showers. Essentially a water tank with no roof and open to the front, each private outdoor ‘en suite’ spells out the freeing nature of the Kimberley’s secluded environment. Showering gleefully by night as I’m enveloped by black amplifies the Milky Way to a brightness I can’t tear my eyes from.

Meet the local wildlife at Lake Argyle. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Gibb River Road

Returning to Kununurra, I round off my epic exploration with a 4WD trip to El Questro Station, which lies 110 kilometres away, off the rough-and-ready Gibb River Road. The drive alone captivates: the Cockburn Ranges, which have been likened to a rock fortress, gaze down in weathered red greatness, moving behind us as we turn to rev through the Pentecost River. Opposite is the vast cattle station turned wilderness park, loved for its multi-tiered access: exclusive at the homestead, casual at the station and basic in the campgrounds. The lure is, of course, nature, with gorges, cliffs and springs open to all. Its egalitarian nature is very Kununurra, and spreads to guests who greet each other on hikes and chatter beside waterholes. Like its setting, it is a special, spirited place, one that deserves everyone’s attention.

The captivating Cockburn Ranges — See the captivating Cockburn Ranges. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

You can fly direct to Kununurra from Perth, Darwin and Broome with Airnorth and Qantas.

Staying there

While in town try Freshwater Apartments , then 4WD to El Questro and fly to Faraway Bay .

Eating there

Must-tries include local mango smoothies and anything with chia seed and boab tuber. Head to Wild Mango Cafe & Gelato for lunch and Hotel Kununurra for dinner in the beer garden.

Playing there

Take a Helispirit chopper adventure and scenic flight with Aviair or Kingfisher Tours .

When to go

Kununurra is at the eastern tip of the Gibb River Road. It enjoys two distinct seasons: the dry (April to October) and the wet (November to March). As you’d expect, the dry is clear, sunny and toasty while the wet, commonly known as ‘waterfall season’ here, is a hot and humid period of lightning storms, downpours and rushing waterfalls.

Starry sky at the Bungle Bungle Range — The Bungle Bungle Range, lit up by the starry night sky (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Time your visit to Margaret River just right, and you can spend the ultimate weekend wining, dining and exploring the region with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.

Wine, world-class produce, surf, sun and beaches: it’s an alluring combination. And the reason so many pin the Margaret River region high on their travel hit-lists. There’s drawcard after drawcard to the southwestern corner of Western Australia, and the Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover food and wine festival showcases the best of it over the course of one weekend in November. It’s never been easier to sip, see and savour the Margaret River region.

In partnership with Pair’d Margaret River Region, Range Rover invites you on a seven-day itinerary of refined adventure, where luxury and exploration go hand in hand. It’s the perfect WA road trip, and there’s no better way to do it than in a Range Rover.

Day 1

the pool at Pullman Bunker Bay — Check into Pullman Bunker Bay.

There’s no more popular West Australian road trip route than that between Perth and the Margaret River Region. It’s an easily digestible, three-hour drive, with worthy pit stops along the way.

Make the first of them one hour and 15 minutes in, at Lake Clifton. Here, find a 2000-year-old living thrombolite reef. Drive for a further 40 minutes and chance meeting some of Bunbury’s dolphin population at Koombana Bay.

Pullman Bunker Bay is the final stop, just over three hours south of Perth. This beachfront, five-star resort is the ultimate base for exploring the Margaret River Wine region.

Day 2

After a leisurely morning breakfast with an ocean view, start your Range Rover and head towards the Dunsborough town centre. Browsing the decidedly coastal-themed goods of the town’s many independent boutiques is a great way to while away the hours, breaking up the sartorial with an artisan gelato snack stop, or some good old-fashioned Australian bakery fare.

Leave room; you’ll need it for the Good Natured Gathering dinner at Wayfinder. Indulge in a four-course feast by chef Felipe Montiel, which uses produce from the winery’s market garden to enhance a selection of sustainably sourced seafood and meat. But food is just the support act. It’s organic wine that’s the star of the show, generously poured and expertly paired to each dish.

Day 3

Settle in for cabernet at Cape Mentelle Winery.

With a grand total of 20 wines from vintage 2022 to try, it’s a good thing Cape Mentelle’s International Cabernet Tasting kicks off early. Make your way to the estate for a 10:00 AM start, where a global selection of wines will be poured blind, before a long lunch by Tiller Dining is served.

Given that the Margaret River is responsible for more than 20 per cent of Australia’s fine wine production, it’s only right to delve into it while in the area.

Continue exploring the region via taste and terroir aboard Alison Maree, a whale-watching catamaran, as you cruise Geographe Bay . Admire the rolling green hills and crisp white beaches of Quindalup in sunset’s golden light, all the while sipping through the Clairault Streicker catalogue and dining on canapes.

For a more substantial dinner, venture into Busselton for a seven-course British x Australian mash-up , courtesy of Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion) and Oliver Kent (Updown Farmhouse, UK). They’ll be putting their rustic yet refined spin on the likes of local marron, wagyu and abalone – championing the simple beauty of the world-class ingredients.

Day 4

Wrap your fingers around a wine glass and wiggle your toes into the sand at Pair’d Beach Club x Range Rover on Meelup Beach. Sit down to an intimate wine session with sommelier Cyndal Petty – or a four-course feast by Aaron Carr of Yarri – and revel in the open-air beach club, bar and restaurant’s laidback coastal vibe. It’s a whole new way to experience one of the region’s most renowned beaches.

Follow up a day in the sun with a casual Italian party at Mr Barvel Wines . Purchase wines –including the elusive, sold-out Nebbia – by the glass and enjoy canapes with the towering Karri forest as a backdrop.

If you’d prefer to keep it local, head to Skigh Wines for the New Wave Gathering , where the region’s independent wine makers and their boundary-pushing wines will be on show. Street-style eats, a DJ and complimentary wine masterclasses complete the experience.

Day 5

pair'd Grand Tasting — Taste your way through Howard Park Wines. (Image: C J Maddock)

Spend the morning at your leisure, driving the winding roads through the Boranup Karri forest in your Range Rover. Soak in the views at Contos Beach, and call into the small cheese, chocolate and preserve producers along the way.

Make your next stop Howard Park Wines for The Grand Tasting presented by Singapore Airlines . Numerous wine labels will be pouring their catalogues over four hours, accompanied by food from chefs Matt Moran and Silvia Colloca, with live opera providing the soundtrack.

Cap off a big weekend with one last hurrah at Busselton Pavilion. Six ‘local legends’ – chefs Brendan Pratt (Busselton Pavilion), Mal Chow (Chow’s Table), Aaron Carr (Yarri), Ben Jacob (Lagoon Yallingup), Corey Rozario (Dahl Daddies) and Laura Koentjoro (Banksia Tavern) – will be preparing a dish each. Dance the night away as vinyl spins and the sun sets on another day.

Day 6

Ngilgi Cave western australia — Head underground. (Image: Tourism WA)

After a busy few days of wining and dining, it’s wise to observe a rest day. There’s no easier task than unwinding in the Margaret River Region, also famous for its high concentration of world-class beaches.

Relax on the grassy knoll as you watch the region’s most experienced surfers braving the World Surf League break at Surfer’s Point, or don your own wetsuit and try out one of Gracetown’s more beginner-friendly waves. Swimmers will find their Eden at Meelup Beach, Eagle Bay, or Point Piquet, where the sand is brilliantly white and the water as still as a backyard swimming pool.

Not into sun, sand, and surf? Head underground at Mammoth Cave, just one of the region’s many stalactite-filled caves.

Day 7

Burnt Ends event at Pair'd — Farewell the Margaret River.

Pack up your Range Rover with new favourite wines and newfound memories, ready for the three-hour journey back to Perth.

Prebook your discovery journey through the south-west corner of Western Australia with Pair’d Margaret River Region x Range Rover.