Kununnurra is the youngest town in WA & was gazetted in 1961 & was developed during the Ord River construction. It is surrounded by waterways & rugged landscapes. Staying right on the lagoon we were able to launch the kayak again despite the freshwater crocs that call this home.
There is quite a large aboriginal community & as all towns like this they love the shady spots through the day.
A great Asian restaurant at the Info Centre, had the best ginger prawns & sweet & sour pork meal we have had for a long time.
Rodney the croc comes in each night to the boat ramp & while he isn't supposed to be fed one of the workmen had a few fish for him. While the water is clear the bottom of the lagoon has a lot of weed & the edges are ringed with grass so after a couple of paddles I am glad to say we didn't sight any of Rods friends & family. While assured by many that the freshies would rather hide they are not something I would like to see swimming alongside.
Some sightseeing around town to local attractions we sampled some Ord River rum at the Hoochery & visited the Sandlawood factory. Indian Sandlawood is now the major crop for the area.
The area around Kununnurra has beautiful soil & all sorts of crops are grown, from mangoes to pumpkins all irrigated by water from the channels off the Ord river. It reminded us of the beautiful cropping areas of the Atherton plateau near Mareeba
The fantastic Ord River Dam is amazing. It is clay core filled & the walls built of local red rock. Situated amongst beautiful red hills & the azure waters of Lake Argyle the natural & manmade landscape become one breathtaking sight.
Durack Homestead has been rebuilt rock by rock on higher ground. The original homestead is now under the water of the lake. The rocks were numbered for reconstruction when it was pulled down, but unfortunately the original kitchen area was lost along with Toyotas & machinery as the water rose too quickly on completion of the dam for everything to be relocated. This home has 30cm rock walls & doors & hallways allow cross ventilation for breezes while the wide verandah shelters the house from the harsh summer sun & temperatures over 40 deg. More Aussie houses should be built this way .. it is a lovely liveable home
Below..... Some of the scenery surrounding the dam
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