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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Kununurra
Goonoonooram
Give Kununurra 2–3 nights in the dry season (May–Sep) as a base for Lake Argyle, Mirima and the Ord; skip it in the wet unless you want heat, storms and closures.
Kununurra is a small irrigation town in the east Kimberley, 45 km from the Northern Territory border, built around the Ord River dams from 1958. It is a service town with a big backyard: Lake Argyle, Mirima sandstone country, gorges and river cruises. Most travellers arrive by air from Broome or Darwin, or break the long drive on the Great Northern Highway. Two or three nights covers the town and the lake; the Gibb River Road and El Questro need more.
- Country
- Australia
- Local name
- Goonoonooram
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry season)
- Avoid
- Oct–Apr (wet season: heat, humidity, road and facility closures)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–150 excl. bed · Mid A$150–260 excl. bed · High A$260+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$5–7 |
| Pub meal or burger | A$22–35 |
| Supermarket groceries, one day | A$25–40 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$2.00–2.30 |
| Lake Argyle cruise, half day | A$130–180 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KNX · East Kimberley Regional Airport
- 4 km west of town; Airnorth daily from Broome (about 90 min) and on to Darwin; some Perth services. Taxi to town about A$12; no bus.2.5 mi west of town; Airnorth daily from Broome (about 90 min) and on to Darwin; some Perth services. Taxi to town about A$12; no bus.
Typical fares
- KNX airport → town, taxi
- about A$12 (check)
- Mirima National Park, vehicle entry
- A$17 (check)
- Lake Argyle cruise, half day
- A$130–180 (check)
Get around
You need a car: the town is walkable but hot, and the sights (Mirima, Diversion Dam, Ivanhoe Crossing, Lake Argyle) are 5–70 km out. Hire from the airport agencies; fleets are small, so reserve. Free parking, no traffic lights. Fuel at the 24-hour Ord River Roadhouse.You need a car: the town is walkable but hot, and the sights (Mirima, Diversion Dam, Ivanhoe Crossing, Lake Argyle) are 3.1–43 mi out. Hire from the airport agencies; fleets are small, so reserve. Free parking, no traffic lights. Fuel at the 24-hour Ord River Roadhouse.
See and do
Known for
- Lake Argyle
- Mirima National Park (Hidden Valley)
- Ord River cruises
- Kelly's Knob lookout
- Ivanhoe Crossing barramundi fishing
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Argyle | Drive Victoria Hwy east, then Lake Argyle Road (sealed), about 70 kmDrive Victoria Hwy east, then Lake Argyle Road (sealed), about 43 mi | About 1 h each way |
| Mirima National Park (Hidden Valley) | Drive or walk to Hidden Valley Rd, 2 km from townDrive or walk to Hidden Valley Rd, 1.2 mi from town | Under 15 min |
| Ivanhoe Crossing | Sealed Ivanhoe Road north, about 10 kmSealed Ivanhoe Road north, about 6.2 mi | About 15 min |
| Wyndham and El Questro | Victoria Hwy west, about 100 kmVictoria Hwy west, about 62 mi | About 1.5 h |
| Warmun (Turkey Creek) | Great Northern Highway southwest, about 200 kmGreat Northern Highway southwest, about 124 mi | About 2.5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre (Coolibah Drive / Konkerberry Drive)
- Walk to shops, Visitor Centre and cafés; most motels and caravan parks are here.
- Lake Argyle resort village
- 35 km southeast on Lake Argyle Road; the only bed at the lake, so book ahead in the dry.22 mi southeast on Lake Argyle Road; the only bed at the lake, so book ahead in the dry.
- Ivanhoe Road / Showgrounds side
- Caravan resorts and the race club east of town; you need a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Excuse me | Excuse me |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is it safe to swim here? | Is it safe to swim here? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Wet season (Oct–Apr): 35–39°C highs, high humidity, unsealed roads and some tours closed.
- Freshwater crocodiles at Ivanhoe Crossing and other river pools: swimming is unwise.
- Ivanhoe Crossing is submerged after rain and can become impassable; check before driving.
- Long drives with road trains and kangaroos at dusk: plan fuel and daylight.
- WA quarantine rules on fruit, vegetables and plant material arriving from the NT: declare or eat it first.
- Prices are high: goods are trucked in.
Kununurra is a small, low-crime town; the real risks are heat and humidity, crocodiles in river pools, submerged crossings after rain, and long remote drives with road trains and wildlife at dusk.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kununurra yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Lake Argyle
- Mirima National Park (Hidden Valley)
- Ord River cruises
- Kelly's Knob lookout
- Ivanhoe Crossing barramundi fishing
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Kununurra Visitor Centre: www.visitkununurra.com/
- WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions — Mirima National Park: exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/park/mirima-national-park
- East Kimberley Regional Airport (Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley): www.swek.wa.gov.au/airports.aspx
- Agriculture WA — quarantine information for private travellers: www.agric.wa.gov.au/exporting-western-australia/quarantine-information-private-travellers
- Wikivoyage: Kununurra, revision 5042415 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5042415
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
KununurraGoonoonooram
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Kununurra; consulates-general in Perth, embassies in Canberra.
English is the working language; Miriwoong is the local Aboriginal language.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kununurra). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.