The East Kimberley, in the north-west corner of Australia, is a part of Australia I’ve been wanting to visit for many years! I love the red dirt, warm blue skies, rich wildlife, ancient and unique landscapes, boab trees and the space. All of these things and more make it a great place for road tripping, particular 4WD-tripping! If you like open roads, hiking, scenery, fishing, water sports, waterfalls and waterholes, it might just be the place for your next holiday!
It is also very sparsely populated with humans. Consisting of just a wet and dry season, most tourists will visit from April to October. The heat and humidity of the wet season is very extreme! Although the plus of being there in the wet season is all the waterfalls will be in full flow.
The Kimberley stretches from Broome in the west to Kununurra in the east. For the East Kimberley, the town of Kununurra is the hub and where you can base yourself to explore the area.
Things you need to know before visiting the East Kimberley region
- It’s definitely 4WD territory. You’ll be able to get to some places without a 4WD but quite a few places will be unavailable to you without one.
- It’s a very isolated part of the world. In some of the more isolated areas, you may not have internet or phone reception. In the main town of Kununurra you’ll be fine but have to presume it will be a bit unreliable or non-existent in other areas.
- If you are wanting to stay in some of the more isolated locations, you will need to get in early to book your accommodation. Also the more isolated the location, the more expensive the accommodation and the quicker you need to book yourself in.
- At the time we went it was still affected by staff shortages due to Covid, so service was sometimes a bit lacking. Also chemists and supermarkets were often low in stock for some things.
- It can get very hot even in the dry season so always make sure you go out with sufficient water and do your walking early.
- Make sure your phone is fully charged before heading out for the day – you will be taking LOTS of photos.
- Sunrise is about 5:30am and sunset is about 5:30pm in the middle of the dry season. So keep that in mind because you don’t want to be driving those roads outside of the towns close to dark. Too much chance of hitting a roo or similar!
Getting there
You can fly to Kununurra from the major cities in Australia but not directly (unless perhaps you are live in Perth or Darwin). As far as I’m aware, currently you will need to fly via Darwin or Perth. Before Covid-19, I think Virgin were flying directly to Kununurra and perhaps they will again but at the time of writing this I don’t think that’s the case. Buses are also available from Darwin and Broome. Obviously if you have a few months available to you and are travelling around Australia you will be driving there.
For more details on how to get there via any transport try the website www.rome2rio.com or check out Webjet.
There are the usual companies available to hire a 4WD but again you need to get in reasonably early with your bookings or you’ll miss out.
Kununurra, the tourist hub of the East Kimberley
Kununurra itself is a small outback town of 5000 – 7500 people (depending on where you look up your information) and was established the year I was born! (Not saying when that was – you’ll have to look it up 🙂
It has good facilities for those that live there (sporting, medical etc.), but not a lot of restaurants or cafes for the tourists. But enough, as no-one is going there for a foodie experience! It was established as a service centre for the Ord River Irrigation scheme which has been vital for the development of the agricultural industry in the area.
And of course the town is an important tourism hub for the East Kimberley region. The nearest town of similar size or larger would be Katherine in the Northern Territory which is about a 5 ½ hour drive away! So it is a very isolated area. But luckily there is a lot to see and do.
Places to see and things to do
Apart from the biggest drawcards such as the Bungle Bungles, Lake Argyle and El Questro, there are quite a few less well-known places right on Kununurra’s doorstop that also make it a great place to base yourself. Such as:
- Mirima National Park – Known as the mini Bungle Bungles because of its spectacular red rock formations. It is right on the edge of town and has some stunning landscapes and a few enjoyable walks. Definitely a must!
- Lake Kununurra – The town is situated on this lake. Very pretty and you can do some boat tours around the lake and up the Ord river.
- Diversion Dam – worth a stop at the lookout
- Molly Springs – A great little spot for a swim any time of year and close to Kununurra
- Wyndham – Definitely go to the Five Rivers Lookout, the old abandoned historic township (it’s a few kms past the current town). Also the biggest boab tree ‘in captivity’ is in the Wyndham Caravan Park (which looks like a great caravan park by the way) and is worth a look – it is very old and very huge!
- Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve (close to Wyndham) – a little oasis with wetlands and lots of birdlife
- The Grotto – a waterfall and a great swimming hole. The waterfall of course you may not see in the dry season. But the gorge itself is definitely worth stopping for.
- Black Rock Falls – spectacular, tall waterfall in the wet season or early dry season but there will just be a swimming hole if you go after early dry season.
- There are a few other springs (such as Middle Springs and Secret Springs) around but they are all pretty cold which is perhaps surprising and Middle Springs was a bit stagnant (not suitable for swimming) when we went. Earlier in the year apparently it is fine for swimming and has a waterfall. Secret Springs we didn’t visit but it is meant to be very beautiful.
Lake Argyle
Lake Argyle is a vast, freshwater lake a short drive from Kununurra. It is surrounded by beautiful landscapes and has many islands. Also, lots of wildlife – apparently there 25,000 freshwater crocs in the lake! So you do have to be a bit careful where you swim but the ‘freshies’ tend not to bother eating people (apparently)! Also we saw wallaroos (similar to kangaroos), wallabies and lots of birdlife.
In the wet season Lake Argyle is almost 20 times the size of Sydney Harbour! In the dry season, it’s about 15 times the size. The coolest the water ever gets is 20 celsius (in the cooler dry season of course). There is really only one place to stay there which is the Lake Argyle Resort. It has plenty of camping/caravan spots and also cabins. There is an outdoor/restaurant with some musical entertainment in the afternoon and evening. But you really need to make sure you bring your own supplies with you. You can buy ice-creams etc. but not much else. There is no real shop unless you drive back to Kununurra. But they seriously have one of the worlds’ best infinity pools!
There are quite a few boating tours to choose from or you can hire yourself a BBQ barge, stand-up paddle board or kayak by the hour.
Great bushwalking with fabulous views abound. And mountain biking options exist too. Despite the crocs, swimming is popular or if you are not keen on getting into the water, perhaps fishing might be more your thing.
For those that like history, visit the Durack Homestead Museum based in the Argyle Downs Station home which was moved to its current position so as not to be under water when they flooded the area to create the dam that is Lake Argyle.
We stayed a couple of nights here but it’s not far from Kununurra so quite easy to drive out for the day but I’m glad we stayed here. And it’s one of the places you can get to without having a 4WD vehicle.
El Questro and Emma Gorge
El Questro is a really vast property of 700,000 acres (or over 283,000 hectares). It’s full of ancient landscapes including gorges, waterfalls and water holes, the Chamberlain River and even hot springs. It is definitely 4WD territory with multiple creek crossings. And you will probably need a ‘snorkel’ on your 4WD if you want to get into the El Questro Gorge. We didn’t find that out until we drove into the El Questro Station (accommodation, food/drink, tourist info and bookings). So we missed out unfortunately.
Instead, we visited some lookouts and Zebedee Springs. The Springs are thermal hot water springs and you can get to this part of El Questro without a 4WD. They are only open to the general public in the morning and so it does get quite crowded. But it’s only short walk and very beautiful. There are also various levels of walks around the area including the walk into El Questro Gorge.
Helicopter tours, and various guided tours are available including horse riding, fishing, rugged 4WD-ing and cruising down the river.
Like most very isolated places, the accommodation is not cheap. You can camp or stay in cabins at the Station or for a real upmarket stay you could book into the Homestead.
We spent a night glamping at Emma Gorge within El Questro which was lovely but also very pricey. The bar and restaurant there was excellent though! The main activity at Emma Gorge is the Emma Gorge walk and waterhole/waterfall at the end of the walk. The scenery around is wonderful too. The walk to the waterhole and waterfall is not too far but it will take an hour each way as it mostly boulder/rock hopping! Not an easy walk but it is so worth it when you get there! Stunning place.
Bungle Bungles
I’ve actually done a separate post on the amazing Bungle Bungles. The road out there was the most serious 4WD road off all our time in the East Kimberley. Click here to read more.
Suggested Itinerary for 10 nights in the East Kimberley
We had 12 nights there but would have been happy with 10-11 nights. The cheaper itinerary option (as listed below) is to visit Lake Argyle and El Questro/Emma Gorge without staying overnight as they are not too far away and just base yourself in Kununurra.
This itinerary will involve having all your accommodation in Kununurra except for your stay at the Bungle Bungles. (The Bungle Bungles is too far to visit in a day.) You can get reasonably priced accommodation in Kununurra (but book well ahead to give yourself options). If not camping there is no way that your nights spent near the Bungle Bungles will be cheap. But of course some options will be cheaper than others. See Bungle Bungles post for more details.
Day 1 – Arrive in Kununurra, check in to your accommodation, probably visit the supermarket and the tourist information centre and familiarise yourself with the town. Pop down to the Celebrity Tree Park on Lake Kununurra for a walk – great at sunset. There are freshwater crocs in the lake so I wouldn’t walk too close to the edge. Early drinks and dinner at the pub.
Day 2 – Get up reasonably early for some hiking at the nearby Mirima National Park. Back for lunch and then drive out to Molly Springs for a short walk and a swim. When you head back to town, stop at the scenic lookout for the Diversion Dam. Sunset walk up to Kelly’s Knob (if feeling energetic) where you can get a great view of the town and surrounding area.
Day 3 – Drive out to nearby Lake Argyle and start your day with a morning boat cruise to explore the islands and landscapes and plentiful wildlife. And then pop into the Lake Argyle Resort for lunch or bring a picnic with you. After lunch, visit the Historic Homestead and then drive up to the scenic lookouts just up the road before heading home.
Day 4 – A day trip out to Wyndham for the spectacular Five Rivers Lookout. Amazing views of the Ord, Forest, Durack, King and Pentecost Rivers merging and entering the Cambridge Gulf. From there you can also see the old historic part of the town which is just a few kms from the current position of the town. So drive down there afterwards and have a wander around – quite interesting! Also the large modern jetty there is worth a walk too.
There’s a nice little bakery in the main town for lunch with a pretty outdoor eating area. Perhaps pop into the Wyndham Caravan Park to quickly see the largest Boab tree ‘in captivity’. It’s a whopper!
On your way back to Kununurra, take a detour to Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve. A real oasis! Great views looking down on to it when you drive in too. This reserve is a wetlands area with a lot of birdlife. Although the wetlands area itself is reasonably large, the area that you are able to walk around (boardwalks) is quite small so you won’t be spending a lot of time here.
Last stop on the way back to Kununurra is The Grotto. The Grotto is a magnificent gorge. You walk down the steps to the water hole and waterfall. The waterfall wasn’t still running when we were there but it was still very beautiful. Again, like most of the waterfalls in the area, you need to go before the dry season starts. We loved it here.
Day 5 – Drive out to El Questro – head out early so you can visit Zebedee springs in the morning on the way in. Afterwards drive to El Questro Gorge (make sure your 4WD has a snorkel). You could go to El Questro station for lunch but then you’ll have to backtrack to get to the Gorge. And if you only have one day there I’d skip the Station and just go straight to El Questro Gorge. There is quite a walk in to the waterfall and water hole. So allow the afternoon.
Day 6 – Ord River cruise from Kununurra – There are many options for a boat cruise around Lake Kununurra and up the Ord River and up to the Lake Argyle. But one option is a 6 hour cruise starting late morning. You’ll probably see crocs and plenty of birds and the canyons up near Lake Argyle are absolutely beautiful! The cruise finishes off with a sunset.
Day 7, 8, & 9 – Drive out to Bungle Bungles for 2 nights. See post on Bungle Bungles for more details. On the way back to overnight at Kununurra, stop at Black Rock Falls and Middle Springs.
Day 10 – Head out to Lake Argyle again. This time you’ll be taking a morning hike up to the Bluff Lookout. Great walk – not too hard, not too easy. Good distance and great scenery all the way. After lunch get out on to the water, either kayaking (if you still have some energy) or take out a BBQ pontoon and relax. You could go for a swim or maybe try some fishing off the pontoon. Or just go exploring around the lake.
Day 11 – Before flying home take a short drive out to Ivanhoe Crossing. This river crossing is a concrete causeway over the Ord River and it flows over the causeway all year round. In the dry season you can drive your 4WD over this causeway. Tourists including ourselves, go out there to watch everyone cautiously drive over it. There are crocs on the side of this causeway too so do not walk out on it. Definitely do not swim there!
For a slightly longer, more immersive (and more expensive) holiday, I would stay overnight at Lake Argyle for 2 nights, and El Questro for 2 nights instead of visiting both of those places as day trips out of Kununurra. Allows for a more immersive experience in those other areas and a change of scene from Kununurra itself. And I’d definitely stay an extra night (making it 3 nights) in the Bungle Bungles so you get two full days there.
Please feel free to leave a comment or ask me questions you like on our experiences of the East Kimberleys. Or visit me on Instagram.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this Travel Inspiration from an Empty Nester!
Hi Jenny – great summary, tips and pics. Just makes me want to go – again.
Thanks for that John. Yes, it’s a great area, for sure!