Kununurra, Western Australia
Kununurra is a town in the far north-east of the Australian state of Western Australia, a few kilometers from the border to the Northern Territory. In 2011, there were over 4500 inhabitants. Kununurra was established in the 1960s for a large-scale agricultural irrigation project and has since developed into the tourist area of the Kimberley region.
The name is a corruption of the Aboriginal concept Gunanurang, which means in the language of Miriwoong " big river ". This refers to the location on the outskirts of the Ord River.
History: The Ord River Irrigation Scheme
The government- initiated irrigation project at the Ord River, which was the eastern Kimberley enable an economic impetus was realized in two stages.
The Ord River Diversion Dam built - in the first stage was from 1961 to 1963 north of the modern city - which at that time was only in the course of this project. This dam with 20 locks should absorb the water in the rainy season (about 800 mm per year to 80% between December and March ) and " distract " north-east into the plains by means of a channel system. Due to the damming of Lake Kununurra, a recreation area of the city was built, today.
In the second - ambitious - level in 1971 was 55 km south upstream of the 100 m high Ord River Dam, which produced the Lake Argyle. This approximately 10 billion cubic meter reservoir is never empty, so by a regulatory system, the water level of the Ord River Dam between this and the older Diversion Dam can be kept constant always.
At first cotton was grown on about 14,000 ha. The monocultures were 1974, however the Heliothis caterpillar prey. After various experiments with tropical fruits ( grapefruit, papayas, mangoes, melons) and sugar cane cultivation, were abandoned for lack of profitability in 2007 ( high transportation and labor costs in the remote area ), it is continuing its work on a new asset sandalwood; here involves both the Vorzucht the seedlings as well as the cultivation of trees, taking the 2010 already 30 % of the area. In a few years at harvest maturity of the trees is planned to win their oil for the production of cosmetics and medical products.
In a further step plan of 2008, the potential area to be irrigated - ORIA = Ord River Irrigation Area - extended by new channels and pumping stations to further 58,000 ha; a first extension to 8,000 ha is planned to release in 2011 /2012.
Asset sandalwood
The Sandelholzplantagen include the TFS Corporation Ltd. , A publicly traded Western Australian company with experience in Sandelholzanbau and its processing since 1999. Sophistication to Kununurra is the Indian way ( Santalum album), made in India around. 90 % of world exports of partially illegal tropical timber harvesting date. At the Ord River in the tropical climate of the Kimberley's first attempt at breeding in Australia has been undertaken, resulting in the world's largest plantation of this kind arose.
A documentary will be shown in the Sandalwood Factory Outlets about 20 km north of the city interested visitors. The Sandelholzölprodukte, which can be bought in these outlets (perfume, aftershave lotions, massage oils, ointments, soaps, candles), not yet came, however, in 2010 from the local area, but from an affiliate in Albany in the south of Western Australia (Mt Romance Australia Pty Ltd. ). This, in turn, used for their products endemic to the cool temperate climates Australian sandal ( Santalum spicatum ), which is recruited from the wild.
TFS plans starting in 2012 in Kununurra to produce at harvest maturity of sandalwood trees from local cultivation and export.
Infrastructure
Kununurra is provided with all necessary utilities ( shopping center, post office, hospital, police station, petrol station ), it features the Kununurra Airport via an airport for commercial aircraft and is the westernmost settlement on the Victoria Highway 45 km before it expires at the Great Northern Highway, two main long-distance connections in Australia.
Kununurra has four churches, a District High School and two smaller schools.
The tourist resort has several hotel and motel equipment and caravan camp sites with restaurants, art galleries, leisure centers, racecourse and Race Course and a golf course. Among the art galleries that should be emphasized that produces figures and everyday objects from the rare Zebra Stone, a microcrystalline Sandsteinart with zebra - stripe pattern, found only at Lake Argyle worldwide.
The center is created very extensive, and therefore lacks a closed " shopping street" with shops, cafes and restaurants, as they have historically developed cities such as Broome or Darwin.
North of the city -wheel trails lead to waterfalls and rock pools Valentine Springs, Middletown Springs, Black Rock Falls and Ivanhoe Crossing (crossing over the Ord River ) with picnic areas and fishing opportunities. Only during the rainy season they perform plenty of water, but are then also heavier or not accessible at all.
Attractions
Kununurra itself has no sights, but owes its importance to its proximity to infrastructure or centralized access to a number of attractions, including a professional tour Administration ( visitor center with shop and video documentation ) organizes guided excursions. Other objectives are heavier oriented and accessible to individuals who explore it with four-wheel vehicles.
Mirima National Park
The named Aboriginal Mirima and formerly known as the Hidden Valley Mirima National Park extends immediately to the outskirts Kununurras. The main attraction of the park is a spectacular gorge. In addition, the park has some sandstone cliffs, a colorful wildlife and various species of eucalyptus. The park is crossed two not too long hiking trails.
Keep River National Park
36 km east of Kununurra, in the Northern Territory, the Keep River National Park is located. Here you will find a lot of weathered sandstone formations with complex geological structures ( marine deposits, volcanic activity ). Other attractions of the park are huge bottle trees ( Boab Trees ). In a canyon, there are some Aboriginal paintings.
Lake Argyle
The 740 km ² large, man-made Lake Argyle is the largest reservoir and water storage of the continent. It is located 72 km south of Kununurra ( refers to the road link - Boat Compound 55 km upstream ). Swimming in the lake is safe despite the many freshwater crocodiles, as they are quite shy and do not attack people. Excursion boats offer sightseeing trips on the lake, where kangaroos, birds, fish and crocodiles can be seen and for which there can then be bathed - who dares. On the lake there are dozens of small islands that were peaks of the Carr Boyd Ranges before the flooding of the site. With the Lake Kununurra along both lakes irrigate 14,000 ha of fields (as of 2010 ).
Boat trips on the Ord River between Ord River Dam and Diversion Dam are in the tourist offer.
Argyle Diamond Mine
The Argyle Diamond Mine promotes a quarter of the world's annual production of diamonds; among other things, it features exceptionally rare pink diamonds. The mine can be visited on organized tours. It is located about 200 km south of Kununurra at the south end of Lake Argyle off the road network and is serviced by light aircraft. It is an important employer in the region, particularly for Aboriginal people represent 50% of the workforce.
Purnululu National Park
The Purnululu National Park with the world famous Bungle Bungle sandstone formation located 320 km south of Kununurra, offered from where scenic flights over the National Park and guided hikes.
Wyndham
100 km north of Kununurra is Wyndham, a major port city at the mouth of five major rivers. Surrounded by mangroves floodplain city is one of the oldest on the Australian north coast with historical center and museum. In the Three Mile Caravan Park is the largest Boabbaum Australia; its trunk has a circumference of 25 m.
Halls Creek
360 km south of Kununurra is Halls Creek. A few kilometers east are the ruins of the historic gold mining town of Old Hall 's Creek from 1885. Again 150 km south lies off the wheel slope Tanami Road Wolfe Creek Crater National Park. There, left behind a meteorite a 50 m deep crater with a diameter of 835 m.