Wyndham – East Kimberley has two main townships. Established in 1864, Wyndham is the oldest town in the Kimberley while Kununurra is the youngest, established in 1961. Tourists can gain an understanding of the efforts of pioneers in settling this remote and wild region, while Kununurra is a modern, purposely built town to service agricultural expansion with the introduction of Ord River Irrigation Scheme.
The collapse of Ansett had dire consequences for the Shire for a few years as it was then the sole service provider.
“With both Qantas and Sky West now flying in, this has addressed the 40 per cent drop in tourist numbers shortly after the demise of Ansett,” said Council’s CEO, Chris Adams. “In 2004, there were some 200,000 visitors to the Shire and 55,000 of these flew in. The average stay was six days.”
The Shire has 33 of Western Australia’s 46 rivers. Many of these are wild rivers providing the ultimate experience for the adventurer and ecotourist. Accommodation ranges from five star remote resort style venues to backpackers and camping facilities.
Visitors are primarily interested in ecotourism, barramundi fishing, and four wheel driving, while extended cruises along the beautiful north Kimberley coastline are also increasing in popularity.
