Established in 1961, Kununurra is a town in far northern Western Australia located at the eastern extremity of the Kimberley Region approximately 37 kilometres (23 mi) from the border with the Northern Territory. Kununurra was initiated to service the Ord River Irrigation Scheme.
Kununurra is the largest town in Western Australia north of Broome, with the closest town being Wyndham, 100 kilometres (62 mi) away. Kununurra is 3,040 kilometres (1,889 mi) from Perth via the Great Northern Highway.
The town is situated in among the scenic hills and ranges of the far north-east Kimberley Region, having an abundance of fresh water, conserved by the Ord River Diversion dam and the main Ord River Dam.
The tropical agriculture crops grown in the Ord River Irrigation Area have changed over the years. Tourism and mining have also become important to the local economy.
These rare color photos from Kununurra Museum that captured the town area of Kununurra, from the earliest marking out and construction, which had started during 1960, after the Public Works Department had shifted their camp from Bandicoot Bar to the new town site by December 1959.
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| First build ing at town – Government Office, November 1959 |
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| Town Kununurra Marking out Coolibah Drive, Ord River Irrigation Area, November 1959 |
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| Town Marking out Coolibah Drive Kununurra, November 1959 |
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| Afternoon session at Geraldton building Co’s wet canteen (before C&N took over), October 1960 |
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| Afternoon session at Geraldton building Co’s wet canteen (before C&N took over), October 1960 |
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| Cajuput Street, Kununurra, September 1960 |
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| Geraldton Building Company Foreman’s Hut, Kununurra, October 1960 |
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| Hostel Block under Construction and Mount Cyril, October 1960 |
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| Hostel under Construction, November 1960 |
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| House for RA Hamilton ‘The Chalet’ under Construction, November 1960 |
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| Power Station Building Construction, Kununurra, October 1960 |
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| Power Station Building Construction, November 1960 |
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| Public Works Office will be 7 feet off ground, November 1960 |
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| The 1st Two Houses in Kununurra and Kelly’s Knob, November 1960 |
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| The 1st Two Houses in Kununurra, November 1960 |
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| The 1st two houses on Cajuput Street, Kununurra, October 1960 |
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| Town Camp-Still in Tents, April 1960 |
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| Aerial View of the New Town of Kununurra, December 1961 |
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| Children and a wallaby in neighbour’s garden, October 1961 |
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| Children cooling off next to house, October 1961 |
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| Mother and daughter in front of residence in Kununurra, July 1961 |
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| Some of the First houses in Kununurra, 1961 |
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| Building first houses & other buildings in Kununurra, 1962 |
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| Building first houses & other buildings in Kununurra, 1962 |
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| Diversion Dam Worker’s Mess Hall Fire, August 1962 |
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| Diversion Dam Worker’s Mess Hall Fire, August 1962 |
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| Diversion Dam Worker’s Mess Hall, August 1962 |
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| Kununurra Government Hostel and Ord River Club, 1962 |
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| Laundry and Showers, 1962 |
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| Town Admin Building at Kununurra, 1962 |
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| Aerial of first Houses in Kununurra, 1963 |
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| Family and a dog in front of their house, 1963 |
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| Royal Tour Queen speaks from the Club walkway, March 1963 |
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| The Royal Visit to Kununurra, March 1963 |
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| Early image of the Kununurra District High School, 1964 |
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| First housing area in Kununurra with Kellys Knob behind, 1964 |
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| Ord River Co-operative building, this was the first shop & post office in Kunununurra, 1964 |
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| Public Works & Dept of Ag building for Ord River Irrigation (front view), 1964 |
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| Rear of elevated house Kununurra, 1964 |
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| Original R.C. Church just finished circa 1965 |
