Excepting the community of Kalumburu, Wyndham is WA’s most northern town with a history of early explorers, the cattle industry, and a meatworks constructed in 1919, which closed in 1986. It’s not on the way to anywhere, and 100km from Kununurra. Although it still has a busy wharf area and the usual crocodile farm attraction for the tourists, there’s not too much else to keep you here. They got commercial television in 1985!
After an accident whilst working on Drysdale River Station in 1989, John flew to Wyndham with the Flying Doctor and spent a week here at the hospital. An entire week. Now that would be challenging. I also passed through on my way to visit him in the Kimberley. I took the mail plane to Kalumburu, stopping at station homesteads on the way. I see this flight is now a well promoted tourist activity for $400!
I think Wyndham’s biggest drawcard is the fantastic Five Rivers Lookout. Guess how many rivers you can see from it? The Pentecost, King, Forrest, Durack and the Ord all join into the Cambridge Gulf here. Unfortunately the smoke haze was quite thick from local fires, so the extent of the view was reduced.

We moved on, heading south towards the Gibb River Road. We stopped for a swim to cool off at The Grotto. This is a permanent pool, said to be 120m deep! No-one reached the bottom jumping from the rope. And I’m glad about that!

You can just see Harry about to launch a jump from the rope.