Ord River
Quick Facts
How long is the Ord River?
The Ord River is located in Australia’s Kimberley region and it is 320 km long.
Where is the Ord River located?
The Ord River is located near the East Kimberley town of Kununurra. The main Ord River Dam known locally as “top dam” holds back the waters of the Ord River within Lake Argyle. The Ord River Scheme created this man made lake and it is part of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme.
Ord River at a glance
There are always a lot of freshwater crocodiles who grow very large feeding on the plentiful catfish.
You will see the Ord River as we drive into Kununurra and again when you are high up near the dam wall. Not far from Kununurra you can see the Diversion Dam which stores water from the Ord river. This dam is what has produced the massive Lake Argyle. Another consequence of this project was the formation of Lake Kununurra which sits beside the town of Kununurra. Adventure Wild offer the option of a river cruise along the Ord River and back to Kununurra. The river is flanked by the awe inspiring Carr Boyd Ranges. You’ll see an abundance of bird and animal life as you travel down the river.
In this part of the world you sometimes see some unusual sights. We have seen wallabies swimming across the river. There are always a lot of freshwater crocodiles who grow very large feeding on the plentiful catfish. You see them sitting on the banks and it’s quite easy to mistake them for the more aggressive salt water crocodiles because of the sheer size of them.
This place is home to a lot of fish and birds. You may choose to do a fishing trip on the lower Ord River – this is an exciting day out fishing for Barramundi and spotting saltwater crocodiles.
If you’re keen on photography you will especially enjoy cruising on the Ord River. The scenery is stunning and the people who run the cruises on the Ord River are generous with their knowledge. They share a lot of fascinating information about the ecology, geology, flora and fauna of the river. They are passionate about it and that makes the cruise a lot of fun. This family run business arrange a wonderful afternoon tea using local produce. The afternoon tea takes place in a beautiful part of the river.
The Ord River lights up at sunset, amazing pink and golden hues. A cruise on the Ord river is a fantastic experience and people tell us they loved it.