Kununurra is located in the eastern Kimberley in the far north of outback Western Australia, approximately 37 kilometres from the Northern Territory border and 3,040 kilometres from Perth by road. With a population of approximately 3,800, Kununurra is the largest town in Western Australia north of Broome. The name Kununurra derives from "gunanurang" which means "big river" in the local Miriwoong language. The town is relatively new and was only gazetted in the late 1950s.
Kununurra is the centre of agricultural activities including the growing of melons, mangoes and sugar cane, and also of a thriving tourism industry based around attractions including the Ord River, Diversion Dam, Lake Argyle, and the Bungle Bungles.
Kununurra is located close to the the Ord and Dunham Rivers. Australia's largest artificial lake, Lake Argyle, is 72 km from the town. Lake Argyle is over 100 square kilometres in size. The Ord River Irrigation scheme, around which local agricultural industries have been built, was initiated in the late 1950s. The Ord River was dammed and a diversion dam built 50 km downstream to direct irrigation water to about 750 square kilometres of agricultural land. By 1966 there were 31 farms on the Ord River plains. The second stage of the scheme was completed in 1972 with the opening of the Lake Argyle Dam.
The country around Kununurra includes features such as Black Rock Creek, Valentine Spring and Middle Springs along with many otherx swimming holes and waterfalls. Popular fishing locations include Diversion Dam, Ivanhoe Crossing, Buttons Crossing, and several other locations along the Dunham and Ord Rivers.
Kununurra District High School comprises a primary school and high school teaching up to year 10, with education up to year 12 being catered for via distance education. The town also has several smaller schools including the Barramundi School and St Joseph's primary school. Kununurra has a local hospital, dentist and leisure centre including a 25-metre swimming pool.