Lake Argyle

By volume, Lake Argyle is the largest freshwater man-made reservoir in Western Australia and the second largest in all of Australia. The reservoir is close to the East Kimberley town of Kununurra and is a part of the Ord River Irrigation Scheme. Large portions of the Shire of Wyndham-East Kimberley, located on the Kimberley Plateau about 80 km (50 mi) inland from the Joseph Bonaparte Gulf and close to the Northern Territory boundary, were submerged by the lake.

Dravo Corporation finished the Ord River Dam's construction in 1971. The following year, the dam's official opening took place. The dam wall is 98 meters tall and 335 meters long. When comparing the size of the dam wall to the volume of water stored, the earth-fill alone dam wall at Lake Argyle is the most effective dam in Australia. The lake was given the name Argyle Downs after the land it partially drowned.

Lake Argyle, which locals refer to as the Jewel of the Kimberley, is dotted with islands that resemble gems. Due to the warm water, which stays around 30°C for most of the year, families won't have to worry about enticing children into the pool. Go on a bushwalk around the lake to see wildlife, including native birds and rock wallabies. Although freshwater crocodiles can be found in Lake Argyle, they are typically cautious and have no history of attacking people.

Location: near KununurraEast Kimberley, Western Australia