We rolled into Lake Argyle Tourist Village off the back of a long, corrugated stretch out of Katherine, tyres still half-deflated from the last unsealed run, and I remember Hazel saying “it’s just a dam, right?” from the back seat. Fair question. Wrong answer.
Lake Argyle is not “just a dam.” It’s one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the country, built by the Ord River Dam, and it’s so big it makes its own weather. Standing on the eastern shore that first evening, looking out at water that ran to the horizon with the Carr Boyd Ranges glowing rust-red behind it, none of us said much. You don’t, really. You just stand there and recalibrate what “big” means.
What It Is
Lake Argyle sits in the East Kimberley, about 70km south of Kununurra on a fully sealed road — a relief after some of the tracks that get you here. The campground is run by the Lake Argyle Tourist Village, with around 80 powered and unpowered sites right on the lake shore. It’s not a wild, remote bush camp; it’s a proper base with hot showers, a pool, and a kiosk, which after three weeks on the road felt like a fair trade for a couple of nights.
The water itself is the drawcard. No saltwater crocodiles this far inland — freshwater crocs are present but give people who don’t go looking for trouble a wide berth — so swimming in the designated areas is actually on the table, which is rarer than you’d think this far north.
The Sunset Cruise
Book it when you book your site. We nearly didn’t, assumed we’d sort it once we arrived, and were told flatly it was close to full — June through August fills fast. Glad we didn’t risk it. The boat heads out as the light starts to turn, and the whole lake goes from rust to deep orange to something closer to purple, and then the stars come out over water and country that feels genuinely enormous. Cold drink in hand, kids gone quiet for once. Worth every dollar.
Camping Here With Kids
Easy, honestly — one of the more relaxed stops on the whole East Kimberley loop. The pool gave Hazel and James somewhere to burn off energy that didn’t involve a 40-degree walking track, and the sealed access road meant we weren’t nursing the van in on a rough track after a big drive day. If you’re stringing together Lake Argyle, El Questro, and the Bungle Bungles into a loop (which we’d recommend — they sit close enough together to make a proper East Kimberley run), use Lake Argyle as the soft landing between the harder legs.
Gear Notes: What Earned Its Keep
The evenings here get properly cool once the sun drops behind the ranges, and with the whole camp sitting out on the water gawking at the sunset, a warm rechargeable lantern turned our little patch of gravel into something that actually looked like camp rather than a parking spot. We run a Black Wolf Turbo LED lantern — dimmable, rechargeable, no gas refills to worry about — and it’s on every single evening.
If you’re doing the sunset cruise, throw a packable blanket in the esky bag — the water chill comes up fast once the sun’s gone and the boat has no walls. A cheap fleece travel blanket now lives folded under the back seat permanently.
Practical Info
Location: Lake Argyle Tourist Village, East Kimberley, ~70km south of Kununurra Access: 2WD, fully sealed Sites: ~80 powered and unpowered Facilities: Flush toilets, hot showers, pool, kiosk, cruise bookings on site Fires: Check current conditions Nearest town: Kununurra (70km) — Woolworths, IGA, fuel, hospital Book ahead for: The sunset cruise, especially June–August
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend gear we’ve actually used.
We came from Katherine Gorge with the Gibb still ahead of us. Next: the Bungle Bungles, and the road in that makes you earn them.