Last week I brought you Kununurra’s Ord River from a pleasant, safe and informative cruise with Triple J Tours. This week I experienced it from an entirely different angle. Blasting down river with my fiancé Andy, dressed up as safari explorers in a 25hp dinghy (tinny) as part of the annual Kununurra Dam 2 Dam Dinghy Dash. The Dam 2 Dam is in its 34th year and attracted over 35 boat entries this year, including a huge visitor attendance from as far as Renmark South Australia, and some great local participation.
The Dam 2 Dam began 34 years ago as a fun community event for locals to enjoy the beautiful Ord River from their ‘tinny’s’. Beginning at the top of the river just below the Argyle Dam wall, the race finishes just before the Diversion Dam in Kununurra. A 55 kilometre stretch, with some rather shallow sections and a few underwater obstacles that racers need to watch out for. These days many Kununurra boaties have larger ski boats or fishing vessels, but there’s still many small 30hp or less ‘car toppers’ getting around town and the Dam 2 Dam is a great excuse to dust them off and enter this fun race down the magnificent Ord.
Freshwater Apartments was a sponsor in this event, and I thought it only fitting that I enter the race for the first time in my life. The race is broken down into different classes from 15hp up to 30hp, and 30hp modified for the very keen racers. There were some serious competitors in there but for the most part it was all a bit of fun with much banter, fancy dress, and camaraderie. Just check out some of the pics below to get an idea!
For those not so keen on entering the race, every year the Dam 2 Dam puts on a Champagne Cruise which is supported by Triple J Tours. Capturing the excitement of the race without the preparation of entering it yourself, the Champagne Cruise is ideal for spectators. Returning back to the Kununurra Ski Club, passengers are able to enjoy the rest of the day cheering on the dinghy dashers as they race to the finish line.
A few highlights of the 2015 Dam 2 Dam Dinghy Dash:
- We came third in our 25hp category (I have a feeling this was a small category with only 3 boats but shhhh!)
- We came across a lone boat doing 360’s in the middle of the river, when both skipper and passenger fell out! Could have been dangerous, very glad all were ok!
- Overall winners and long term Kununurra locals – John and Ann Storey.
Kununurra is a beautiful outback town in the heart of the iconic Kimberley Region of Western Australia. An adventure holiday-makers dream, Kununurra offers a host of incredible things to see and do, and quality accommodation including self-contained apartment accommodation and hotel accommodation. Qantas and Virgin Australia fly to Kununurra daily from Perth, Broome and Darwin. Connecting flights to Kununurra from Sydney, Melbourne, or most other states are possible on some days during our busy season of May to October.
Freshwater East Kimberley Apartments is Kununurra’s newest and only 4.5 star accommodation, and winner of WA Tourism Awards Deluxe Accommodation in 2014 and finalist in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2014.
Offering Studio, One, Two and Three Bedroom apartments with kitchenette or full kitchen facilities, we also offer Deluxe apartments with outdoor stone baths, Nespresso machines, and tropical outdoor showers. Our stunning free-form pool has been designed to compliment the Kimberley landscape with it’s own Kimberley waterfall feature and use of local Kimberley stone.
All accommodation at ‘Freshwater’ includes complimentary wifi, Foxtel, guest laundry facilities, BBQ facilities, secure undercover parking, and all guests receive am exclusive 10% discount with HeliSpirit – The Spirit of Australia’s North West. HeliSpirit have 8 bases positioned at iconic locations throughout the Kimberley and Northern Territory.. Offering a range of Kimberley scenic flights to locations such as the Bungle Bungle and Mitchell Plateau.
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About Freshwater’s 52 Weeks of Adventure Challenge
Freshwater East Kimberley Apartments is based in the picturesque town of Kununurra in The Kimberley region of Western Australia and is managed by Kimberley local, Ebony Muirson and her fresh enthusiastic team.
Over 12 months Ebony and her team will be venturing out into their pristine backyard to experience and chronicle 52 different Kimberley adventure experiences. That’s a new adventure every single week for an entire year!
We’re inviting you to come along for the ride by following the blog and joining us on Facebook and Instagram. We will also be announcing an exceptional competition during 2015 so sign up today for your chance to WIN.
On top of this we’re also running a #FresherAdventure photo contest which you can enter or vote on here.
We look forward to seeing you on our journey!
About the Author
Ebony is a Kimberley local and avid adventurer, who moved to Kununurra with her family as wide-eyed 8 year old on a hot and humid April day in 1992. Ebony’s adventures as a child growing up in one of the world’s last remaining frontiers inspired her to pursue a career in tourism where she would be able to share her love of the region she calls home with people from across the globe. Ebony has spent years working on the remote Kimberley Coast before returning to Kununurra to manage Freshwater Apartments. In 2012 Ebony was selected as a North West Ambassador through Australia’s North West’s Characters of the Kimberley campaign.
Ebony loves nothing more than helping create a once in a lifetime holiday for visitors to the Kimberley and looks forward to sharing her own Kimberley Adventures throughout the following 12 months.
Please JOIN THE ADVENTURE by following our blog, as Ebony and her team chronicle 52 weeks of unbelievable Kimberley adventure experiences.
Freshwater East Kimberley Apartments is located only 2.5km from Kununurra Airport and two minutes from the town centre (by car).
