Kununurra Sun - September 2022

Kununurra Sun

HELLO

Wow - August is done and dusted. What a month!

From the delectable Taste of the Kimberley extravaganza, to the back-to-back weekends of glamming up for the races, social sporting teams getting closer and closer to their grand finals and the epic endurance of the Lake Argyle Adventure Race, we’re exhausted!

But we’ve shaken out the glitter in our hair from Pride Weekend, our feet have finally recovered from wearing heels for the first time in 12 months and we’ve waved goodbye to all our visiting friends and family.

Dare we say it, but bring on the humidity and quiet time of the build up!

While August felt like a year's worth of social events wrapped up into 31 days, we are excited for what September brings.

First of all, we can’t wait for the Kimberley Writers Festival and its many different events. From hearing award-winning authors such as Josh Kemp and Caroline Overington speak about their life, to solving the Murder on Maui mystery, it's going to be a jampacked weekend of words and wisdom.

We had the privilege of visiting the new Kununurra Splash Park before its opening date and boy, we are excited to see the response from the community. We may be fully fledged adults but you can guarantee Team KNX Sun will be lining up for those slides!

Mandy from Kununurra Community Kitchen shared with us her journey from life in London, to now dedicating her time to ensure those who are needy in the community are supplied with wholesome meals each week. She also gave us a cracking recipe to test out - head to page 25 to find out what it is.

We’re looking forward to seeing who hooks a winner at the Kimberley Coastal Camp APEX Barra Bash and who will be the lucky winner of the $18,000 tinny. And look, we’re not into bribes but just in case, we’re a size ‘all inclusive stay at Kimberley Coastal Camp’ if anyone is wondering.

Finally, we wanted to say a big, fat thank you to everyone who has supported us and purchased our new merchandise. It was always a dream to create KNX Sun merch to share far and wide but to see it actually come to life, and spot you around town wearing our tees and hats, well, we are just a little bit amazed. Every purchase goes back into creating the magazine, so while you're probably just stoked to have a new hat or shirt, you're actually keeping KNX Sun shining bright.

We also wanted to thank everyone who jumps on board to help each month. Putting each edition together really does take a village! Whether it's to proof read our stories, be a model in our impromptu photoshoots or simply just give us a lead on a new story in the community - we thank you!

Have a bloody bonza September!

PAGES 6-7

Taste of the KimberleyWrap up

PAGES 10-11

Kununurra Community Kitchen

PAGES 18-19

Wearable ArtCoralee McCarthy

PAGES 8-9

Splashing Into TownKununurra Splash Park

PAGES 14-15

Kimberley Coastal Camp APEX Barra Bash

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Kimberley CreativeLucy Shorter

Captured in KNX

We want to see how you enjoy all the East Kimberley has to offer. Share your adventures with us by using #knxsun across Instagram to be featured.

Team KNX Sun

CREATIVE DIRECTORS:

ROSIE DUFFY & JESS BUCHAN

PHOTOGRAPHY:

JESS BUCHAN (unless stated otherwise)

EDITORIAL:

ROSIE DUFFY, JESS BUCHAN, ELIZA PARRY-OKEDEN

ADVERTISING ARTWORK:

SEBASTIAN TASI

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What's On In September

KIMBERLEY WRITERS FESTIVAL

Festival Opening Cocktail Party - Friday 9th September - Kununurra

School & Community Library

Join all of the fabulous guest artists and authors for the offical Festival opening. Enjoy a glass of wine, canapes and an introduction to this year's guests. 7pm - 10pm. Free entry but bookings essential.

The Main Event - Saturday 10th September - Kununurra School & Community Library

Throughout the day, the Library will host a variety of author talks, panel events and storytelling. 9am - 4pm. Free entry

Murder on Maui - Saturday 10th September - Hotel Kununurra

You are invited to Maui for a murder. Once again, the murder mystery dinner show will take over Hotel Kununurra. Come along in your best hula skirt, loudest shirt and flower leis to help solve the crime. 6:30pm - 9:30pm. Tickets $80 per person.

Literary Brunch on the Ord River - Sunday 11th September

The highlight of the Kimberley Writers Festival, The Triple J Tours and Ord River Roadhouse Champagne Brunch Cruise is not to be missed. Cruise up the Ord River to Triple J's Echo Point Camp for a glass of bubbles and brunch before listening to our guests read from their books and tell stories from their lives. Departs from Celebrity Tree Park at 7:15am. Tickets $90 per person

KUNUNURRA NETBALL ASSOCIATION FINALS

Friday 9th September - Kununurra Netball Courts

It's game on as two teams go head to head in the Kununurra Netball Association Grand Final. Come down and support your favourite team!

SKI BEACH NIGHT MARKETS

Sunday 25th September - Ski Beach

Enjoy the sunset food market at the Ski Club, featuring local food businesses. There will be bar services available so no BYO. No swimming allowed. 3pm-8pm. Gold coin donation on entry.

24TH ANNUAL APEX BARRA BASH

Fri 23rd to Sunday 25th September - Ski Beach

Avid anglers in the North West are preparing to compete for catching the biggest barramundi at the 24th Apex Kununurra Barra Bash which is proudly sponsored by Kimberley Coastal Camp. Over $50,000 dollars worth of cash and prizes on offer. Enter at Ski Beach from 9-5pm Friday & 7-10am Saturday. Good luck to everyone involved.

For more information, visit Apex Kununurra Barra Bash on Facebook.

Boornbeg goowinda dawang

‘The country is warming up’

MIRIWOONG TO ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Kununurra Sun acknowledges the Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands throughout the Kimberley and in particular the Miriwoong and Gajirrawoong people of Kununurra and surrounding areas where we live, work and welcome visitors from afar.

Local & fresh

Come in and try the wide range of great tasting food choices including sandwiches, wraps and salads. Also, did you know Subway Kununurra sell subway pizzas? Subway, Eat Fresh!

Taste of the Kimberley

Kununurra was abuzz with excitement in early August when the Taste of the Kimberley transformed the Picture Gardens into a foodie wonderland, serving up tasty culinary delights for the welcoming (and rumbling) bellies of locals.

As well as tantalising our taste buds, the events that made up Taste of the Kimberley celebrated the diverse produce from our region as well as giving people a damn good excuse to frock up and get out and about to catch up with family and friends.

The community supported the events in droves, with two of the three events selling out, a nod to the work Ord Valley Events put into delivering the program.

Even more exciting, the positive response from the community means potential for growth of the event in the coming years.

Firstly, it would be rude (and also slightly self-indulgent) to not chat about the highlight of the Boab Metals FEASTival –the hotly contested ‘Sizzlefest Sausage Championship’.

Seven teams took on the challenge of concocting a recipe that championed local flavours and ingredients.

Murray Salter at Tenderspot Butchers kindly helped teams mix and make their 10 kilograms of sausages which were

cooked up on the night for the public to taste and vote on to determine the inaugural ‘Taste of the Kimberley Sizzlefest Champion’

Kununurra Sun’s very own Jess Buchan, along with her teammates Kellie Butler and Tom ‘Davo’ Davidson of team ‘Not Too Sage’ took out the prize for Best Regional Flavour, scoring themselves a $500 voucher to Tenderspot Butchers.

Taking out the main prize of Taste of the Kimberley Sizzlefest Champions were the ‘Sorby Sizzlers’ who in a keenly contested sizzle off, came out on top, by a mere two votes. The winning snag ‘Dark and Sorby’ featured Hoochery Spiced Rum, Matsos Ginger Beer, Boabs in the Kimberley Chilli, Mango and Boab Chutney and a blend of exotic spices – a true Kununurra specialty.

Tenderspot Butchers will soon be making a limited release batch of Dark and Sorbys - so get in quick as they will fly out the door (if sausages have wings that it is!)

In addition to winning the specially commissioned “Sausage Kings” themed trophy, the Sorby Sizzlers received $2,000 in prize money which the team generously donated to the Kununurra

Images: Landi Bradshaw/Ord Valley Events

Community Garden Kitchen and Kununurra Picture Gardens to support the great work that each of these groups provide in town.

Congrats to all teams who entered the Sizzlefest. Team ‘Not Too Sage’ are already planning their recipe for next year to contend for top spot!

We caught up with Boab Metals Managing Director Simon Noon, and Sorby Sizzler team member, to ask for the ‘blend of exotic spices’ that were added to the award-winning sausages, but much like Colonel Sanders, he wasn’t giving away anything.

Although, he did make it very clear that Boab Metals were delighted to sponsor the FEASTival.

“Seeing everyone who came along have a great time and enjoy all of the delicious food, produce and talent that Kununurra has to offer was very satisfying,” Simon said.

“Congratulations to the Ord Valley Events team for organising and delivering such a really memorable evening.”

The Ord Valley Farm and Food Tour early on Saturday morning was something special with local farmers Matt Gray, Rob Boshammer, Kalyn Fletcher and Christian Bloecker giving guests rare access to their farms and the knowledge they have of the history and direction of the Ord and farming in the region. Finishing in Mirima National Park with a delicious morning tea by Blak Tapas, this unique farm tour was four hours of highlights.

That evening, a spectacular Kimberley full moon set the scene for the Red Range Cattleman’s Dinner, under a stunning starry night sky.

This coupled with a delicious menu curated by acclaimed Western Australian chef, Sophie Budd, featuring predominantly local produce and flowing drinks and music from local band SpinFX left everybody with a smile and a full belly.

The Taste of the Kimberley was such a vibrant event, and for many of us, exactly what we needed after many pandemic related disruptions to other key East Kimberley events. Ord Valley Events did an incredible job organising the event and creating a new destination experience for the East Kimberley.

Ord Valley Events General Manager, Margot McTaggart said as organisers, they were very proud of the Taste of the Kimberley and wanted to thank everybody who attended the events.

“The enthusiasm of everybody involved, whether it be industry, volunteers, sponsors, guests or suppliers, has been an incredibly positive experience that we hope to continue for years to come,” Margot said.

“We hope to see Taste of the Kimberley become an annual event in the West Australian destination experience calendar, with an expanded program celebrating and showcasing tourism and agriculture across the Kimberley.”

“We would especially like to thank our partners. Putting on an event like Taste of the Kimberley would not be possible without their support. Their partnership, enthusiasm, participation, and support are greatly valued”

For us at Kununurra Sun, we are looking forward to watching the Taste of the Kimberley grow and become an annual highlight for the town.

A highlight of the evening was the exceptional farmer’s panel hosted by Matt Brann.

Kununurra Yawoorroonga-woorr Splash Park

WORDS BY ELIZA PARRY-OKEDEN

I recently learned a new word: Anemoia. According to my sources (TikTok), it's a relatively new one, and basically means to feel nostalgia or a sense of longing for a past you have never lived. Google also suggested that the word was German, but I’m open to being corrected as the internet has been known to lie to me before.

Anyway, despite its murky origins, nothing in my recent memory has tickled my anemoia quite like the soon-to-be opened Kununurra Yawoorroonga-woorr Splash Park. Which is odd because I visited a waterpark exactly once when I was a pre-teen, and it was the water squirting out of the ground kind. Maybe it’s the backyard sprinkler on steroids vibe, or the fact that I spent my childhood pretty sure that I was a mermaid from H2O: Just Add Water, that gives a giddiness in my belly and an undeserved level of childhood goldenglossed nostalgia in my head. I can’t be sure, but I’m here for it.

The Kununurra Yawoorroonga-woorr Splash Park - located in the centre of town, adjacent to the Kununurra Leisure Centre - is the latest, and perhaps most ambitious, piece of community infrastructure to be built by the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley in recent years and is due to fling its gates open to the public in September. While there have been a few construction delays, mostly due to shipping from overseas and the rigorous water testing

required to satisfy regulations, the project is in its final stages of completion. The space signals a push for postCOVID recovery infrastructure by the WA Government and celebrates our three most valuable local assets: culture, landscape and water. It will also be, most importantly, a safe place to have fun.

The Splash Park has been in talks around town for a while now - almost 10 years in fact. The bloke at the helm of the project, our local Shire President Cr David Menzel, can attest to this, as he has been a strong advocate for the project and the benefits that it will bring to the community for most of that time. He has dozens of waterpark plans on his filing cabinet at home to prove it, and distinctly recalls a family trip to Perth a decade ago; it took days because they stopped in every town with a water park along the way to compare designs and take photos for reference. It seems fitting then, that he is now one of the key figures spearheading the build.

The long-requested community precinct finally gained momentum a couple of years ago, reigniting an old discussion.

“Our local state member offered us some funding to create a waterpark to give kids somewhere safe to play in town, rather than having to go down and fight it out with the crocodiles.” Unfortunately, the sum, while generous, was not enough to build the epic piece of infrastructure that they had in mind. “That was a great offer,” he says, “but it wasn’t quite enough money to do something significant.” After a bit of perseverance, endless amounts of patience, and working through the Department of Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray, the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley struck gold.

“We ended up with a really significant amount, so it’s gone from a few sprinklers in the ground to something that we believe will be a real catalyst for getting people together in the centre of the town,” David says, “Somewhere nice and safe for people to recreate and socialise.”

The Splash Park aims to cater for a wide range of the community, from an early childhood section to the aforementioned ‘big kid’ slides. Mostly, the Shire hopes that it can be a place that the community spectrum can enjoy together. “All abilities' access was a pretty significant part of the planning process,” he says, “we can just about cater for everyone we can possibly think of.” He highlights the importance of the Splash Park as a family space, incorporating elements that will appeal to all ages and interests. “Some of it’s pretty action orientated and some of it’s more sensory, and that’s really important I think.”

The Shire ensured that key stakeholders in the project, such as Waringarri Arts were included in the design process and

have assisted with colour scheme, motifs and intricate panel work throughout that feel relevant to the area and help give the structure a sense of belonging. A splash of the Kimberley if you will.

“Between the boabs and the crocs… that sort of locates it pretty firmly in the Kimberley,” David says, but still he is satisfied that the structure blending into a distinctly Kimberley landscape has been a common goal throughout the project. “I hope it has a really Kununurra or Kimberley feel, rather than a colourful structure just plonked down in there,” he says. “I hope this has a sense of place attached to it as well.”

So, of all the community infrastructure projects going, why a waterpark? “Our climate demands that we have water – we use that to deal with our climate to a great extent,” David says frankly, before adding, “We’ve got lots and lots of inappropriate places to swim and a limited amount of places where it’s safe to swim.” He notes that while we have a local swimming pool, there is a level of formality, for example paid entry and designated swimming zones, in the nature of the Kununurra Leisure Centre that inhibits the user-friendliness that the Shire are aiming for. On the contrary, the Shire plans to open the Splash Park seven days a week, free of charge to the community at large – the more the merrier! “We’ll try to keep it open as much as possible, and as secure as possible when it’s not open.”

While the exact opening hours are yet to be defined, it is likely that onsite management will be necessary to an extent, mostly due to the target age range of some of the slides. “It was really demanded by the community when we went out to consultation that we have something a little bit more than your standard ground features.” he says, “We thought it was really appropriate to try and encourage the teenagers.” It sounds both exhilarating and terrifying.

The water used will come from the town’s supply – it’s recycled and treated onsite, which David laments is the big expense, “unfortunately more than half of the money is underground and no one will ever see it” however this ensures that the quality of water remains tip top and up to spec. It also leads us into discussing the value of the precinct as a job generator for local businesses and trades, “While the design company and the head contractor are Perth-based, like most of us trying to work in the Kimberley, you use all local contractors because they are the ones who are going to maintain it and fix it.” It’s nice to hear that all the electrical, plumbing, landscaping and other bits and pieces are pretty much all Kununurra-based tradespeople.

Speaking of Kununurra locals doing their bit, David and the Shire hope that once the facility is open, the community will respect the precinct and assist by looking after the facility.

He also says that this has generated a large amount of scepticism from the project, since the early days of discussions.

“People are concerned about whether we’ve just done a stupid thing and whether it will be vandalised,” he says. “We’ll have cameras and lighting and secure fencing when it’s out of operation - we’ll do our best to protect it.”

The Kununurra Sun team virtuously put themselves forward as potential guinea pigs for a test run-through before the space was opened to the public (the things we do for you people, honestly), only to find out that most of the councillors had already done the same. We were apparently juuusssssst out of the demographic age bracket for the test run… though David assures us that we’ll be more than able to make up for lost time once it’s up and running. “There’s no age limit – if you can climb in it, fit in it, you can use it.”

There will be a grand opening - pump up the floaties, and keep your eyes peeled!

COUNCIL CONNECT

SHIRE OF WYNDHAM EAST

KIMBERLEY

@ShireofWyndhamEastKimberley

REVIVE & SHIRE RECYCLING GUIDE

Did you know we have a recycling guide available? We’ve teamed up with Revive to provide the community with a quick guide that list items that can be recycled and where you can take them.

Scan the QR code to get a copy.

2022 Baby Tree Program Registration now open

The Shire is pleased to advise that the application for the 2022 Baby Tree Program is now open. If you have had a baby on or since 1 Jan 2022, you are eligible to have your child’s name on a plaque. (Scan QR to register).

Participants will be invited to attend the annual Baby Tree Ceremony held in Kununurra and Wyndham on Australia Day 26 Jan 2023.

NOTE: Completed registrations must be received on or before 5 Jan 2023. Please note incomplete or late registrations will not be accepted.

Scan the QR Code to take our quick survey or get a hard copy from our Offices.

Upcoming Council Meeting

Tuesday 27 September 2022

Kununurra Council Chambers

Kununurra Community Kitchen

WORDS BY ELIZA PARRY-OKEDEN

You may not be aware, but every Sunday at exactly 4:00pm, the Kununurra Community Garden Kitchen crew are serving up meals to the community, and have been doing so for the past four years.

The line jostles and bodies sway – a moving beast of tenuous love, the kind that is unique to family, and plenty of mischief. The mischief is abated to a degree – the single-file line commands respect, and the knowledge that there is plenty of food to go ‘round seems to hush even the impatient mob at the back. A community is coming together to break bread, reflect on another week passed, and bask in the presence of people. It feels biblical – the holy Sunday Service.

The leader of the tribe of volunteers, Mandy Milburn, prefers ‘healing with food’.

At tonight’s service Elijah is on rice, Helena is dealing out chicken wings like poker chips, and Mandy is dousing the lot with a healthy dose of veggie soup. Guests shuffle down the serving line chatting merrily and licking up stray soup from sticky fingers. Dessert is a tray of lollies, and small hands are swatted away with preternatural precision. “Dinner first, sweets last,” is the unspoken directive aimed at both children and cheeky adults amongst the pack. A bulbous marshmallow is shoved a bit too hastily into an eager mouth - causing a flash of panic in the eyes of the culprit and peals of laughter to ricochet down the line. It’s mesmerising to watch – they’re a well oiled machine and all the moving parts, on both sides of the serving table, are in a strange, flawed harmony.

Dinner is a real family affair – a couple of aunties are kicked

back on the lawn, flicking through the latest edition of the Kununurra Sun (we bought a few along). They pause only to lob sly digs at the uncles lining up for seconds, while dodging haphazard balls kicked by cheeky nephews. Mothers, with whole teams of young kids circling, are stockpiling a few meals into eskys and encouraging the bigger ones to line up again. Some have been attending this family reunion every Sunday since its inception, a truly miraculous feat for anyone who has attended their own extended family reunion. But all sixty-odd of tonight’s guests are bonded, sharing and enjoying the space, and revelling in basic human companionship.

“I know it is a subtle thing,” says Mandy, “but sometimes this is the only constant thing in people’s lives, and they’re here every Sunday.”

A passionate philanthropist and true force to be reckoned with, Mandy cooks all the meals herself. She says that the Shire are currently helping the group to secure a kitchen that complies with commercial standards, but in the meantime, the cooking takes place across the kitchen at the PCYC and Mandy’s home. “When you’re doing something like a stew for 70 people that takes about four hours, it’s something I prefer to do at home”.

Choosing what to have for dinner is not an uncommon worst-part-of-the-day for most people – luckily Mandy remains impervious. When we ask her about meal prep, she says that they rely heavily on donated food, excess stores or over-catering from local businesses, like when school shuts for the holidays or tourist venues wind down after the season. It all depends on what is available.

It’s a pleasant Sunday evening and there’s a commotion at the PCYC. Crowds of people are gathered, the anticipation in the air is palpable, and no one dares wander off because at four o’clock on the dot, dinner is served.

“All of the chicken wings from dinner tonight were delivered on a pallet, because a local business received the wrong delivery,” she says, “they were donated pre-cooked and in the freezer because they couldn’t use them all.”

Despite meals being somewhat pre-determined by stores, Mandy says that, like any good dinner party, the guests have to like what you’ve got cooking. We ask what some of the crowd-pleasers are – “They always love a beef stew – I've got lots of kangaroo tails in the freezer that were donated.” And people of my own heart agree that curried sausages are always a favourite.

Donations from people and pantries aren’t all that the Kitchen rely on; a Sunday stint at the Kitchen starts at 2pm and all the volunteers for the week meet to prep the side dishes, which could be salads, rice, orange quarters or dessert depending on what’s on hand. Meal service is at 4pm and, after cleanup, they're generally out of there by 4:30pm. Any potential volunteers are members of the Kununurra Community Kitchen Facebook group (quick join! Right now!) where it is decided who will be available to help out for the next week.

“We’re always looking for volunteers and philanthropic interest to be thrown our way,” Mandy says, “I just take what I can get!”

The location and venue have changed over time and Mandy tells us that tonight is only the third week back at PCYC. It’s been close to two years since they’ve had a venue, but that hasn’t hindered meal service. “I’ve been delivering it or pulling up out the front here and just popping my boot and handing meals out.” Luckily, they’ve got a great rapport with the current PCYC manager, and they have a mutual

agreement which benefits both parties – “the Community Garden Kitchen volunteers will help re-enliven the gardens,” says Mandy, “we’re not in any rush and it’s going to be a work in progress, but that's the trade off – we’ll get the kids involved.”

On top of running the Community Gardens, the Kitchenwhich she combined two years ago to create the Kununurra Community Garden Kitchen - and the local boxing club, Mandy also teaches Nature Play with the kids at St Joseph’s Primary School.

This used to take place at the Community Gardens, however Mandy is using her green thumbs to redesign the school’s gardens and create a Nature Play space. “I try to add in what I can from the Community Gardens – the moringa, for example, I hide that in the food a lot,” says Mandy, “It’s used to treat malnutrition in India and it’s a very, very high nutrient food to slip in – they don’t even know it’s in there.” But we’ll save the garden chat for next month.

Unlike gardening though, cooking itself hasn’t always been Mandy’s forte; she says that she sort of fell into it after returning from 10 years in London at a low point and in need of restoration. After a couple of aimless months, she switched her lifestyle and focused on using food to heal herself. “I was a one hundred percent raw foodie for nine months - that was my introduction to healing with food.”

Mandy soon found a niche for her craft and friends started asking her to cater for their own alternate healing groups and journeys, including raw foods for reiki workshops and as a vegan chef for a pilgrimage of sorts through Uluru and Kata Tjuta. “I didn’t really plan any of it,” she says, “but I guess it’s a calling – I love food, and I love playing with

Mandy’s vision for the Community Garden Kitchen is to eventually exist in a space that is more of an outdoor collaborative kitchen, with large open fires, lots of interactive cooking workshops and a strong connection to bush foods and medicines. During various cooking stints in Balgo since 2014, Mandy says that she made connections with a number of older women in the community who taught her about experimenting with bush foods which she is grateful for and hopes to keep doing more, in her own way. “We often incorporate boab leaf pesto, or we put kapok flowers in the salads, or I'll put a bush medicine out for the old people,” she says.

“It’s a really unique thing that a community soup kitchen is serving bush food.”

We ask Mandy whether she ever wakes up on a Sunday dragging her feet… “Even if you don’t really feel like doing it, it has a funny old way of just grounding you in your own stuff and drama.”

Back to the Sunday at hand, Mandy leaves her post at the soup ladle for a moment to take some pictures, and I offer to take her place. I’ll just say this: never underestimate a ladle. Helena assures me that it’s simple really, just pour the soup over the chicken wings and rice, and put a lid on the plastic container. The sub text is, “you’ve got one job, don’t mess it up,” which naturally makes my palms sweaty, knees weak

and arms heavy.

First scoop and I pour approximately 70% of the soup directly onto the plastic fold-out table. “Try not to pour the soup on the table,” she says sympathetically while laying down a thick wad of napkins in the firing line; she’s resigned to the fact that I must be unable to follow simple instructions, have completely misread the task or am likely to do it again. Likely a combination of all three.

She has a fair point; it’s not rocket science, and we’re not sending people to the moon. But suddenly it feels like this is the most important job I've been given all week, possibly longer. And it’s humbling to realise that it probably is.

“A lot of the problems aren’t ours to fix or solve, we just have to be in the heart and in service,” Mandy says, before adding that the key is “just being there for someone, and having some good stew.”

This Sunday night ritual is the highlight of the week for all involved, a true celebration of community, and it’s an absolute joy to join in.

The Kununurra Community Kitchen relies on volunteers and donations to keep cooking. If would you like to get involved, follow Kununurra Community Kitchen on Facebook to get in touch with Mandy.

Writers Kimberley Festival riters

09 - 11 SEP 2022

Cocktail Party

Join our fabulous guest artist and authors for the official opening.

7pm | Free (ticket required) | Kununurra Library

Main Event

Throughout the day, the library will host a variety of author’s talk & panels.

9am | Free | Kununurra Library

Murder on Maui

Guest AuthorsMeet the JoshKemp

An Australian Gothic Fiction author, Kemp was the co-winner of the Dorothy Hewett Award for his debut Novel, Banjawarn. He has been shortlisted for two other prestige Writers Awards.

Dave Warner

An author, musician and screenwriter. ‘After the Flood’ is his eleventh adult novel. Dave came to national prominence in 1978 with his gold album, Mug’s Game, and his band Dave Warner’s from the Suburbs.

LeanneWhite

A Western Australian illustrator, author and nature artist. White is an enthusiastic advocate for the development of children’s literacy through reading. Her work was shortlisted for the 2018 Speech Pathology Book of the Year.

CarolineOverington

Triple J & Ord River Roadhouse Brunch

Champagne brunch cruise up the Ord River with our guests reading from their book.

7:15 am | $90 pp |

A literary editor at The Weekend Australian, Overington is a two time winner of the Walkley Award for investigative Journalism and winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch Award for Excellence in Journalism.

KerenMasters SoniaHenry

Born and raised in Halls Creek, Masters was awarded the Master of Counselling Dux for her thesis titled “Identity formation of Caucasian Adults who lived as Children on Aboriginal Mission from 1950-1970”.

Henry is a GP (FRACGP) and author, previously a physiotherapist. She has been featured in Sydney Morning Herald, RM Williams Magazine and Australian Medical student association. One of her blog post went viral worldwide with over 25,000 shares via MD.

The Kimberley Coastal Camp APEX Barra Bash

With more than $50,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs including a $15,000 all inclusive stay at the Kimberley Coastal Camp and a door prize of an $18,000 tinny, just for entering!

Now in it's 25th year, and with a move from Skull Rock to the Kununurra Water Ski Club, the Apex Barra Bash has seen entrant numbers rise from 100 to a record of 703 entries in 2021.

In one year the competition saw 90 Barra entered and the 2021 competition saw Barra entered measuring almost 115cms.

The rules of the competition are pretty simple. Anglers are permitted to fish anywhere they like in the region between the 23rd - 25th September, from 9am Friday until the deadline of 3pm on the Sunday afternoon.

Species entered are Barramundi, Bream (Sooty Grunter) and Catfish.

All activities over the weekend, including angler registrations are at the Kununurra Water Ski Club, with regos start from 9am on Friday morning through to 5pm that afternoon. Anyone who didn't get down to register on Friday can do so on Saturday from 7am - 10am. The weigh in on Sunday afternoon is a great event for the entire family with the lure dig being a hoot for the kids.

The tales of triumph always bring a few hard and many hilarious stories from the weekends activities on the water with sunken boats, lost rods, boggings and major mechanical break downs being regular features.

Local angler, Paul Cunningham recalls his first night fishing the competition, having recently moved to town.

“Having recently arrived to Kununurra, the invite to fish Lake Kununurra the first night of the Barra Bash with a seasoned local had me in great spirits." Paul said.

"We fished our way up the lake, starting at the mouth of Crossing Falls, up to the weedbank areas around Spillway Creek and made our way back down to a row of trees sitting nearby the now moonlit Elephant Rock.

"I was advised to tie on a deep-diving minnow lure called a ‘Crazy Deep’ and begin making casts in all directions bouncing the lure through the trees and branches we could see on the side-scan image of the sounder screen.”

“The stillness of that night meant you could hear everything and in that eerie calmness came a sudden 'SMACK!!!' The rod just about launched out of my hands and I thumbed the tiny spool as the fish began to rip line, burying me into the trees to the side of the boat.

"I could feel the line scuffing against the timber and we tried moving the boat to change the angle of the line and try and extract this fish. “POP!” It was gone. I sat on the

deck of the boat shaking in disbelief of how powerful the fish was - it just couldn’t be stopped.

"Did I just loose the winning metrey or was that the $15K fish?”

The Kimberley Coastal Camp APEX Barra Bash competition could not be as successful as it is without the support shown by local businesses and the guys at APEX giving their time and effort to put this event together for the community.

For more information about the event and competition follow the APEX Kununurra Barra Bash Facebook page. The event will take place on the 23rd - 25th September 2022.

Wearing Your Art On Your Sleeve

CORALEE MCCARTHY

You may remember we featured El Questro’s Artist in Residence, Coralee McCarthy in KNX Sun a few months ago. Well, Coralee has decided to step into the sunlight again, this time to talk about her clothing range and how her love affair with the Kimberley continues.

After being guided by her mum in fashion design and textiles at a young age, Coralee taught herself the art of fashion design. Although it wasn’t something she invested a lot of time into, instead focusing on her art, until recently.

Coralee’s art has become synonymous with the East Kimberley landscapes, so she wanted to be able to provide people with a way to ‘wear the East Kimberley’.

Her learnings from her younger days gave her the confidence to get into clothing and it wasn’t until a classic wet season mishap five years ago that was the catalyst to start.

“Clothing is another way of expressing my art and our customers just love the product,” Coralee said.

“We were staying at Freshwater East Kimberley Apartments during the wet season trying to get our caravan out from Emma Gorge. The King River was over 1.3 metres, we were stuck, so we decided to travel across to Vietnam and find a manufacturer.

“With some luck we found an Australian couple that had a small factory, after a few meetings and a few drinks later, they decided to take us on.”

Coralee’s collection began with mens shirts and has since expanded to include ladies shirts, yoga pants, dresses, tote bags, board shorts and hand-painted homewares.

Some of Coralee’s art, including the well known Kimberley Boab print was developed specifically for the clothing, while others were taken off existing artworks. We’re not surprised to hear that the most popular piece of clothing features Coralee’s famous Kimberley Boab print. If you’ve attended an event in the East Kimberley in the last few years, guaranteed you would have spotted several punters rocking the funky design.

Knowing that people often pick clothes based on how they feel when wearing them was at the forefront of Coralee’s mind when designing them.

“This is very important to me,” Coralee said “I decided to go into the market with high quality, well-made and designed products, as clothing is only an ancillary to my art.

“I’ve designed our long sleeve shirts as a loose fit linen and where possible gone for natural products like viscose & cotton twill.”

Coralee’s clothing has been worn all over the world, including places such as Denmark, Paris and Germany.

“Thanks to Instagram I get to see my clothing all over the place,” Coralee said.

“I saw a photo of a whole group of people on a boat at the Horizontal Falls all wearing the same boab print shirt. When I was back home I went to lunch in Toowoomba one day and a man was wearing my design. That was very cool.”

With the East Kimberley season close to wrapping up and El Questro Station closing at the end of September, Coralee will head home to the east coast for some down time.

“I’m looking forward to catching up with family and friends, taking a well-earned break and getting ready for next season,” Coralee said. “Every year I design a showcase piece, like ‘My Kimberley Story’ this year. I am looking forward to getting creative and bringing back something even better.”

And if you wondered how Coralee stays motivated to create new pieces and come back to ELQ each year, well the answer is simple.

“That’s easy! I have the best job in the world,” Coralee said.

“Painting every day on the grass at ELQ with perfect weather and happy ‘on holiday’ customers coming by every day.

“Coming back is an easy decision as I feel we are improving every year with the new clothing designs and the Art Gallery.”

You can purchase Coralee’s clothing online via coraleemccarthy.com.au the whole range is also available at the El Questro Art Gallery with some items available at Ellenbrae Station on the Gibb River Road.

Lucy Shorter

KIMBERLEY CREATIVE

Learning about Lucy’s journey to Kununurra and viewing her artwork, the first thing that came to mind was ‘she’s got substance’. From her ‘art that offends’ to her emotive portraits of Queenie Malgil and Shirley Purdie, her subjects differ. And as a sandgroper I can’t help but feel a smidge of regional WA nostalgia (and pride) when the ‘red cans’ feature.

YOU'RE ORIGINALLY FROM NSW, WHY DID YOU MOVE TO KNX?

I work in health care and was running my own clinic in NorthWestern NSW. By 2018, the years-long drought was devastating the region and business was slow. I was after additional income, so did a bit of locum work for an organisation in Derby and Broome. I had a great time and hoped to return. By 2019, the opportunity to work for that organisation full-time arose. I closed my business and was on the plane to Broome within a few weeks. I loved living in Broome, but I’m not a ‘coasty’ and knew I wouldn’t stay forever. Luckily the organisation has an East Kimberley branch! I begged work to send me there. Eventually they managed to wrangle me a full-time position in Kununurra and I was able to move across for good. Oh, and I met my boyfriend here too! He had a bit to do with it…

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?

Varied… Moody even. In some of my work I aim for photorealism, while other works are more loose, painterly and uninhibited. My mediums vary too. I paint in oils primarily, but also play with

acrylics, and I love to draw with pastel and charcoal.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RECENT PIECE - THE PORTRAIT OF QUEENIE MALGIL?

I love portraiture. I’m not sure if other artists do this, but occasionally I look at someone and think “what a paintable, expressive, gorgeous face you have!”

I’ve known Queenie for some time and she was happy for me to take her photo. This painting was supposed to be a drawing, but somehow I got painting. It’s quite large. I used acrylic paint, charcoal, pastel, dirt and glue. It’s textured and heavy. I always give the portrait back to the subject (if they want it). I’m not too sure if I’ve achieved enough likeness in this painting… I might have to have another go and let Queenie choose which one she wants.

YOU HAVE ALSO PAINTED SHIRLEY PURDIE, WHAT WAS IT LIKE MEETING HER?

A privilege! I met Shirley about a year ago. I adore her art. I’m lucky to meet so many special people in my travels. It’s nice to

Images: Lucy Shorter

connect with fellow artists, talk about what they’re working on and try to learn a thing or two.

WE ALSO HAVE TO ASK, WHY THE EXPORT?

Ahh, the polarising Emu Export cans! I suppose they’re my candid observation of the Kimberley landscape. When I first arrived here and went for a walk, my impression was: “It’s beautiful, and there’s Emu cans everywhere!”. Live here long enough and you’ll begin to expect them within your line of vision, or maybe even appreciate them as little works of art in and, of themselves (I have a soft spot for kitsch graphic design). Their placement within my paintings is a local & WA reference, hence their unpopularity in other states.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PIECE YOU HAVE PAINTED?

“Clive the Cane Toad” which I painted for my boyfriend back in 2019. It’s vulgar, feral and makes me laugh. It’s on the “art that offends” side of the spectrum! I’ve also done a huge semiabstract sunset of Cable Beach. So many people have asked to buy it but I just can’t let it go.

WHERE DO YOU GO-TO FOR INSPIRATION?

On walks, drives and the internet.

IS THERE OTHER CREATIVES THAT YOU FIND MOTIVATING/INSPIRING?

I love art by Ben Tankard and Gary Abkin. My art is nothing like theirs, but seeing their paintings always makes me want to go and create something.

FAVOURITE BOOK OR PODCAST?

Podcasts: “Bang On” and “My Millennial Money”.

Books: No favourites. I alternate genres between “trashy novel” and “non-fiction that will teach me something I should already know”.

WHAT IS THE NEXT DESTINATION ON YOUR TRAVEL LIST AND WHY?

Burren Junction, NSW. Why? I miss that big sky, there’s lots of sheep work to do and it would be nice to see my family.

Find Lucy's quirky cool artworks on her Instagram @lucy_ shorter_art or displayed at Artopia Gallery.

Between the Lines

THE SILENT LISTENER BY LYN YEOWART

WORDS BY: LACHY WITHNALL

There are secrets in the Henderson family. The Silent Listener hears them all.

In George Henderson’s final days, his estranged daughter, Joy, begrudgingly returns to the family property in regional Victoria to care for him.

Once an esteemed member of his local church community, George Henderson is a vengeful, violent man who will be missed by none.

One death-bed confession later, we begin a dark examination of both the lies we tell the world and those we tell ourselves, weaving themes of fear, shame and loss of innocence against the sun- bleached, overripe landscape of Australian drought.

Yeowart builds her world in exquisite detail, setting her scene and characters with the kind of poetic prose which will appeal to lovers of anything written by Trent Dalton.

This is wittingly advanced through the character of 1960’s Joy, a young girl with synesthesia, which causes her to experience exciting visual imagery on exposure to certain words. ‘Pristine’, ‘polypropylene’ and ‘perfidious’ were ‘particularly palpable’ to this budding literary critic.

The novel cleverly engages switching timelines, allowing the reader to follow three parallel, and seemingly unconnected, plots at once- Joy and George in 1983; Joy and Ruth through the 1960’s; George and Gwen in the early 1940’s.

This ploy only works through Yeowart’s sharp and cunning writing, carefully building suspense before leaping to a concurrent storyline of a different era - regularly leaving the reader on tenterhooks for several chapters. All three timelines build to a thumping crescendo, before

ultimately converging at an entirely unexpected, but completely devastating, finale in the final pages.

The Silent Listener is Yeowart’s debut novel and easily cements her as an Australian author to watch.

This cracking read kept me up well into the night on a recent trip to Balgo and I’ve banged on about it since.

Thrilled to have the opportunity to do it again here.

RATING: 4.5 SUNS

Colour Me Happy

COLOURING IN ISN'T JUST FOR THE LITTLE ONES. IN FACT, ACCORDING TO OUR TRUSTY DOCTOR GOOGLE, COLOURING IN CAN REDUCE STRESS, DEFY THE AGING PROCESS AND DEVELOP CONCENTRATION SKILLS!*

KUNUNURRA SUN KITCHEN

Spinach , Basil & Boab Leaf Pesto

A BIG THANK YOU TO MANDY FROM KUNUNURRA COMMUNITY KITCHEN FOR SHARING THIS DELICIOUS RECIPE. A rich, nutritious pesto perfect with pasta, chicken, or simply as a dip. Brazilian spinach, Rocket, Sweet Basil and Thai Sweet Basil lovingly grown and harvested from the Community Garden. Boab leaves harvested with permission from Miriwoong Country.

IMAGE: MANDY MILBURN

DID YOU KNOW

Spinach, basil & boab leaf pesto

INGREDIENTS

Sweet basil & Thai basil leaves

2. Combine in blender until desired consistency and

3. Optional to add sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds after blending for extra texture.

4. Spoon into sterilised jar with lid.

5. Once opened, store in fridge.

Young Boab leaves will have a milder flavour. Research indicates the iron content of a boab leaf is 26 milligrams per 100 grams (compared with 3mg per 100g contained in an average steak). Leaves are also high in Vitamin C, Calcium and other nutrients.

150ml jar 15 minutes

Balls ' n

KUNUNURRA BRUMBIES TOUCH FOOTBALL

The Kununurra Brumbies touch football competition came to an exciting close with the grand finals played on 26th August. Kelly’s Knobs and the Brewleggers came head to head to determine the winner of the A Grade with Kelly's Knobs taking out the top spot. The B grade final was between Goal Diggers and Argyle Lakers, with the Argyle Lakers coming out on top.

OUTDOOR BASKETBALL

The basketball season is underway again and many of those with aerial skill have once again switched from taking marks to slam dunks. Team numbers are solid and be sure to get down to the outdoor courts (adjacent to PCYC) to catch some of the men and women showing off their pure talent.

KUNUNURRA NETBALL ASSOCIATION

Teams are gearing up for finals with Juniors, A and B Grades all contesting for the top spot! Head on down to the netball courts to watch the exciting games to come. Players, don't forget to buy your tickets for the end of season wind-up!

INDOOR CRICKET

The season is fast approaching its midpoint which will see the competition split into A and B grades. With the

Brown Falcon

All'commitee's decision on who will play in each grade sensibly informed by the most divisble points difference on the ladder, the second half of the season is sure to be competitive

EKFL

The EKFL has finished up after the grand final was hosted at Kununurra town Oval with the Kururrungku Roos making their first ever final and taking a hard road to the big dance by playing every week of the finals after finishing the regular season in 4th place. Unfortunately the Roos weren’t quite good enough to trouble the Halls Creek Hawks who easily accounted for them taking possession of the 2022 flag after a 90 point victory.

KUNUNURRA SQUASH CLUB

We hear it was quite the racket down at the squash courts for their grand final at the end of August. Congrats to all players for a fun season! The official grading for Season 3 begins on Wednesday 7th September. New players and members are more than welcome to come along!

If you’re a local club who would like to be included in our next edition please reach out to us via kununurrasun@gmail.comwe want to make sure everyone is represented!

Falco berigora