We've spent the past week in and around Kununurra, and we've been interested to view first hand the land that as a child I was told would be the winter 'food bowl of Australia'.
As you can see from this Crikey blog post and even Govt info, the Ord River irrigation project has been and continues to be doubtful in its success and controversial with looming Chinese projects likely....
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2014/02/13/good-money-after-bad-the-nt-government-and-the-ord-river-irrigation-scheme/
and
http://slwa.wa.gov.au/wepon/land/html/ord_river.html
Crops such as cotton and sugarcane have come and gone. I'm astonished that cotton was ever viable given the humidity of the wet season! Where vegetable crops do exist they are very healthy looking. I've never seen sunflowers and corn growing as green and healthy as we have here, and cyclones appear to largely bypass the area. However market changes, distances and economics have paid their price.
CC FlickR image by Pete Hill - https://www.flickr.com/photos/blundershot/3365590516/
Over 60% of production now is Sandalwood plantation (we are hearing rumours that it is not producing oil) and locals have commented to us how the much the community has changed as a result. I imagine that in the earlier years of the scheme many young people gained harvesting work that now does not exist.
Despite all this the town feels like it's thriving. There's a healthy community of young families, alternate types, a good market, galleries and cafés. We're off to make good use of the market again tomorrow before heading south. The market gardens continue and where monoculture has failed, healthy, sustainable, mixed farming will thrive.