Lake Argyle is Western Australia's largest reservoir and one of the largest freshwater bodies in Australia — about 18 times the size of Sydney Harbour at full capacity. Created by the Ord River Dam in 1972, it flooded a wide valley in the eastern Kimberley to create a reservoir that supports irrigation farming downstream in the Ord River scheme. The landscape it created is striking: red sandstone hills and islands rising from the blue water, with no horizon in sight from some vantage points.
The lake is a wildlife haven. Freshwater crocodiles bask on the rocks (they are generally not considered dangerous to humans, unlike the saltwater crocodiles that inhabit the river below the dam). Birds are exceptional — over 300 species have been recorded, including large breeding colonies of egrets and ibises. Sunset cruises from the Lake Argyle Resort include a swim stop in the lake, which is surreal in the best way: warm water, red rock walls, and sometimes a crocodile moving away at a polite distance. The full-day tour covers more of the lake's extent and is worth the extra time.