Wyndham was established in 1885 to provide access to the inland goldfields around Halls Creek during the gold rush which began in 1884, and was originally constructed as a port facility and trading station on the eastern shore of the huge Cambridge Gulf. While the gold rush lasted, Wyndham developed into a busy centre with over 5,000 prospectors passing through the township which at its’ height boasted two general stores and six pubs. By the late 1880’s the gold fields started to decline and prospectors stopped coming to Wyndham which gradually relied more heavily on the developing cattle industry that had been established in the Kimberley region during the early 1880’s. Standing at the mouth of the King River, Wyndham Port is recognised as the oldest European settlement in the north-east of Western Australia and remains an operational port facility providing pastoralists with the means to export their live cattle, as well as exporting lead and zinc to foreign lands.
Over the years the residential area of Wyndham has moved away from the port and became known as Wyndham Three Mile and is today home to around 700 permanent residents. The economy of the community continues to provide services to locals and farmers alike, and offers passing tourists some retail, refreshment and accommodation alternatives as well as access to several places of interest. The Tourist Information Centre is housed in the old colonial-styled Post Office building which is located in Wyndham Port; and provides visitors with a local museum and details on nearby attractions which include the statues of Aboriginal people at Warriu Park, the awesome views over the Cambridge Gulf from the ‘Five Rivers Lookout’ and the 20 metre long, concrete ‘Big Crocodile’ which stands at the entrance to the township.
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