Opening of Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster draws thousands
16 may,2025
Horizon Power Party in the Park hits capacity, drawing thousands
The 2025 Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster off to an electric start with emotive performances from local talent
More great events to come during the Kimberley’s Iconic Festival program, including the new Sunday Sounds, Art in the Park, Fleetwood Mac & the Eagles by Landslide, Comedy in the Park, Corroboree Under The Stars, and the Nexus Airlines Kimberley Moon Experience
2025 Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster, 16 – 25 May in Kununurra, Western Australia
The Kimberley’s Iconic Festival, the 2025 Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster, is underway with a capacity crowd attending the Horizon Power Party in the Park, the first of the ten-day program, which concludes on Sunday, 25 May.
The free celebration, Horizon Power Party in the Park (16 May) attracted 2,000 people to the Muster Hub at Celebrity Tree Park, in the heart of the East Kimberley township of Kununurra.
Ord Valley Events Inc. Vice-Chair, Justine de Candia said the community-focussed opening has been a huge success.
“It’s a beautiful night to be out to celebrate together as a community,” Mrs de Candia said.
“Everyone is here to see and support the local talent we have, and it’s a celebration of everything that the East Kimberley represents, the people, the culture, and the landscape.
“It’s a huge crowd, it’s incredible to think that 2,000 people have walked through the gates when our population is only about 5,000.”
Party in the Park kicked off with the Solby Silver Search, which featured buried treasures in three sand pits for toddlers, kids, and big kids, including bespoke diamond and silver jewellery by Kimberley Fine Diamonds.
After a personal Welcome to Country by Miriwong Elder Anges Armstrong, ‘A River Is Born’ puppets manned by locals weaved through the crowd with a 10-metre Unggud (a colourful serpent puppet) a giant Brolga, Jabiru and Bush Turkey.
Then, the East Kimberley College Band performed modern songs with classical instruments, and during the final song, were joined by musicians of Darwin’s Band of the 1st Brigade.
Cowboy hats and leather boots were next for the Wild Brumby Line Dancers, who invited the crowd to join them for some boot-scootin’ fun in their last song, the Nutbush.
Emotions were sky high during the Breaksea and the East Kimberley Community Choir performance that saw about 45 students from East Kimberley College and Dawul Remote Community School (Doon Doon) who sung their hearts out to a captivated audience, ending with song ‘I want to see you brave’. The Breaksea program is a West Australian multi-arts organisation designed to inspire and mentor young people. Between songs, sound clips were broadcast of the impact of singing in the choir, from overcoming shyness to spreading joy through music, feeling good, and releasing stress.
The East Kimberley College Battle of the Bands winner, Cruise Control, got the crowd to their feet playing banging hits from rock artists from the 90s onwards.
Crowd favourite, the Band of the 1st Brigade, travelled from Darwin to perform hit after hit with hundreds up and dancing. The band spent the week performing at local schools to inspire the next generation of musicians.
There is plenty more music to come in the Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster with the new Sunday Sounds tomorrow (Sunday 18 May), and the Fleetwood Mac & the Eaglesby Landslide on Thursday, 22 May.
Big belly laughs are guaranteed at Comedy in the Park on Tuesday, 20 May with comedians Georgie Carroll, Ben Knight, Amy Hetherington and Mick Meredith.
On Wednesday, 21 May, Art in the Park shines a light on local Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists in the gallery under the stars, featuring Warmun Art Centre, Artlandish, Kira Kiro, Lisa Campbell, Waringarri Aboriginal Arts, Artopia Gallery, and Taminga Connell. Wearable art will be showcased in a fashion show by Aboriginal artist Jaru Girl and the Wyndham Art Collective, plus music by Stellar Moon.
There are still tickets available for those events and for the hallmark Nexus Airlines Kimberley Moon Experience on Saturday, 24 May.
‘The Moon’ is headlined by indie musicians Lime Cordiale, award-winning ethereal Thelma Plum and the iconic Aussie singer/songwriter Mark Seymour & The Undertow, the former Hunters and Collectors frontman.
The WA Government is a proud supporter of the event through Tourism WA’s Regional Events Program, which is funded by Royalties for Regions.
Organised by a dedicated volunteer board and held every May since 2001, the ‘Muster’ has become a must-visit event for travellers in search of unforgettable Kimberley experiences.
Through a diverse calendar packed with exciting events and experiences over nine days that includes dining under the stars, music, yoga boats, comedy, storytelling, rodeo, cultural experiences, station luncheons and more. Meet the local characters, explore the vast otherworldly region and taste the flavours that make Kununurra and the East Kimberley an unforgettable holiday destination. The Boab Metals Ord Valley Muster is the Iconic Kimberley Festival that delivers a truly enthralling, enchanting and magical experience for all.
About Kununurra
Kununurra is about 800 kilometres from Darwin and about 3,000 kilometres north of Perth.
Considered one of the last wilderness frontiers in the world, the beautiful untouched Kimberley landscape is as much of an attraction as the Ord Valley Muster’s star lineup.
The Muster is a popular festival that consistently sells out every year. Visitors are urged to start planning their trip now and lock in arrangements. Information on how to get to Kununurra, including flights, tours and tickets is available at www.ordvalleymuster.com.au.
