The official opening today of Western Australia’s first cotton gin in Kununurra marks a significant step forward for agricultural and economic growth across northern Australia.
The Kimberley Cotton Gin will process locally grown cotton from the Ord River Irrigation Area (ORIA), class it on-site, and export it directly through WA ports. This closed-loop supply chain strengthens the region’s agricultural base and creates new opportunities for value-adding, jobs, and infrastructure growth.
The gin is a catalyst for industry expansion in tropical cropping, which has been a key focus of the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia’s (CRCNA) investment. Through research partnerships, the CRCNA has supported the development of sustainable cotton systems in the ORIA, including the Cotton-Grains-Cattle program, which integrates fibre, food, and livestock production to enhance farm productivity and resilience.
CRCNA Chief Executive Strategy and Engagement, Anthony Curro, said the gin’s commissioning is a powerful example of how coordinated research, planning, and investment can drive northern development.
“The opening of this gin is a turning point for the Ord and for northern WA,” Mr Curro said. “It’s more than just processing infrastructure, it’s a foundation for an entire value chain, from tropical cropping through to cattle production, with the potential to increase export earnings and strengthen local communities.
The CRCNA is proud to have played a role in supporting the research that underpins this industry’s growth. Cotton in the north is proving it can be profitable, sustainable, and complementary to other industries, particularly the cattle sector, which benefits from local cottonseed as a high-quality feed source. This is exactly the kind of integrated, resilient economy we’re working to develop across northern Australia.”
The ORIA’s 28,000 hectares of irrigated land, backed by Lake Argyle’s secure water supply, provide ideal conditions for cotton production. In 2025, the Ord planted a record 9,400 hectares of cotton, enough to keep the gin running near its initial capacity of 100,000-120,000 bales per year.
By enabling local processing, reducing freight costs, and supporting integrated industries, the Kununurra gin strengthens the north’s capacity to meet growing global demand for sustainable agricultural products.
The project has been financed in part by a loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), enabling the construction of a local processing facility.
Watch the CRCNA instagram reel – https://www.instagram.com/p/DNO7_GXy3MP/
