Kimberley Cotton Gin Processes 81,000 Bales in First Season

A brand new cotton gin in remote Western Australia just proved that bringing jobs home works.

The Kimberley Cotton Gin in Kununurra completed its first operational season last week, processing more than 81,000 bales of locally grown cotton. Before the facility opened in August 2025, farmers in the Ord Valley had to truck their cotton up to 3,500 kilometers interstate just to get it processed.

"It keeps everything local. The jobs local, the processing and the money that comes from that local," said Christian Bloecker, a second-generation Ord farmer who more than doubled his cotton planting this year. "It's a way better option than sending cotton by road to Katherine or Queensland like we used to."

The numbers tell a powerful story. Growers planted a record 10,000 hectares of cotton in 2025, up from just 2,200 hectares the year before. That's a nearly fivefold increase driven by farmers' confidence in having local processing.

Jim Engelke, chair of the Kimberley Cotton Company, said getting to the finish line took serious effort from the entire community. The facility was built through a partnership between Kimberley Agricultural Investment, Ord River District Cooperative, and Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation, formed in 2021 specifically to make this happen.

For Bloecker, the bigger planting area meant bigger learning opportunities. He's already planning adjustments for the 2026 season, focusing on growing shorter cotton and fine-tuning irrigation and nutrition strategies.

The Ripple Effect

The gin's impact reaches far beyond individual farms. About 10,000 hectares of cotton are expected for the 2026 season, with some growers already planting while last year's final modules were still being processed.

The region is also working toward making the Port of Wyndham a First Point of Entry, which would allow direct international shipping. The first export shipment left Wyndham in October with about 60 containers, each holding 104 bales of cotton.

Even with international cotton prices sitting lower than the historical $600 per bale average, Bloecker remains optimistic. "I'd love the price to be higher, but even at $500 a bale, an industry can grow off that," he said.

The Kimberley Cotton Gin has capacity to process more than 100,000 bales annually, leaving room for the industry to keep growing while keeping economic benefits right where they're grown.