Purnululu National Park
World Heritage listed and spanning 240,000 square kilometres, it is a wonder so many people have either not been to or even heard of Purnululu National Park.
Located 300km south of the nearest populated centre, Kununurra, the conservation reserve is home to the infamous Bungle Bungle Range, as well as spectacular gorges and chasms.
Beehive Granite formations:The Pinnacles.
The Bungle Bungle Range itself is comprised of distinctive dome shaped rock formations. These rock formations are made of sandstone, and
conglomerates {which are rocks, pebbles and boulders cemented together by finer materials} that were deposited into the Ord Basin approximately 350 million years ago.
The strange hump like formations you now see formed after millions of years of rainfall, wind and the process of weathering where water invades existing cracks in the rock and causes changes in the rocks as it expands due to dropping temperatures. The black and orange stripes on the magnificent bee hive shaped domes are caused by a biological process of a photosynthetic organism, cyanobacteria. Essentially, where you see the black bands is where the bacteria are present.
Of course, these curious rock formations are not the only attraction at Purnululu National Park. With many walking tracks open to visitors it is easy to access a number of spectacular rock formations including Echidna Chasm, Mini Palms and Cathedral Gorge.
During wet season the gorges and chasms fill with water creating thriving ecosystem and a spectacular landscape including waterfalls. At this time the area can only be viewed by air.
Echidna Chasm
If you are visiting the Purnululu National Park, be sure to be properly prepared. With excessive temperatures,often reaching 50 degrees, as you venture out into the rocky terrain water, sun protection and light clothing are a must. If possible, plan your walks in the cooler part of the day in the morning. Having said that, most walks are easily accessible and easy grades, however, strong hiking boots will be necessary due to unstable and uneven walking surfaces.
Cathedral Gorge
