Purnululu National Park is a world heritage site in Western Australia, 2054 km northeast of Perth. The nearest town is Kununurra.

Understand

Purnululu National Park

Purnululu is the name given to the sandstone area of the Bungle Bungle Range by the Kija Aboriginal people, and the national park is also known as the Bungles National Park. The range is situated within the park, rises up to 578 m (1896 feet) above sea level and is famous for the unusual and striking sandstone domes striped with alternating orange and grey bands. The banding of the domes is due to differences in clay content and porosity of the sandstone layers. The grey banding is cyanobacteria which grows on the layers where moisture accumulates. The orange bands are layers of oxidised iron compounds that dry out too quickly for the cyanobacteria to form.

Get in

Access to the park by road is via Spring Creek Track from the Great Northern Highway approximately 250 km (155 miles) south of Kununurra. The track is 53 km (33 miles) long and is only usable in the dry season (1 April to 31 December) for 4WD vehicles. It will take approximately 3 hours to negotiate that distance to the visitor centre. Access by air is less painful and helicopter flights are available from Turkey Creek Roadhouse (Warmun), 187 km (116 miles) south of Kununurra, or by light aircraft from Kununurra.

Fees and permits

$9 upon entry

See

Budgerigars, wallabies, bungle bungle range, gorges, rock pools, sandstone towers and fan palm trees in crevices in rocks.

Sleep

• 1 Bungle Bungle Caravan Park (Bungle Bungle Expeditions), Turn off the Great Northern Highway toward Purnululu Nat Park 1Km (1Km along the Purnululu National Park access track - accessible to all vehicles.), toll-free: 1300 286453, info@bunglebunglecaravanpark.com.au. This Station Stay Caravan Park was established on Mabel Downs Station in 2010. Facilities are "bush" style and basic but has a great atmosphere. Meals available. For those that don't wish to brave the long rough track into the National Park a full day 4wd Bus tour leaves from here May to October. Caravan sites $35 Luxury Safari Tents $120. 

Camping

There are two public campgrounds in the Park - Walardi to the south, near Cathedral Gorge and Picaninny Creek, and Kurrajong to the north near Echidna Chasm. They are basic campgrounds which offer water, shared fireplaces with a limited supply of wood provided (no collecting because it's a National Park) and pit toilets. Booking ahead is advisable since you don't want to be turned back after the long drive in from the highway.

Go next

• Piccanninny Creek
• Ord River
• Panton River