The Bungle Bungle Ranges 09.07.2016 – 11.07.2016

We left Kununurra knowing that we would have to do a few free camps due to the distance we have to travel to get to Derby.  We decided to stop over at a free rest area called Spring Creek which was roughly 200km south west of Kununurra.  This rest stop is 53 km from possibly one of the best wonders on this planet, that being the Bungle Bungle Ranges. 

It was here that we met a lovely couple that told us there is no way that we could travel this distance without going to see the Bungle Bungle ranges.  We mentioned to them we were travelling with dogs and knew that we could not go into a national park area with any pets.  We had looked at booking them into a kennel at Kununurra, however the cost was prohibitive as this excursion would have cost more than $800.00.  The couple offered to look after the dogs while we went into the Bungle Bungle ranges and we were really grateful for them doing this for us.

The drive which was 53 km on gravel road, was however the dustiest, most corrugated and roughest road that we had ever put the car through. However we persevered and after two creeks and driving for approximately one hour and forty five minute we got to the Purnululu National park or as it is better known “The Bungle Bungle Ranges”.  The day turned out to be the best experience of our trip this far and the photos do not do it any justice. 

I would rate this site as the best National park that I have seen in Australia.  Here is some information on The Bungle Bungle Ranges. 

It's been around for 350 million years and revered by its Aboriginal custodians for 40,000 years. But the striking Bungle Bungle Range in World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park was a secret from the outside world until 1983. Today this maze of orange-and-black striped sandstone domes, often likened to giant beehives, is one of the Kimberley's best-loved attractions.

Purnululu National Park sits in the East Kimberley, around 100km from Halls Creek and 250km from Kununurra.

The Bungle Bungle Range was only known to local Aboriginal owners and pastoralists until a documentary team brought it to the world's attention in 1983. Today it is enshrined as part of Purnululu National Park, which covers a total of 240,000 hectares and won World Heritage listing in 2003.

The landmark Bungle Bungle Range, which took the name of a nearby cattle station, sits in the park's south.  Its beehive-like towers rise up hundreds of metres on the edge of the range, sheltering cavernous gorges, and palm-fringed rock pools.  Its incredible sandstone formations, thought to have been forged over 350 million years from the sediment of an old river bed. The unique orange, grey and black stripes are the result of alternating bands of sediment, each with different clay content.

Aboriginal people are thought to have lived in this region for more than 40,000 years, and the park holds rich, enduring traces of their occupation. Ancient rock art and burial sites can be found across the park, which the Djaru and Kija Aboriginal people help to manage. The name Purnululu, meaning sandstone, was the name given to the area by its traditional Kija custodians. 

The photos below show the entrance to the park, absolutely amazing.

There are two parts to this beautiful national park, the Southern and Northern part.  The Southern part boasts the gorgeous Piccaninny, The Domes and Cathedral Gorge with a lot of other hiking trails in the area, but not possible to be done in one day.

 

 

 

From this area we made our way to the Northern part of the Bungle Bungle Ranges.

The Northern part boasts the fantastic Echidna Chasm and a lot of hiking trails, again not possible to be done in one day.  We were advised to get to the Echidna Chasm between 11am and 12 pm to get the full effect of the sun light shining through the chasm.

We thought that we had seen it all until we went to the Echidna Chasm, once again I don’t think the photos correctly show just how stunning and amazing these ranges are. 

 

 

 

As we farewell the ranges, there are no words to describe just how stunning this place is. 

We are forever grateful for having had the opportunity to visit The Bungle Bungle Ranges, as the saying goes “Seeing is believing” and if we did not see it, we would never have believed just how beautiful this place really is.

Map showing our trip this time.

Next part of our trip is making our way to Ngumban Cliff Rest Area, Fitzroy Crossing.