'''Purnululu National Park''' [http://www.calm.wa.gov.au/national_parks/previous_parks_month/purnululu.html] is in Western Australia, 2054km northeast of Perth. The nearest town is Kununurra.

Understand

''Purnululu'' is the name given to the sandstone area of the ''Bungle Bungle Range'' by the Kija Aboriginal people. 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.

History

Landscape

Flora and fauna

Climate

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/Permits

$9.00 upon entry

Get around

See

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

Do

Buy

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Lodging

Camping

Backcountry

Stay safe

Get out