The World Heritage listed Purnululu National Park is home to the Bungle Bungle Range – one of the most important geological landmarks in Western Australia and one of only two World Heritage listed sites in the State.
The site was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2003. The area is remarkable for its extraordinary natural beauty and rich Aboriginal heritage. Images of the Bungle Bungle Range were released in 1982 – prior to that, the area was known only to Aboriginal people and a handful of pastoralists and scientists.
From the air, the Bungle Bungle Range is an imposing sight. The beehive-like towers are made of Devonian aged quartz and cyanobacteria that has been eroded over time to produce the striking orange and black stripes of the individual mounds. The range rises to 578 metres above sea level and stands 200 to 300 metres above a woodland and grass covered plain.
The area of the Purnululu National Park is rich with Aboriginal culture and heritage, including evidence of over 20,000 years of Indigenous life. There are many sites of significance around the Bungle Bungle Range. Visitors to the area can learn about local Aboriginal culture, but are asked to respect sacred sites and keep to the tracks.
Whether viewed from the air or explored on foot, this magical place has to be seen to be believed. Purnululu National Park is open from April until November each year (weather permitting) and is accessible by four wheel drive vehicles only, via 55 kilometres of unsealed road.
Location: the turn-off to Purnululu National Park is 250 kilometres south of Kununurra or 109 kilometres north of Halls Creek. The park access road is only accessible to four-wheel-drive vehicles.
UNESCO World Heritage
Australia’s North West
Kununurra Visitor Centre