Purnululu National Park: Ancient Wonders of the Kimberley

Last Updated on October 4, 2025

Ever felt that pull to see something truly ancient and otherworldly? A place so unique it was hidden from the outside world until just a few decades ago?

In my years of campervanning around WA, I’ve learned that some spots are worth every bit of the effort it takes to get there, and Purnululu National Park is right at the top of that list. It’s a place that genuinely stays with you.

This guide is for travellers like you who are ready for an unforgettable trip into the heart of the Kimberley. I’ll give you the real story on what to expect, from the bumpy drive in to the best walks, so you can feel confident and prepared. Let’s get straight to the practical tips that make a visit here so special.

Purnululu National Park: Key Info

• What is it? A UNESCO World Heritage-listed park in the East Kimberley, famous for the 350-million-year-old Bungle Bungle Range.
• Best For: Adventurous travellers with a high-clearance 4WD, nature lovers, and anyone seeking a remote, awe-inspiring landscape.
• Key Attractions: The iconic beehive domes, the stunning natural amphitheatre of Cathedral Gorge, and the narrow, towering walls of Echidna Chasm.
• Getting There: A rugged 53km 4WD-only track off the Great Northern Highway that takes 2-3 hours, or by a scenic flight from Kununurra or Halls Creek.
• Top Tip: Visit Echidna Chasm around midday (11 am-1 pm is perfect) to see the sunlight make the narrow walls glow a fiery orange.

A Hidden World Revealed: Purnululu Park

For countless generations, the Kija and Jaru peoples have moved through this ancient landscape. Its towering beehive formations and sheltered gorges are an integral part of their cultural and spiritual world.

Yet, this geological wonder remained virtually unknown to most Australians until 1983. A film crew, working on a documentary called ‘Wonders of Western Australia’, captured the first aerial footage of the range, stunning viewers nationwide. This exposure led to the area being gazetted as a national park in 1987.

What they revealed was a 239,723-hectare wonderland that defied imagination. Hundreds of orange and black striped sandstone domes rise up to 300 metres from the spinifex-covered plains like giant beehives.

This long isolation has preserved both the park’s natural features and its profound cultural significance, creating an experience of rare authenticity for today’s visitors.

In recognition of its exceptional universal value, Purnululu was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2003. The listing acknowledges both its incredible geology and its ongoing cultural importance to Aboriginal Australians.

Nature’s Artistry: The Geological Story

The story of the Purnululu Range begins about 350 million years ago when rivers deposited vast quantities of sand and gravel. Over millions of years, these sediments compressed into sandstone and conglomerate rock, forming the Bungle Bungle Range.

What makes the Bungle Bungles truly distinctive is their extraordinary banding. These alternating orange and dark grey-black stripes result from a fascinating interplay of geology and biology.

• The orange bands are layers of sandstone where iron oxide (rust) coats the sand grains, creating the vibrant hue that blazes in the sunlight.
• The darker bands form where cyanobacteria, a type of single-celled algae, grow on the more moisture-retentive layers. This dark, protective coating not only colours the rock but also stabilises the fragile surface and slows erosion.

For millions of years, the forces of wind and water have carved this plateau into the maze of domes, chasms, and gorges we see today. Geologists consider the Bungle Bungles to be one of the most exceptional examples of cone karst formations in the world.

Cultural Heartland

Long before Purnululu appeared on tourist maps, it held deep significance for Aboriginal Australians. The name itself, “Purnululu,” means “sandstone” in the language of the Kija people.

For the Kija and Jaru peoples, this is a living cultural archive, with rock art sites, ceremonial places, and dreaming stories embedded throughout the country. A powerful Dreaming story for Echidna Chasm, for example, tells of an echidna trying to escape a cockatoo, pushing through a crack in the rock to create the chasm where it could hide. The dramatic gorges and waterholes have sustained life for generations, providing shelter, water, and resources.

Today, Aboriginal rangers and guides play a key role in the park. Tour operators like the Aboriginal-owned Bungle Bungle Guided Tours and Kingfisher Tours share invaluable knowledge about bush foods, traditional land management, and the cultural significance of key sites. Taking a tour with them adds incredible depth to the Purnululu experience if you’re willing to listen and learn.

Exploring the Wonders of the Bungle Bungle Range

Purnululu’s most famous attractions are found along a network of walking trails, ranging from easy strolls to challenging overnight hikes. Each path shows you a different side of this incredible landscape.

Cathedral Gorge

This is probably the park’s most magical spot. Cathedral Gorge is a natural amphitheatre where massive red rock walls curve around a permanent pool of water.

The gorge’s amazing acoustics turn even a whisper into resonant sound, creating a feeling of natural reverence. It’s a Grade 4, 2-kilometre return walk from the Piccaninny Creek car park that leads you into this red rock wonder, and it’s an experience you won’t forget.

Echidna Chasm

In the park’s northern section, Echidna Chasm offers a totally different experience. This narrow passage winds between soaring orange walls that rise up to 200 metres, narrowing to just a few metres wide in some places.

The 2km return walk is rated Grade 4, as it involves scrambling over boulders and climbing a few short ladders, so a reasonable level of mobility is needed. My best tip is to visit around midday, usually between 11 am and 1 pm, when the sunlight floods the chasm from directly overhead. It sets the walls ablaze with a fiery orange glow and makes for one of Purnululu’s most unforgettable sights.

The Domes Walk

If you want to get a real sense of the scale of the Bungle Bungles, the 700-metre Domes Walk loop is a must-do. This easy, relatively flat trail winds right through the beehive structures themselves.

It gives you a chance to see the orange and black banding patterns up close. It’s the best way to appreciate just how huge these natural formations are.

Piccaninny Creek

For more experienced hikers, the Piccaninny Creek trail follows the creek bed deep into the heart of the Bungle Bungle Range. It can be done as a long day hike or as an overnight expedition for well-prepared bushwalkers with permits.

The unmarked route winds past towering rock walls and requires good navigation skills. A key landmark for hikers is “The Elbow,” a sharp turn where the creek enters the main gorge system. It’s a challenging but rewarding trek, and you must register at the visitor centre before setting out.

A Living Ecosystem

Despite its rugged appearance, Purnululu is full of life. The park is home to over 600 plant species, including 13 different types of spinifex grass.

In the sheltered gorges, you’ll find isolated patches of lush vegetation that create unique microhabitats. These spots support species like the Livistona fan palm, a living relic from a time when the Kimberley was much wetter.

Keep an eye out for the Short-eared Rock-wallaby navigating the cliff faces, or spot dingoes at dawn and dusk. Birdwatchers are rewarded with over 149 species, including the colourful rainbow bee-eater and the majestic peregrine falcon. After rain, the park’s waterways come alive with frogs, while lizards like the impressive Gould’s Goanna bask on sun-warmed rocks.

Practical Considerations for Your Purnululu WA Trip

Getting There

Purnululu’s remote location is both a challenge and what keeps it so pristine. The park turn-off is about 250 kilometres south of Kununurra and 108 kilometres north of Halls Creek.

Access is via the 53-kilometre Spring Creek Track, which branches off the Great Northern Highway. This track is famously rugged, with creek crossings and rocky sections that require a high-clearance 4WD. The journey takes about 2-3 hours and shouldn’t be underestimated.

If you don’t have a suitable vehicle, scenic flights are a fantastic alternative. They offer breathtaking aerial views and can be combined with guided ground tours.

Seasons and Timing

Purnululu is a seasonal park, usually open from April to December, depending on the weather. The dry season from May to September is the best time to visit, with reliable access and comfortable temperatures.

The park closes during the wet season (usually December to March) when monsoonal rains make the roads impassable. Always check the official Parks and Wildlife Service website for current conditions and alerts before you travel.

Accommodation and Facilities

Two public campgrounds provide accommodation inside Purnululu Park. Walardi Campground is in the southern section, close to Cathedral Gorge, while Kurrajong Campground in the north is the base for Echidna Chasm.

Both campgrounds have basic facilities like toilets and non-potable water, which must be treated before drinking. You must be completely self-sufficient and bring your own food, drinking water, and fuel. According to the Parks and Wildlife Service of WA, park entry fees are $17 per vehicle. Camping fees are separate, costing about $20 per adult per night for a site with facilities. You can book campsites online up to 180 days in advance.

If you’re after more comfort, private operators like Bungle Bungle Savannah Lodge and Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge offer safari-style tents and meals. They provide a great way to experience the park without having to bring all your own gear.

Essential Preparation

A trip to Purnululu demands thorough preparation. It’s a remote part of the world, and you need to be ready.

• Make sure your 4WD is in excellent condition with two spare tyres and basic recovery gear like a tyre deflator and compressor.
• Carry plenty of drinking water; the recommendation is at least 5 litres per person, per day.
• Pack a well-stocked first-aid kit and any personal medications. The nearest medical assistance is in Halls Creek or Kununurra.
• A personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite phone is a smart idea, as there is no reliable mobile coverage in the park, though some intermittent Optus service can be found.
• The closest fuel is at Warmun Roadhouse or Halls Creek, so fill up before you enter the park.

The Future of Purnululu

As more people make the trip, Purnululu faces the challenge of balancing access with conservation. The fragile sandstone and the delicate cyanobacteria crusts are vulnerable to erosion, putting pressure on popular sites.

Park managers work closely with Traditional Owners to develop sustainable practices. While the official management plan is from 1995-2005, its revision has been pending the resolution of a complex native title case to ensure joint management arrangements are properly established. These strategies include carefully designed tracks and using the tough access road as a natural way to limit visitor numbers.

Climate change is another challenge. Altered rainfall patterns could impact the fragile ecosystems and the cyanobacteria that create the iconic dark bands on the domes.

Is Purnululu National Park Worth the Journey?

Absolutely. Despite the challenges of getting there, Purnululu National Park offers an experience of rare authenticity.

Here, in this ancient landscape where geological time is written in stone, you gain a sense of perspective that few other places can provide. It’s a powerful reminder of our planet’s natural wonders.

Whether you see it from a scenic flight or explore its gorges on foot, Purnululu leaves a lasting impression. My advice is to start planning your trip now. Check the official park website for the latest conditions, book your campsite or tour, and get ready for one of Australia’s greatest road trip adventures.