When an area is World Heritage listed, you can almost always guarantee it’s going to be worth the adventure to experience it. Australia boasts an incredible 20 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the likes of the Great Barrier Reef, K’gari, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and many more. These are joined on the list by global sensations such as Machu Picchu, The Great Wall of China and Taj Mahal. One of my favourite UNESCO World Heritage sites, located in the lucky land down under, is Purnululu National Park, home to the iconic Bungle Bungle Range.
After recently adventuring to Purnululu National Park, I can tell you there definitely is a right way to do it and I personally would’ve loved to have read this guide prior to my visit. So, even though I didn’t do my research properly beforehand, this is how I’d do it next time and how I’d recommend you space out your day and stay.
Getting to Purnululu
Located 300 kilometres south of Kununurra, Purnululu National Park is in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia and is well renowned for its rugged, red cliffs and stunning scenery. I have a running theory every time I meet a person named Kimberley that their parents hold a spot in their heart for our beautiful Kimberley region.
Access to Purnululu National Park is by high-clearance 4WD only, and for good reason; the route to the national park is an unsealed road that has its fair share of corrugations, bumps, wash outs and creek crossings. I don’t find myself motion sick often (unless I am on a boat) however the drive in was such a dramatic combination of bumpy and windy that I was getting nauseous.
If you have a single axle caravan or camper trailer you are able to head on through but unfortunately us dual-axle owners cannot tow through due to the track conditions. We were warned by the people working at the caravan park front desk that anyone thinking of chucking a sneaky with their dual axle runs the risk of being turned around by park rangers. Trust me, once you complete that 53 kilometre track in, the last thing you want is to be turned away.
To get into the national park, I’d suggest allowing yourself around 2 hours, depending on the conditions and amount of vehicles ahead of you. Driving confidently as avid off-roaders and at a decent speed, it still took us around 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to the visitor centre.
4x4 and caravan parked in front of mountain range
Where can I camp?
If you’re a dual axle caravan owner, The Bungle Bungle Caravan Park is your best option, located just outside the National Park. Although you will have to undertake the long journey into the national park, this caravan park has bathrooms, powered site options and even a bush-style restaurant where you can dine under the stars.
When we stayed there we also noticed a lot of people unhitched their vans and paid to have them minded whilst they ventured into the park to camp at one of the campground options in a swag or tent. So, with this knowledge in mind, I’d suggest coming prepared and deciding ahead of time what your game plan is. Had we known, we’d have brought along a swag and left our caravan with the caravan park.
If you want to camp within the National Park, you have the option of Walardi Campground (located at the southern end) or Kurrajong Campground (at the Northern end). If you want my humble opinion, I’d suggest camping at Walardi as it’s closest to the domes and Cathedral Gorge, which are best viewed at morning light. You can then venture over to Echidna Chasm at the northern end afterward, which reaches its best light at midday.
What should I see?
Putting my travel guide hat on, I’d suggest you spend one full day seeing all of the sights, beginning at the southern end in the morning and using midday to the afternoon to see the northern sights. This is if you’re camped at the caravan park.
I do think you can spend a few days exploring, provided you’re camped within the national park, as one massive drive in and out from the caravan park was exhausting for us and that was a shared opinion with the other travelers we chatted with at the caravan park.
Regardless of where you camp, aim to head to the key spots at the best times to see them all in their best light.
Morning:
Begin by heading to Piccaninny car park and enjoy the scenic drive as you arrive. There’s so much to see simply out of your car window so be sure to take in each moment as you travel. If you’re a passenger princess like myself, get the video camera out as soon as you start driving in.
There are a few options here: firstly the domes walk, which is a mere 700 metres return but is full of towering, bee-hive shaped domes which you can view up close. If you’d like something a little longer, head to Cathedral Gorge, which is a 2 kilometre return walk where you’ll discover the iconic amphitheatre and pool.
Even longer is ‘The Window’ which is very similar to ‘Nature’s Window’ at Kalbarri National Park. You’ll walk along Piccaninny Creek until you find a window that frames some of the domes, creating a perfect picture frame.
Personally, I would recommend the top three but if you want to challenge yourself, and you’re a seasoned hiker, there are also two very long hikes from Piccaninny car park: Whip Snake Gorge (10km return) and Piccaninny Gorge Trek (20km return or 40km return if you check out all of the gorges). The latter requires a registration at the visitor centre for safety and as all remote hikes I’d recommend you carry plenty of food, water and a personal locator beacon with you.
Midday:
Echidna Chasm is a narrow slot canyon that glows gold when the midday sun hits the right spot and I can tell you from experience, being inside the canyon during that time is a stunning sight. As I said, we didn’t plan ahead so we ended up fluking this and I was so happy it worked out.
To explore this area, begin in Echidna car park and walk a 2 kilometre return path. Make sure you’ve got some sturdy shoes or boots on as the ground is rocky and quite uneven, which means it is a little slower going than some of the other walks in the park.
The Echidna trail is on the Escarpment Trail which also links with the Bloodwoods trails, Mini Palms and Homestead Valley Trails. If you’re up for a big adventure, the Escarpment Trail is a 7.2 kilometre return investment. You’ll find Mini Palms 2.6 kilometres in and Homestead Valley another 1 kilometre past that.
woman standing in gorge
What to Know Before You go
- Fuel up first: It’s probably obvious, but there is no fuel in the park so you will need to come prepared and have fueled up prior.
- Take care on your way in and out: The road is bumpy, windy and requires you to drop your tyre pressures. Drive sensibly so you can have an enjoyable trip. Make sure you first check the conditions before you head on over.
- Bring food and water in: Although there are some supplies, like drinks and snacks, that are available for purchase at the visitor centre, you would be wise to bring in your food and water. Big kilometres, lots of walking and long hours mean that you’ll need to fuel your body, just like you fuel up your vehicle for an adventure.
- There are scenic flights available to book: If you’ve got budget to, see the domes from the sky on a scenic, helicopter ride. Checking them out from the ground as well as the sky offers two very different perspectives and ways to admire these natural formations.
Just like Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles), Uluru and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), Purnululu National Park is one of those places that still feels ancient and wild. Yes, it’s remote and it requires planning and preparation, but it is worth every effort. I know for a fact, you will not have a bad time at Purnululu National Park, and I am counting down the days until my next visit.
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