Purnululu National Park

Discovered Late, Long KnownThe Bungle Bungle Range's striped sandstone domes became known to the outside world only in 1983 – one of Earth's last great landscape finds. To the Kija and Jaru, this land was never unknown: they've resided here for millennia, linking domes, gorges, and waterholes to creation stories. Purnululu is the Kija word for sandstone. The national park was established in 1987; it achieved World Heritage status in 2003.How the Stripes FormThe orange bands derive from iron and manganese compounds in the rock; the dark ones from cyanobacteria, retaining surface moisture. Both layers alternate because the sandstone was deposited with varying densities. The formation is approximately 350 million years old, its current shape a result of millions of years of erosion. Guided tours with Indigenous guides provide cultural context for the area.

Getting ThereThe park is located in the East Kimberley, approximately 300 kilometres south of Kununurra. From the Great Northern Highway, Spur Creek Road branches off: a 53-kilometre unsealed track with several creek crossings, requiring a 4WD vehicle and taking two and a half hours each way. Caravans and trailers are not permitted on this route.SeasonThe park is only open during the dry season, typically from April to October. During the wet season, the access road is flooded, and the park remains completely closed. Inside the park, the northern and southern loop roads are about an hour's drive apart – plan to visit both on separate days or with an early start. There are no supplies available: you must bring your own water, fuel, and food.