The Purnululu National Park is a World Heritage Site in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. The park covers an area of 239,723 hectares (592,370 acres) and is located about 300 kilometers (190 miles) south of Kununurra. Halls Creek is situated to the south of the park. It was listed as a World Heritage Site in 2003.
World Heritage Site
The World Heritage status of the region was established and agreed upon in 2003, using the existing boundary of the national park. After being listed, the Government of Western Australia added more protected areas next to the World Heritage Area, such as the Purnululu Conservation Park and the Ord River Regeneration Reserve. The site was officially listed on the Australian National Heritage List on May 21, 2007, under the Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Act (No. 1), 2003 (Cth).
The national park is managed by the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions along with the traditional Aboriginal owners.
Indigenous Peoples
In 2022, the Federal Court of Australia stated that the Purnululu and Gajangana Jaru (also called Northern Jaru) people are the traditional owners of the area. Purnululu National Park was the second conservation park to have traditional owners recognized after the Native Title Act 1993 was changed to allow this. The Bungle Bungles Aboriginal Corporation manages the native title for the Jaru, Gija (also called Kija), and Malngin people.
In 2024, the Gija community and the Western Australian Museum created an interactive display showing the Gija creation story on the museum's website and in the park.
Features
The Bungle Bungle Range, located entirely within the park, reaches heights of 578 metres (1,896 ft) above sea level. It is known for its unique and eye-catching sandstone domes, which have stripes of orange and grey colors. The color patterns of the domes are caused by differences in the amount of clay and how porous the sandstone is. The orange stripes form from iron that has reacted with oxygen in layers that dry too quickly for bacteria to grow. The grey stripes form from cyanobacteria living on the surface of layers where moisture stays.
Geology
The Bungle Bungle Range is one of the largest and most amazing examples of sandstone tower (or cone) karst terrain in the world. The Bungle Bungles are a plateau made of Devonian sandstone, carved into many beehive-shaped towers with regularly alternating, dark gray bands formed by a type of single-celled organism that uses sunlight to make food. The plateau has deep, steep-sided gorges and slot canyons that are 100–200 meters (330–660 feet) deep. The cone-shaped towers have steep sides, a sudden change in slope at the base, and rounded tops. Scientists do not yet fully understand how they formed. Their surface is fragile but held together by layers of iron oxide and bacteria. These formations show how sandstone can be shaped by weathering caused by water dissolving the rock, with sand grains being removed by wind, rain, and sheet wash on slopes.
Access
Access to the park by road is through Spring Creek Track, which connects to the Great Northern Highway about 250 kilometers (160 miles) south of Kununurra. The track is 53 kilometers (33 miles) long and can only be used during the dry season (about April 1 to December 31) by four-wheel-drive vehicles. Traveling the track safely takes about three hours. Access by air is easier; helicopter flights are available from Bellburn Airstrip inside the national park and from Warmun roadhouse. Scenic light aircraft flights are also available from Kununurra and Lake Argyle.