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 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 boundary of the existing national park. After being listed, the Government of Western Australia set aside extra 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 21 May 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 acknowledged the Purnululu and Gajangana Jaru (also called Northern Jaru) as the traditional owners of the area. Purnululu National Park became the second conservation park to have its traditional owners recognized after the Native Title Act 1993 was changed to allow such recognition. The Bungle Bungles Aboriginal Corporation manages the native title on behalf of 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. This display was added to the museum website and placed as an exhibit in the park.

Features

The Bungle Bungle Range is located entirely inside the park and reaches a maximum height of 578 metres (1,896 ft) above sea level. It is known for its sandstone domes, which have unique and visually interesting patterns of alternating orange and grey bands. These bands form because of differences in the amount of clay and how porous the sandstone layers are. The orange bands contain iron that has reacted with oxygen in layers that dry too fast for cyanobacteria to grow. The grey bands are made of cyanobacteria living on the surface of sandstone layers where moisture remains.

Geology

The Bungle Bungle Range is one of the largest and most notable examples of sandstone tower (or cone) karst terrain in the world. This area was once a flat plateau made of Devonian sandstone, which has been shaped into a group of beehive-shaped towers. These towers have dark gray layers formed by a type of single-celled organism that uses sunlight to produce food. The plateau has deep, steep-sided gorges and narrow canyons that are 100 to 200 meters (330 to 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 these formations were created. Their surfaces are delicate but are protected by layers of iron oxide and bacterial growth. These structures show how sandstone can be shaped by weathering processes, such as wind, rain, and water moving across slopes, which remove sand grains over time.

Access

To reach the park by road, travelers use 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. Driving 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 flights by small planes are also offered from Kununurra and Lake Argyle.