AREA AND LOCATION. The Bungle Bungles, or the Bungle Bungle (Purnululu) National Park, is 45,000 hectares in area and is located east of Highway 1 between Kununurra in the north and Halls Creek in the south. It is in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
STATUS. National park status was granted to the Bungle Bungles in 1987. In 2003, Purnululu National Park and the Bungle Bungle range were declared a World Heritage site.
MANAGEMENT. The Purnululu Aboriginal Corporation and Western Australia's Department of Conservation and Land Management jointly manage the national park.
CAVEAT. Because of the fragile nature of the rounded rock towers in the Bungle Bungles, climbing them is prohibited. The rock formations rise as high as 200 metres.
COLOR BANDS. The stripes which run around the Bungle Bungles rock formations have been formed by silica deposits (orange) and lichen (black).
ORIGIN OF NAME. Bungle Bungle is believed to be a corruption of bundle bundle, a grass common to the Kimberley region. Purnululu is sandstone in the Aboriginal Kija language.
SCENIC FLIGHTS. Helicopter and airplane flights can be arranged at Kununurra or Halls Creek. Helicopter flights over the Bungle Bungles are able to get closer and into some of the picturesque gorges.
CAMPING. There are designated camping areas within the national park. Tent sites, water, toilets and firewood are available.
WALKING TRACKS. The Cathedral Gorge and Echidna Chasm walking tracks take about an hour one way. Other walks to consider are the Froghole, Mini Palms and the long and challenging hike to Picanniny Gorge.
ABORIGINAL LAND. The Aboriginal people are believed to have settled the area for more than 20,000 years.
