Purnululu National Park, Western Australia
A place of exceptional natural beauty and ancient geological wonder
Bungle Bungle range, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The Gija, Jaru and Malngin people are the Traditional Owners of this land and have an enduring cultural connection spanning more than 20,000 years.
Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The brilliant oranges, reds and greens of the Purnululu landscape are strikingly beautiful. The contrast between the green plants and orange sandstone makes this landscape like few others in the world.
Bungle Bungle Range, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The foundations for these towering sandstone cliffs were laid 360 million years ago, when ancient rivers carried sand and gravel into the region’s vast Ord Basin. Buried over time by younger sediments, the sand and gravel gradually compacted, forming sandstone and conglomerate.
Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Over a period of some 20 million years, these deposits were uplifted and incised by torrential floodwaters which carved out deep gorges. The range now stands over 200 metres tall, towering over the surrounding semi-arid savannah grasslands.
Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Despite their fragility, the ancient sandstone domes have withstood floods, wind and fire for many millennia. This is due to the thin, protective layers of orange iron oxide and black cyanobacteria, visible in horizontal bands, which prevent them from disintegrating.
Cathedral gorge, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Cathedral Gorge, in the southern end of the park, is one of Purnululu’s most famous attractions. A narrow path which winds its way along the creek bed opens up to an impressive and humbling natural amphitheatre.
Cathedral gorge, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
A spectacular waterfall here cascades from the heights of the cavern, but only after very heavy rain during the wet season, when the park is inaccessible. It is a magical sight that very few people get to witness.
Echidna Chasm, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The conglomerate rock walls of Echidna Chasm in the north are a stark visual contrast to the banded sandstone landscape to the south. The walls of the gorge rise more than 200 metres from the creek bed, and form a narrow passageway which is barely a metre wide in places.
Echidna Chasm, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The red, yellow and brown hues seen on the chasm walls are the colours of the weathered, iron-stained sandstone, highlighted by the sun passing overhead. When the sun is directly above the chasm, shards of bright sunlight penetrate deep within, producing a magnificent glow.
Blackrock Falls, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Each wet season, monsoonal rains fill the river, creeks and tributaries. The escaping water travels through the range, creating stunning waterfalls. The water carves its way deeper into the rock, flooding the gorge floors, forming life-sustaining pools and nourishing the land.
Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Purnululu sits in a transitional climate zone between the hot, dry desert and monsoonal areas, meaning a remarkably rich and diverse mixture of ecosystems, plant and animal species are supported here.
The Bungle Bungle Range Fan Palm (Livistona vistoriae) (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The Bungle Bungle Range fan palm (Livistona victoriae) is a prehistoric relic, found only between the Victoria River Basin in the Northern Territory and the sandstone Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu.
The Bungle Bungle Range Fan Palm (Livistona vistoriae) (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The palm grows on the precarious narrow ledges of sheer cliff faces, surviving on permanent water seepage within the towering, sheltered gorges in the northern end of the park. They are also found at the base of the cliffs and along streams and intermittent watercourses.
Spinifex Pigeon, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Purnululu is home to more than 130 bird species, including the iconic spinifex pigeon (Geophaps plumifera) with its unmistakable orange crest. It also provides a habitat for some migratory birds, who arrive from the north during the wet season, and the south during the dry.
Bowerbird, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The male great bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis) builds an intricate structure, or bower, and adorns it with white objects in the hope of attracting a female. Mating takes place in the bower, after which the female leaves to build a nest alone and raise her young independently.
Kimberley Sandstone Dragon, Purnululu National Park (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
The Kimberley sandstone dragon (Diporiphora bennettii) is one of the many reptile species whose home is the vast landscape of the Purnululu World Heritage area.
Purnululu National Park World Heritage site (2003) by Purnululu National ParkUNESCO World Heritage
Today, government, First Nations Traditional Owners, and neighbouring properties work together in the management, conservation and protection of this spectacular but fragile place, so we may continue to enjoy and share it for generations to come.
This exhibit was created by the Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions: www.dbca.wa.gov.au
More on Purnululu National Park and World Heritage: whc.unesco.org/en/list/1094
Photos: Tourism Western Australia, Gary Annett Photography, Epigroup
