Amazing Bungles

14th May - Left early due to our timepieces being on SA time, had no idea what we were supposed to be on as there were no signs telling us to change and the radio station we managed to get never told the time (not that we heard anyway).  Saw our first Boab tree and many more, amazing trees. Took just under 2hrs to drive 53kms in from the Great Northern Hwy turn off to Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungle) to the visitors centre then another 14 slow kms to the campsite. Not that it was that bad but a bit up and down, winding, rocky and had a number of creek crossings, only 4wd vehicles allowed. What beautiful scenery, again everything is lush and well covered, from the mountains to the roadside and the mountains changed from rolling ‘carpety’ ones, which are actually covered with many, many tufts of spinifex, to great rocky ones and lots and lots of trees everywhere.  Our setup was the best one yet as the site was fairly flat so no need for too much levelling. We went for a ‘short’ walk but the signposting left a lot to be desired so we wandered a bit up and down a dry river bed until we found some arrows for the opposite direction and worked backwards, it was now getting toward midday and very, very hot!! We made it back to camp and had lunch and just rested for the afternoon until sunset viewing over the Bungle Bungle Range, another magic evening. 

15th May - Today we got up early (still on SA/NT time) and went to the northern end of the Purnululu NP to walk through Mini Palms Gorge. What a fun walk for a couple of hours, though we did get slightly lost in the dry river bed (we’re not to good with the river beds, obviously). Looking down to make sure we didn’t roll an ankle on the smooth rocks we missed a signpost directing us out of the river bed. We realised, not too far down, that we hadn’t seen a signpost for a while so we didn’t have to backtrack too much and we weren’t the only ones to have done it, there were plenty of other bootprints in the sand past the turnoff. 

Destination of Mini Palms walk

 We then went to the Echinda Chasm, again a fun walk, though scrambling over smooth river rocks that moved a lot soon got tiring but it was interspersed with sand and climbing over boulders again. The destination at the end of each of these walks was well worth any walk and the scenery on the way was stunning. There are so many varieties of trees and shrubs, spinifex and flowers as well as all the different rock formations within the walls we walked between. 

The total fire ban was lifted today and firewood was provided at the community campfire which was quickly lit after tea and shared for a chat and some stargazing while we waited for a decent time to go to bed.

Wouldn't want to be under
this rock when it falls in
Echidna Chasm

One of the sections of the
Echidna Chasm, each section
changes as the sun passes over

16th May - Early start again, the sun gets up and goes to bed early here and so do we!! 

Large termite mound
on the way to the domes

'Cathedral' this photo doesn't do
justice to the actual cathedral
there is a man standing
by a large rock at the back of this photo
 to show perspective, see if you can find him!

17th May - We’ve struck a problem - we must have the worst shower tent in the world, we’ve always had trouble getting it back into the size and shape of it’s carry bag and have to watch a you tube video to get it in and we practiced at home (without the video) but it still won’t bend where it’s supposed to and the instructions are useless, so if anyone was watching this morning they’d have had a great laugh. We threatened to leave it there but then we’d be littering so just laid it on top of the mattresses in the camper and will deal with it when we have internet again. The 2hr drive out on the 60+kms drive to the Great Northern Hwy gave us plenty of time to take in the scenery again, just beautiful.
Set up at Kununurra Lakeside Resort and did some shopping, trying to decide whether to stay 2 nights or just head on further into the Kimberley region.