After a very pleasant 6 days in Kununurra it was time to hit the road again, heading for the Bungle Bungles, to see from the ground these famous beehive-like domes in Purnululu National Park. The drive was very enjoyable, with varied landscape from sandalwood farms, to mining and cattle stations, passing through undulating ranges and valleys. We chose to stay at the Bungle Bungles Caravan Park, a relatively new camp ground (2011) on the Mabel Downs Station. It’s still a 53km drive to the Information Centre and then another ~20kms to any major walks from the camp ground. And what a busy little camp ground this is, playing host for one or two nights to many ‘caravaners and off-roaders’ who don’t want to take their vans or trailers on the  ‘amazing’ road into the Park.

I feel compelled to mention some facts about Mabel Downs Station. It is one of the Stations that form Yeeda Corporation,  traversing property from Broome to Halls Creek, 500kms away and then on to The Bungle Bungles. It’s hard to comprehend the scale of this significant holding with its 95,000 head of cattle and sheep. And complementing this is the facility they have opened up 1km off the highway for campers visiting the Bungle Bungles.

We travelled out to the Bungle Bungles with our Kiwi friends Therese and Kerry, and wow, what a trip!

The Bungle Bungles at ground level

We decided to take pillows and cushions to soften the ride – because this is one brute of a road. It is described as a metal road, but somehow they forgot to say ‘and all the metal has washed away, and it has huge corrugations that shake and rattle your teeth and your bones!’ We crossed 9 river/stream crossings, 5 with water up to the running boards. The road trip (return) itself took us 5 hours, and on our way in I did hear a number of times ‘this had better be good when we get there’. And it was. We visited Cathedral Cove, Piccaninny Creek, and also walked to The Window.

On the way in to the “Cathedral’, Cathedral Gorge

Cathedral Cove is at the end of a short walk through a hidden valley with 200+m domes rising up on either side, ultimately opening to an enormous cathedral like cove, where over millions of years water has eroded the escarpment to form the cathedral that sits over a large pool.

‘The Cathedral’, overlooking large natural pool

The escarpments of the domes tower high above creating an amphitheatre like environment. It is truly spectacular. To just sit and take in the surroundings was quite something.

The Window walk is several kms up the Piccaninny Creek, where you can more appreciate the scale of the Bungle Bungles, passing the Sunset Lookout and ending at The Window, which is a natural window that has formed in one of the domes. The dried creek bed is quite staggering. It is largely rock, with many undulations and crevices formed over millions of years from the rushing waters of the annual wet season.

Jane ‘posing’ in The Window

So, yes, it was worth it. Phew, just as well, because the return trip seemed longer and the corrugations some how grew bigger. We definitely needed a glass of red and a massage at the end of the day….well, Steve got the massage! It was an excellent day and we truly appreciated being guests of Therese and Kerry.

From here our next stop was Fitzroy Crossing, some 300kms away, and edging toward Broome and the East Kimberley’s. We stayed at the Fitzroy River Lodge, just before the town itself. This was an excellent grassed camp ground with very good facilities. The local attraction here is Geikie Gorge, which is close to the town. By all accounts it is very interesting, however with having been on so many excursions recently we decided to just relax, walk, bike ride and catch up on chores. We were due to stay two nights, but surprise surprise, after over 2 months of blue skies and sunny days it rained over night and with light drizzle in the morning we decided not to drive, but to stay and head to Broome the following day. So on Monday it was Broome here we come. This was a 400km day, on good roads and of course as it does in northern Australia, the sun shone again. We have booked 10 days in Broome, however think it likely we will be here for 3 weeks.