The access road into Purnululu is the honest filter that keeps the Bungle Bungles from being overwhelmed. Fifty-three kilometres of corrugated, rocky, unsealed track that requires a genuine 4WD with high clearance — allow two hours and take it seriously. The reward for getting through is a campground sitting within a short walk of one of the most distinctive geological formations on Earth.
The striped orange-and-black beehive domes of the Bungle Bungles are the product of ancient sandstone layered with cyanobacteria — darker bands less permeable, lighter bands more so, the whole structure shaped by millions of years of weathering into rounded towers that look like nothing else in Australia. They’re World Heritage listed and genuinely live up to the designation.
Kurrajong campground is close and well-managed — flush toilets, cold showers, reasonable sites. No generators after dark; the nights are properly quiet, which is worth something out here. Fires are not permitted at any time — bring a gas stove.
Cathedral Gorge is the walk you came for: 5km return through increasingly narrow passageways in the domes, ending in a domed cavern with extraordinary acoustics and a shallow seasonal pool. Start at dawn. The temperature inside the gorge stays manageable, but the open sections are brutal in direct afternoon sun. Be back at camp for lunch.
Piccaninny Gorge is the longer, more demanding option — an all-day walk that requires experience and proper navigation. Don’t attempt it without preparation and adequate water.
Helicopter flights operate from the car park and give a perspective of the domes that ground walking simply cannot provide; if the budget allows, it’s worth it.
Turkey Creek/Warmun (53km back on the highway) has fuel and basic supplies. Kununurra is 300km for everything else — stock up completely before making the turn off the Great Northern Highway.