Bungle Bungle's (Purnululu National Park)

The Bungle Bungle Ranges (Bungle Bungle's) are a unique rock formation found only within the Purnululu National Park within W.A. The striped 'bee-hive' banding on the ranges have become very iconic to the Kimberly's and amazingly were only discovered by a film crew in 1983.
I was very excited to see this natural wonder with my own eyes, but was faced with nearly 60km's of off-road terrain which was rough rough rough. The road in was windy, narrow, rocky, hilly and corrugated with deep river-crossings... I was going to need a lift for this one...
A rest area called Spring Creek is located a stones throw away from the turn-off to Purnululu N.P on the highway. This is a great area for caravaners to free themselves of their load and head into the park burden free. It therefore made sense that I hang around this area in order to find my ticket in.
It took me one and a half days to secure a ride into the bungles, but eventually after a few subtle hints to an older couple - Ted and Dianne - I was offered a seat for a day trip. I would have liked to stay in the park for a night or two but beggars can't be choosers, and I was lucky to have met such genuine people.
I took a short stroll down the road to watch the sun-set and get some much needed exercise when who should I bump into but Leigh and Steph! Leigh and Steph are the couple I had met at Kalbarri many months before. It was great to see them again so unexpectedly and I enjoyed their energy and enthusiasm when talking about the Bungle Bungles. They had enjoyed their time. When I arrived back at my bike later on I found that they had left a bag of food goodies to surprise me. Amazing.
The night before I was Bungle Bungle bound, at Spring Creek rest area I was once more spoiled rotten. Let me set the scene for you...
The sun had set and darkness was falling around the camp grounds. The air was warm and still, and the busy rest area was alive with the murmuring of neighbours mingling and cooking dinner. I was having a quiet beer with the neighbours to the right of my tent, Greg and Margaret. Greg and I had enjoyed a few beers together and I had watched his peculiar mannerisms with great interest. We were sitting at two pick-nick tables pushed together for extra space. Hours earlier I had been invited to eat dinner with Gary and Kim, the neighbours to my left. So suddenly dinner was cooked and they came over to the table with roast chicken, carrot, pumpkin, spuds, peas, corn and gravy. Plus a cold beer for me. I awkwardly thanked Greg and Margaret to shift down the table to sit with my 'new' friends to eat. Minutes later the old man travelling with 3 huge feral cats on leashes (who I had chatted to for hours in the morning) came over to the table to give me a beautifully battered fillet of Barramundi with a luke-warm beer. I felt the eyes of my company as I accepted this kind offering with a guilty thanks. Finishing two meals was not going to be a problem after all. To add to this embarrassment Ted arrived soon after to organize the details of our trip into the Bungles, and what should he happen to be carrying? A beer for me. By this stage my beer collection was growing wildly on the table in front of me, and I was feeling like a spoiled, alcoholic adventurer - a very strange mix indeed!

I awoke early in the morning very excited to visit the Bungles, and was also thankful for the opportunity to travel without the labour of pushing peddles.
I cooked myself a big bowl of porridge with honey and chopped banana and washed myself in the clear waters of the creek.
I had my head hung out of the 4WD window like an excited dog as we sped through stunning scenery and wild river-crossings. With Ted and Dianne's friends travelling in another vehicle behind us we arrived in the park in excellent time.
Ted wouldn't allow me to pay the national park pass - his generosity was/is inspiring. As we drove along, suddenly the hills gave way to bizarre formations the like I had never seen before. It was mind-blowing to be immersed in the alien formations all around me. I felt like I had entered a Mario game on the original Nintendo.
We then spent the day walking down tracks to view golden chasms, walking up to high look-outs, and getting lost in the matrix of bee-hive domes. It was just magic.
Sadly it was during the mid-day sun, and my photos were mostly burnt out.
After a bit of road-rage by Ted on the drive home, 'the cat-man' had a cold beer waiting for me and so I sat with this lonely old man for a chat and watched the sun-set once more. It was a relaxing end to a busy, yet incredible days adventure.