Yesterday, the 20th, I went on a four wheel tour of the Purnululu NP. It was called the Bungle Bungles after the name of the station is was located on, but with respect for my niece in law who is one of the Aboriginal people who call this area her spirit home, I will refer to it as Purnululu. The road in is absolutely terrible with several creek crossings, so I am glad I did not attempt the 53 km drive in my RAV.  The Park is very different each end. The southern end has the iconic domes structured rocks with the variegated rings.

The stripes are caused by Blue green algae growing on the surface of the rock layers which have mostly clay in them as they hold water. The red layers are the sand layers. These rock formations are 350 million years old and are unique because they were formed from the erosion debris of the Osmond Ranges which are now merely hills and have a billion year old date. The age of this area is significant as it emphasises just how peripheral we are to the environment. Having said that, the rocks are vulnerable and are beginning to suffer the consequences of tourism.

View from Picaninny Lookout

Cathedral Gorge.

In the afternoon, we went t the Northern end of the Park and here the spinifex grasses cushioned the slopes of the ranges with soft, silver pillows. The ranges were very high and cut with fingers of chasms. I visited Echidna Chasm. Cockatoo was chasing Echidna and he buried himself in the mountain but not before Cockatoo pulled some of his quills out which are the Palms in this gorge, you can see today.

Echidna Chasm

We finished the day on Osmond Lookout.

These cockatiels were sitting in a boab tree. And more flowers.