The Bungle Bungles massif is one of the places we have always wanted to see in Australia (after the Whitsundays) but as it is 4WD access only off the highway along a 50km track and we knew Hilda would’nt be up to it, we managed to book ourselves a great 50% deal including flights into the Bungles from Kununurra, two nights at the Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge (tented cabins) and guided walks to the north and south gorges within the Bungles. A trip normally beyond reach so one not to be missed! We’re off at 2pm today!
At the airfield we boarded a seven seater prop engine plane (elastic band job) by Alligator Airways (no joke!), our pilot Daniel gave the safety briefing, stating that the flight would take an hour, and we were ready for off (Paul and I seconded to the seats at the back as all the front ones got bagged first, so you can imagine it would be a bumpy ride ahead…..). We hit it off immediately with another couple doing the same deal, called Phil and Judy (Lawson……did’nt think we meet another Phil and Judy (Moss that is!)) – the usual jokes were made as we trundled along the runway all hoping the plane would get off the ground….needless to say it did!
Kaz putting on a brave face before take off!
Well we flew over some awesome scenery and landmarks on the way to the Bungle Bungles. First to see was the Ord River irrigation system featuring the Diversion Dam that diverts the river waters to flood 7,000 hectares of crop growing land including Sandalwood and Mango tree plantations. Then over to Lake Argyle which is the largest man made lake in Australia with a surface area of 1000 kilometres. An amazing scale apparently it is 23 times larger in volume than Sydney Harbour and up to 63 times in flood conditions. A peninsula protruding out to the east hold’s the world’s only known deposits of Zebra Rock, a unique striped stratified claystone. Then we flew over cattle country over Lissadell and Texas Downs Cattle Stations bounded by the Bow River and the Osmond Ranges, covering a combined area of 307,500 hectares…….that’s some job to muster up all those cattle!
Ord River Diversion Dam
Lake Argyle - one of the many islands ( previously mountains before the river diversion flooded the valleys)
Osmond Ranges within cattle country
After about 45 minutes the Bungle ranges came into view and the only word to use is gobsmacking!!! Their unique beehive formation is so visible even from the sky in hazy conditions, The Bungle Bungle massif covers an area of 45,000 hectares situated within the Purnululu National Park of some 240,000 hectares. It is protected as a World Heritage Listed site as an outstanding example of cone karst in sandstone anywhere in the world, interacting geological, biological, erosional and climatic phenomena.
Approach into Bungles from north
Beehive formations
Southern end of Bungles
Piccaninny Creek at southern edge of Bungles
Landed at Bellburn airstrip....phew glad to be on terra firma again!
We landed at Bellburn airstrip south of the Bungles massif and glad to get on the ground! We were met by our guide called Peggy (who was a laugh a minute from the start……and we did’nt stop laughing until we left – she was a hoot!) in a big 4WD truck, who drove us to the lodge. The Wilderness Lodge was a collection of sand coloured tented cabins all integrated within the bushland landscape so that you can’t see them from the air. We finished the day with a great meal with the lodge staff who were all really friendly, and of course Peggy entertained us with outrageous stories all evening too. We were warned that we might hear strange animal noises in the night including wild cattle, dingoes as well the usual furry ones……. definite sightings of those slithery things (without legs) as we were int’wilderness and it is an eco friendly place …….oh, as well as eight legged friends!!
Sun going down at Bungle tented cabins!
Karen in front of the Bungle Wilderness dining Lodge