Bungle Bungle Southern End

To enjoy the walk trails through and around the magnificent striped domes of the Bungle Bungles, travel to the southern end of Purnululu National Park. 

A number of walk trails depart from the Piccaninny Creek car park, and visitors can choose to combine several walks, or to take one or two shorter walks.

The driving track offers spectacular vistas of the Bungle Bungle Range, and there are several viewing points along the way where you can stop to take in the scene.

There are toilets and shaded picnic areas at Piccaninny Creek car park.

Domes Walk

This is the most accessible of the walks in this area, with a 1 kilometre return trail meandering its way through the red and black striped domes, allowing visitors to get a sense of these ancient formations. There is also a short side trail which ends at a small natural amphitheatre.

This is a Class 2 trail; allow up to 1 hour to complete the circuit.

Cathedral Gorge Walk

Cathedral Gorge is the name given to a breathtaking natural amphitheatre of red rock, created by millions of years of water erosion. In the Wet season a waterfall cascades from the roof of the gorge down into a pool of water in the centre of the amphitheatre. This immense circular cavern is renowned for its acoustics, inspiring many visitors to try out their singing voices. 

The Cathedral Gorge trail is a continuation of part of the Domes trail, and many walkers undertake both at the same time. Walking through a narrow gorge, the sheer cliffs towering 200 metres above on each side. On the trail there are a couple of short steep sections, with steps and handrails to assist walkers, and the going is sandy at times.

This is a Class 3 walk tail; allow approximately 1-2 hours to complete this walk.

Piccaninny Gorge

Piccaninny Gorge is the largest of all the gorges in Purnululu National Park. In the wet season, water flows along the creek between the red and black beehive domes. In the dry season, visitors can walk along the dry creek bed to see more of the Bungle Bungle Range and the interesting shapes created in the creek bed by the flow of the water.

To fully explore the gorge requires a multi-day hike; however there are options for shorter walks along the creek bed to a couple of lookout points and into one of the smaller gorges.

Piccaninny Creek Lookout

Piccaninny Creek Lookout offers beautiful views of the Bungle Bungle Range from an elevated viewpoint. The walk to the Picaninny Creek Lookout is the easiest section of Picaninny Creek to explore, and offers beautiful views of the Bungle Bungle Range across the creek bed.

Allow approximately 1.5 hours for the return journey to this lookout from the carpark.

The Window

A natural window that has eroded through one of the domes frames some beautiful views of the Bungle Bungle Range. This viewing point is approximately 20 minutes from the Piccaninny Creek Lookout.

Whipsnake Gorge

Whipsnake Gorge is a small shady gorge filled with ferns, figs and brittle gums approximately 5km along Piccaninny Creek. The signposted trail takes you away from the creek bed and into the narrow gorge with a small rockpool at the end.

Piccaninny Gorge Walk

For experienced bushwalkers, a multi-day hike into Piccaninny Gorge is an adventurous way to explore a part of Purnululu National Park that few people ever see.

Bushwalkers planning to undertake the Piccaninny Gorge walk must register at the visitor centre before setting out and on their return. Some specialised tour operators also lead group hiking trips into Piccaninny Gorge.

Bushwalkers must be fully prepared and take all the appropriate equipment, food and water with them; there is no reliable drinking water in the gorge.

This is a Class 5 trail, with walkers taking between 2 and 7 days to complete the trail.

The Piccaninny Creek car park is approximately 27 kilometres from the Visitor Centre, or 17 kilometres from Walardi campground.