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Length: 4km
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Duration: 1hr
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Grade: 2
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Style: Return
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Start: Piccaninny Creek Car Park
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End: Piccaninny Creek Car Park
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Location: Purnululu National Park
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Closest Town:
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Distance from CBD: 3200km
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State: WA
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Latitude: -17.4890444
Longitude: 128.3752177
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2WD Access
4WD Access
Public Transport
Bitumen Road
Gravel Road
Steep Road
Winding Road
Speed Bumps
Vehicle Ford
Entry Fee
Large Car Park
Small Car Park
Accessible Parking
Accessible Toilet
Public Toilets
Drinking Water
Untreated Water
Picnic Shelter
Picnic Table
BBQ Facilities
Campfire Pit
Camping Area
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Purnululu National Park...
Select items to indicate features found along the trail.
Concrete Path
Timber Boardwalk
Gravel Path
Sandy Trail
Rough Trail
Undefined Trail
Prams & Strollers
Manual Wheelchair
Motorised Wheelchair
Bicycle Trail
Mountain Bike Trail
Historic Rail Trail
Dog Friendly
Urban Walk
Coast & Beach
Historic Lighthouse
Waterfalls & Lakes
Rainforest Walk
Goldfields & Mining
Heritage Walk
Aboriginal Art
Alpine Region
Alpine Huts
Exposed Ledges
Rock Scrambling
Steep Terrain
Bush Bashing
River Crossings
Scenic Viewpoints
Well Marked
Drinking Water
Untreated Water
Fishing Spots
Swimming Spots
Overnight Campsites
Trail Running
Horse Riding
Hike Summary
Discover Cathedral Gorge, an astonishing natural amphitheatre of red rock located within the Bungle Bungle Ranges in Purnululu National Park. The unusual bee hive striped formations and deep gorges make it one of the most fascinating geological landmarks and one of two World Heritage sites in Western Australia.
From Piccaninny Car Park, the walk winds its way through the iconic bee hives, heading down between two walls of rock before opening up into Cathedral Gorge. Water pounding through here in the wet season has created a huge amphitheatre of red rock with a pool of water in the middle (be sure to bring a wide angle lens for your camera). The acoustics are so good that music has been played within the gorge. On the return journey to the Car Park be sure to take the alternative route through the beehives. Whilst in the area take a couple of days and a backpack to explore nearby Picaninny Creek and Gorge, camping overnight. If you do this, make sure you are well prepared. The deeper you go, the more spectacular it gets, but for your safety you must register at the visitor center before setting out. On the northern side is Echidna Chasm, a narrow gorge totally different from those on the southern side. The park is open only between April and December (weather permitting). Check with Department of Parks and Wildlife's Kununurra office on 08 9168 4200 for the current weather forecast and road conditions before entering the park. Access to the park by road is via Spring Creek Track, from the Great Northern Highway approximately 250km south of Kununurra, to the track's end at the Purnululu National Park Visitor Centre. The track is 53km long and is usable only in the dry season (about April 1 to December 31), and only by four-wheel-drive (4WD) high clearance vehicles and off road trailers. Safely navigating it takes approximately three hours. From the Purnululu National Park Visitor Centre the trail is then located a further 27 kilometres drive south. Access by air is less demanding; scenic flights over the massif by helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft are available within the park or from Halls Creek, Kununurra or Warmun. This is the best way to gain a perspective of the Bungle Bungle's massive size and spectacular scenery.
About the region
The Bungle Bungle Range in Purnululu National Park is one of the most striking geological landmarks in Western Australia, offering a remote wilderness experience. Purnululu attracts visitors for a whole range of reasons; the sheer grandeur of the sandstone massif, watching it change to a golden colour late in the day, walking through some of the marvellous gorges and for the really well-prepared, a walk along Piccaninny Creek for an overnight camping experience. Other walks include the Echidna Chasm Walk, Mini Palms Walk, the walk to Kungkalanayi Lookout, Cathedral Gorge, the Domes Walk, Homestead Gorge, Piccaninny Creek Lookout, Whip Snake Gorge and the Northern Escarpment Walk.
Tips
Start Point: Piccaninny Creek Car Park, Purnululu National Park, 230km (3 hours) south of Kununurra, which is 3200km (30 hours) north of Perth
End Point: Piccaninny Creek Car Park, Purnululu National Park, 230km (3 hours) south of Kununurra, which is 3200km (30 hours) north of Perth
Region: Purnululu National Park, North West
For more information, a location map and GPS file please visit Trails WA.
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