Bungle Bungles

Saturday the 13^th June it was time to leave Lake Argyle. Seven days there was not to much. It is a beautiful drive in and out of there. Headed for the Bungle Bungles Van Park but stopped at Kununurra for the markets and other provisions. Called in to the Visitors Centre to make a booking for the Bungle Bungles National Park. They now require that you have to make a booking ahead of time online and the Visitors Centre has an ipad you can use. 

 

Headed off to the Bungles Van Park which is not actually at the Bungles. The National Park is a further 52km on. We had phone reception for the first time in a week and got a couple of blog posts and facebook done. Made sure everything was charged as we were camping in the Bungles. On the Sunday morning we left the van in storage at the van park ($20 per night but happier doing that than leaving it in a nearby rest stop) and drove into the National Park. The road is to corrugated to take a van in and there are about six creek crossings.

 So many people, probably the majority pay about $285 per person for a day trip in there. We were camping for three days there. We had confidence in our Land Cruiser being able to cope with it and it did so. I went to the trouble of putting a snorkel on it and having the rear diff breather raised (Toyota had already raised the front diff and gear box breathers) and put BF Goodrich all terrain tyres on. Let the tyres down. Having paid the money to get all that done and not make use of it does not make sense to me. So at least not having to pay for tours gives me good value and there are lots of tours I don’t have to pay for because of having a capable 4WD.
 

The Bungle Bungles Van Park is on the Mabel Downs cattle station which is a full on working property. The owners don’t discriminate between the van park guests and their cattle. We were out under the awning reading and I was on the computer and we heard what we thought was people walking on gravel. After a while we turned around to find we had cattle feeding right behind us.

This is our camp in the Walardi campground in the south of the Bungles. There is a camp in the north and the one in the south. South is best as the walks are longer in the south and two days in the south is best and one day in the north. We have gone for speed and ease with the equipment. Bought a three second tent and a two second shower ensuite. Picked up a 12 volt shower at Kununurra. Being able to have a shower on a hot afternoon after a long walk was fantastic.

The Bungle Bungles were amazing. We could not believe we were there staring at these unique rock formations. Felt like pinching myself to make sure we were there and this was real.

This was the Piccaninny Lookout view.

On the Monday we walked to Whip Snake Gorge.

Then walked to Cathedral Gorge. The temperature increases because you are walking on rocks between rock walls, like being in an oven. Fortunately there was a breeze but we were stuffed by the end.

Tuesday we went to Echidna Chasm in the north. I found this one the most amazing. See videos that went on facebook on the 18th.

Osmond Ranges.

Wednesday morning we drove out and back to the Bungles van park. Picked up the van and headed off. This was the first time we had phone reception since Saturday. Linda received a text that the 22 year old son of a dear friend had died in a cliff fall three days earlier on the Sunday. It was very upsetting.

We drove to Halls Creek and got fuel and lunch and then drove on to Mary Pool free camp for the night. There were more vans, motorhomes and campers there that night than most caravan parks.