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Purnululu National Park Piccaninny Area Walks |
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Notes: We stayed overnight in a free-camp area near the start of Spring Creek Track, the dirt road leading into the Purnululu (or Bungle Bungle ) National Park and headed in early to get a full day in the area. The first sign we saw told us that we really did need to book our campsite before entering the park. So we turned around and found a place nearby that had mobile reception, a feat not always possible in Western Australia's remote areas. Having booked online we again headed to the start of the track. A few kilometres in we stopped and let the tyres down a bit to help with the ride and minimise the possibility of punctures. The road was not in all that bad a condition mainly because it was currently being graded. I am still unsure as to whether it is better to have corrugations or sharp rocks lying in wait to puncture your tyres. Driving slowly is my answer for safety. It took us over 2 hours to reach the Purnululu Visitors Centre, around 52km from the gate, which included photographic stops. Here we were given maps and advice regarding camping and even a suggestion on the best things to do and when. As we were going to be here a couple of nights we chose to do our own thing and headed south to do the walks at the Piccaninny Walks area. We stopped at the rock formation called the Elephant's Trunk. This is a rock that if viewed just right looks like an elephant's trunk, hence the name. With the roads being rough and our photo stop we took longer than expected, but were soon heading out to walk among the domes that we had come a long way to see. Our walk took us initially to 'The Domes' then onto the Cathedral Gorge and finally to the Piccaninny Creek Lookout. This was all we could do in the time we had. We drove back to camp and then headed off on foot to the small hill behind our campground to watch the sunset light up the red cliffs of the adjacent range, a rather nice view and a good sunset. After sunset we went back down the hill to the caravan and our dinner. A good first day! |
| Drive-in Piccaninny Walking Area Kurrajong Sunset |
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| The Drive In: | ||
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| Free camp overnight | Friendly faces | Surprising sign at the start of Spring Creek Track |
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| Track view | Track view | Track view |
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| Frank River oasis | Water crossing at the Frank River | Track view |
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| Track view | Track view | After 20 plus kilometres the real park entrance |
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| Road still very average | Track view | Track view |
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| Track view | Track view | Track view |
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| Track view | Elephant Roack roadside stop | And elephant hides in the distance |
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| Oh I see it now! | Ah! the elephant appears | Track view |
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| Track view | ||
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| Track view | Track view | Track view |
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| Track view | ||
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| Track view | Track view | Piccaninny Walk area |
| Piccaninny Walks Area | ||
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| Starting the walk | Walk sign describing the walks | Outward bound down the track |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view | Domes loop - view |
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| Domes loop - view | ||
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| Cathedral Gorge track - sign | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - Information board |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - Information board | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | ||
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | ||
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - warning sign | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge - view | Cathedral Gorge - who is this person? | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - Dove nesting | Cathedral Gorge track - view | Cathedral Gorge track - view |
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| Cathedral Gorge track - view | Piccaninny Creek information | Piccaninny Creek Walk - sign |
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| Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek - view |
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| Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek - view |
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| Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek - view |
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| Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek - view | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View |
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| Dome rock close-up - Sandstone & conglomerate rock | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View |
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| Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View |
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| Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View |
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| Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - Split Rock | Piccaninny Creek Lookout Walk - View |
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| Piccaninny Creek Lookout - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout - View |
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| Piccaninny Creek Lookout - View | Piccaninny Creek Lookout - View | Dome information |
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| Dome Close-up | Piccaninny Creek Return Walk - View | Piccaninny Creek Return Walk - View |
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| Piccaninny Creek Return Walk - View | Elephant Rock - heading back to camp | Elephant Rock - heading back to camp |
| Sunset - Kurrajong Campground Vantage Point | ||
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| A must see sunset they say | Up the walking track behind our camp | Sunset views |
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| Sunset views | Sunset views | Sunset views |
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| Sunset views | ||
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| Sunset views | Sunset views | Sunset views |
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| Sunset views | Sunset views | Sunset views |
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| Sunset views | ||
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| Sunset views | Sunset views | Sunset views |
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| Sunset views | Sunset views | Sunset views - almost gone -time for dinner |