The Bungle Bungles are a truly otherworldly sight. Scored with improbably bold russet and charcoal bands, they feel like the spine of the earth. The 'discovery' of the Bungle Bungles is a testament to the sheer size and inaccessibility of Western Australia.

This vast ochre range of wind-worn sandstone nubs, a latterday icon of the state that covers 450 sq km (173 sq mi) of a 2000 sq km (772 sq mi) national park, was unknown to European Australians prior to the 1980s. Known as Purnululu (meaning 'sandstone' in the Kidja language), the bizarre, banded bulges were formed by deposits of sand and other sediment laid down up to 375 million years ago. The park is also noted for its Aboriginal art galleries, plus the beautiful pools hidden within the gorges and the rich wildlife they attract.