Purnululu - Bungle Bungle National Park had been one of the big ticket bucket list destinations earmaked on our road trip, and it certainly lived up to every perceived expectation we had. We were buzzing the entire time we spent camping and exploring this stunningly scenic, culturally rich, diverse country.
You can imagine then, how blown away we were to discover another 2 National Parks, so similar yet more compact, to the Bungle Bungles that we refer to them as the 'mini Bungle Bungles'.
Here we share with you our mini Bungle Bungle look alikes - Keep River National Park and Mirima National Park.
KEEP RIVER NATIONAL PARK - Northern Territory
WOW! what an introduction to the the Northen Territory this stunning National Park is.
Just prior to crossing over the Western Australia border into the Northern Territory, we bumped into a couple whilst out hiking, coincidentally, in Mirima National Park (the other Bungle Bungle look alike NP). This couple had recently stayed at Keep River National Park and gave us a recommendation to visit there. We had never even heard of it!
When we arrived, what we encountered was what we believe to be, one of the best kept secrets in the NT. This seemingly little known National Park is tucked away just 3km east of the NT and WA border.
With easy 2wd access, well kept campgrounds, absolutely stunning hikes, spectacular geological formations, good road conditions throughout the park (when we visited) and culturally significant sites, it is hard to believe so many travelers, like us previously, have not heard of this national park until we mention it. Keep River Nationl Park remains our number National Park in the north of the NT so far.
There are two campgrounds within the park, Goorrandalng, 18km from the park entrance, and Jarnem, 32km from the entrance. We stayed at both grounds and enjoyed both equally. Different walking trails are accessed at each camp. A 2km walk from Goorrandalng campground and a 7km loop walk from Jarnem. There is also another 3km walk in the park called the Jenemoon walk. (we didn't do this particular walk).
Be sure not to miss stopping off along the way to camp, at Ginger's Hill, to see a very interesting structure showing the ingenuity of the Miriwoong and Gajirrabeng people. We won't ruin this for you by saying what it is, you will just have to visit to discover what it is.
Please Note that roads in this park may close at times due to flooding between November and April. The recommended or most comfortable months to visit are from May to August.
MIRIMA NATIONAL PARK - Western Australia
Mirima National Park, also known as Hidden Valley, is super spectacular. Another mini Bungle Bungles look alike, located just on the outskirts of Kununrra.
The park covers 2068 hectares and is comprised of fascinating sandstone rock formations. It is accessible all year round.
Like Keep River National Park, many people we speak to have unwittingly passed by Mirima Nationl Park without realising its existence. Mirima is the name given to the area by the local Miriuwung people.
There are several walks within the park, all are just stunning, and we particularly loved the fact that the park has a wheelchair/mobility accessible pathway, that meanders through some very beautiful sandstone landscspe on elevated walkways.
From the high vantage points you can enjoy stunning views over parts of the Kununurra township (below right). The walks were simply breathtaking and the further we walked the more stunning the scenery and rock formations became. We could see for miles and the vistas were just jaw dropping. Almost every step we took was a wow moment.
We hope you get to experience the spectaculr scenery for yourself sometime soon! So if you are visiting Kununurra be sure to put this on your bucket list.
We hope you have enjoyed learning about these little favourites of ours too. Both are such absolutely beautiful national parks. What an amazing backyard we have to explore here in Australia!
To discover more about Purnululu - Bungle Bungle National park, stay tuned for our next post.