Day 26: North Purnululu

Since Mini Palms Grove is closed while they rebuild a some of the walkways, today was always going to be fairly relaxed. We were going to start with a drive to the Bloodwoods lookout, then Echidna Chasm and Osmand Lookout. How quickly plans can change. We got to The Bloodwoods, and saw the comment of Homestead Valley only being 2.2km along an easy track… Its worth the minimal effort required.

The walk into Homestead Valley

Homestead is a lovely gorge, but then you walk down Echidna… The best time of day is just before midday when the sun turns the walls of the chasm fabulous shades of orange, yellows and reds. It’s narrow walls also mean it stays shaded and add to the dramatic effect.

Bowerbird nest

A tour group leaving the chasm

Je walking into the far end of Echidna Chasm

Jen surveying the scale of Echidna Chasm

You can’t walk through these chasms/gorges without commenting on the rocks you walking past. The poorly sorted conglomerate consists of a well rounded clasts ranging in size from pebble to large boulders, in a sandstone matrix; while the dark sandstone banding still contains occasional horizons of pebble sized clasts. The dark colour is apparently caused by cyanobacteria . The energy required to transport this far enough for the clasts to become rounded is mind boggling. The thickness the unit says that this was a regular event in the Devonian  at this location. I will need to get the GSWA notes on the area as this is fascinating…

Finish the day with another short walk and scramble to a lookout to watch sunset strike the Bungles. All with a cold beer in our hands. Bliss. Even better is returning to find we still have a quiet campsite!

Sunset from a vantage point with a cold beer. Jen finds her happy place.