There is an adjacent buffer zone to the north and west (the Purnululu Conservation Reserve) of almost 800 km2, which is not part of the nominated area but which is managed to help protect the park’s World Heritage Values. Famous for the 450 km2 Bungle Bungle Range, Purnululu has been listed as an outstanding landscape that is an incomparable natural phenomenon. It reveals the story of its formation over hundreds of millions of years, and helps unlock the story of the earth’s history. Twenty million years of weathering have produced the eroded sandstone towers and banded beehive structures of the Bungle Bungle Range. Dark bands, formed by cyanobacteria, winding horizontally around the domes, contrast with the lighter orange sandstone. Cyanobacteria are single-celled organisms that represent some of the oldest life-forms on earth. These organisms have been found as fossils in rocks elsewhere in Western Australia in rocks that are believed to be up to 3500 million years old. The cyanobacterial bands are up to several metres wide, yet only a few millimetres thick. The crusts help stabilise and protect the ancient and fragile sandstone towers. The dramatically sculptured structures undergo remarkable seasonal variation in appearance, including striking colour transition following rain. The intricate maze of towers is accentuated by sinuous, narrow, sheer-sided gorges lined with majestic Livistona fan palms. These, and the soaring cliffs up to 250 metres high, are cut by seasonal waterfalls and pools, creating the major tourist attractions in the park. The sandstone karst of Purnululu is of great scientific importance in demonstrating so clearly the process of cone karst formation on sandstone – a phenomenon only recognised by geomorphologists over the past 25 years and still not completely understood. While sandstone towers and cliffs are known from other parts of the world, including some regions in Australia, the spectacular features of the Bungle Bungle Range are unrivalled in their scale, extend, grandeur and diversity of forms. They owe their existence and uniqueness to several interacting geological, biological, erosional and climatic phenomena. The park’s domes, gorges and wet season waterfalls were almost unknown to the outside world until 1982 when aerial pictures of this outback jewel were released. Purnululu National Park lies in a transition zone between the arid desert environments of central Australia to the south and, to the north, the monsoon savannah environments of northern Australia. The biological features of the park show adaptations to the aridity of the neighbouring desert environments and also to the rainfall-rich zone of the monsoon region. The Ord River, the major watercourse, creates a riverine ecosystem that is a vital resource for plants, animals and people. Mean annual rainfall is around 600 mm but the evaporation rate is very high, and runoff is rapid. Consequently, there is little permanent surface water. The diversity of landforms, along with the park’s location in a transitional climatic zone, supports a range of distinct vegetation communities, ranging from desert shrubs along the exposed plateaus of the Bungle Bungle Range, to the rainforest communities along Osmond Creek valley.
Purnululu National Park
* About the images
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
Close all
-
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, World Heritage Places - Purnululu National Park
Since inscription; climate change has emerged as an additional potential threat to the World Heritage values; and Australia has introduced a range of measures at both the national and property specific level to address potential threats.
-
IUCN World Heritage Outlook, Purnululu National Park, 2014
The risks of catastrophic wildfire and alien plant or animal invasion; compounded by climate change; are potential threats.
Temperature changes Data Deficient The region already experiences climatic extremes; but further extremes could affect the values of the site.
Fire Fire Suppression Low Threat Inside site One significant threat is fire; especially the potentially catastrophic wildfires of the late dry season.
Reduced rainfall; higher land temperatures and increased risk of extreme weather events such as flash flooding and cyclonic activity may cause changes in the abundance and distribution of native flora and fauna populations or alter underlying geological and geomorphologic values (Australian National University; 2009).
-
IUCN World Heritage Outlook, Purnululu National Park, 2017
Potential Threats Low Threat The risks of catastrophic wildfire and alien plant or animal invasion; compounded by climate change; are potential threats.
Temperature extremes High Threat Inside site; throughout( 50 ) Outside site The region already experiences climatic extremes; but further extremes could affect the values of the site.
Local conditions such as wind; erosion and cyclones will need to be monitored to gauge the effects of these processes; which are likely to increase due to climate change (IUCN Consultation; 2017).
-
IUCN World Heritage Outlook, Purnululu National Park, 2020
Fire Fire Suppression Data Deficient (Wildfires) Inside site; widespread(15 50 ) Changing fire regimes due to climate change are a potential threat to most terrestrial World Heritage sites in Australia (Bowman; 2016 Scheiter et al.; 2015).
Potential Threats High Threat The risks of catastrophic wildfire and alien plant or animal invasion; compounded by climate change; are threats whose significance continues to mount as climate change progresses.
Habitat Shifting Alteration; Temperature extremes; High Threat Storms Flooding Inside site; throughout( 50 ) Outside site (Climate change) Exacerbated climatic extremes could affect the values of the site.
Local conditions such as wind; erosion and cyclones will need to be monitored to gauge the effects of these processes; which are likely to increase due to climate change (IUCN Consultation; 2017).
The risks of catastrophic wildfire and alien plant or animal invasion; compounded by climate change; are potential threats whose seriousness is progressively increasing as climate change worsens.
Combined with the trajectory of climate change; consequent changes in fire regimes; and the escalating invasion of the site’s precincts by cane toads; these factors give cause for concern beyond the short term.
Factors negatively affecting provision of this benefit Climate change Impact level Low; Trend Continuing History and tradition The cultural values of the hunter gatherer society among the Aboriginal traditional owners of Purnululu are highly significant (State Party of Australia; 2002).
Factors negatively affecting provision of this benefit Climate change Impact level Low; Trend Continuing Overexploitation Impact level Low; Trend Continuing Invasive species Impact level Low; Trend Continuing Outdoor recreation and tourism Tourism is moderately increasing with visitor numbers from 2012 2016 averaging 24;659 per annum; where from 2017 2018 numbers averaged 28;990 per annum.
Factors negatively affecting provision of this benefit Climate change Impact level Low; Trend Continuing Invasive species Impact level Low; Trend Continuing Summary of benefits Purnululu National Park benefits are principally the conservation of a stunning landscape with high biodiversity; geological and cultural values.
Purnululu Conservation Park and the Ord River Regeneration Reserve located adjacent to the Park allow for controlled burning to be undertaken to mitigate bushfires; which are a key threatening process to the vegetation of the massif.
An altered fire regime could adversely affect both relict vegetation and the surfaces of many of the karstic sandstone cones (Mann; 2013).
Reduced rainfall; higher land temperatures and increased risk of extreme weather events such as flash flooding and cyclonic activity may cause changes in the abundance and distribution of native flora and fauna populations or alter underlying geological and geomorphologic values (Australian National University; 2009).
-
Australian Government, Nomination of Purnululu National Park by the Government of Australia for Inscription on the World Heritage List
More recently; threats to the environment included inappropriate fire regimes and uncontrolled visitor pressure.
-
Department of Conservation and Land Management for the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority, Purnululu National Park: Management Plan 1995 - 2005
This enormous grazing pressure; together with periods of drought and a change in fire regime led to changes in the fragile plains and river frontage ecosystems.
Selective grazing pressure and frequent widespread fire led to changes in the vegetation.
The combination of high growth rates of vegetation in the wet season and a long dry season; accompanied by high temperatures; can present a high fire risk.
There is a high risk of wildfire in the Park with its extensive grasslands and long dry season.
This enormous grazing pressure; together with periods of drought and a change in fire regime led to changes in the fragile plains and river frontage ecosystems.
Download