Purnululu National Park — Walardi Campground

Walardi is the southern base camp for Purnululu and the one you want if Cathedral Gorge is on your list — and it should be. Basic but functional: pit toilets, no showers, no power, and a strict no-fire policy across the whole park. Sites are shaded by bloodwood and grevillea, with the beehive domes rising up behind camp at dusk. It fills fast in peak season (May–September), so get in before noon or you’re gambling. Self-registration on site, fees apply.

Access is via the Bellburn Track from the park’s main entry — roughly 53 km of corrugated dirt that demands at least 4WD and a high-clearance rig. No caravans. No trailers. Water is not reliably available at camp; carry everything in. Check Parks and Wildlife WA for current conditions — the track can close fast after rain.

Cathedral Gorge base camp in the Bungles.