The Gundabooka National Park, which lies ~50Km south of Bourke, has geological as well as aboriginal significance. Mt Gunderbooka in the southern part of the park is an outcrop of Devonian sandstone over 300 million years old and sits near the edge of the Great Artesian Basin.
The park is home to some beautiful flora and fauna some of which are endangered, but that’s a whole other story - we were there for the art!
The Gunderbooka range which rises 350m from the surrounding plains, has great cultural and spiritual significance for the Ngemba (stone country) people and the Baakandji (river) people. It provided a range of water and food sources and also was used for large ceremonial gatherings with tribes coming from as far away as the region we now know as Broken Hill.
There are lots of walks and things to see and do in the park but we were there for the rock art - just a few Km walk over the rocks, across a now dry creek bed and then a short climb and there it is protected from the elements under a rocky shelf. It was a marvellous experience! Enjoy the pix.
This is the flat bit!
We were here many years ago but the path wasn’t clearly marked so we turned back. Now there are marked sticks and rocks close enough so you don’t get lost. And then there are beautiful rock slab paths - how luxurious!
The trees and rocks were rather splendid and the colours .... endless.
Even a patch of vivid almost unnatural-acid green provided by lichen along the way.
But dry! Sadly the creek doesn’t look like it’s seen water for a long time - but that worked in our favour because we were able to cross the creek to get to the rock ledge.
Majestic trees suffering a bit of stress.
This tiny scrap has it home and hosed protecting itself from water loss and from animals hungry mouths. Clever little chenopod!
This represents the Brewarrina fish traps.
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