“Uplifting”

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 Warnum Roadhouse 

Today, after a short drive up the road to Warnum Roadhouse, we had a single event planned for the day…. a helicopter ride over the Bungle Bungles. 

So after lunch we headed over to the office to ‘check in’. We had a safety brief from a lovely young pilot (who assured me he had ‘done a few flights’) and then we were off. It was just Mark and I in the helicopter, and Noah the pilot.  Neither Mark nor I  had been in a helicopter before - it was much more nimble and quiet than expected. I loved the vertical take off! Nevertheless was very glad they left the doors on (sometimes they take them off). And I did advise Noah that mark is a safety professor in the hope he’d be on his toes and extra careful. 

Anyway we had an absolutely amazing flight across the Osmand Ranges (1.9 billion years old!) and then the Bungle Bungles. Couldn’t believe how green the ranges were and how huge! Some of the gorges are 300-400 m deep.

A wave like formation

More wave-like formations created by tectonic plates shifting (Osmand Ranges) 

In case you are wondering, the bungle bungles have been created by the winds coming off the desert, which smooth and shape the rocks. The different colours are explained by layers of sandstone reacting differently eg one layer (orange) is rust, but the black layer is a form an algae. I can’t wait to try to represent these forms in glass! 

The beautiful Bungle Bungles

Gorges from the sky

45000 hectares is the size of this range! 

After all the excitement we had a chilled afternoon. Chatted with our neighbours and Noah, who popped in for a drink. A great day. 

I asked Mark to describe our experience in one word  - and that word is the title of this blog. 


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