There are travel experiences, and then there are the ones that quietly reshape how you see the world. My day with Kingfisher Tours at the Bungle Bungles was very much the latter.
On Friday 5th June, I was lucky enough to join a day trip from Darwin into the heart of Purnululu National Park — a place that deserves every superlative ever written about it.
Getting There
The day began at 6:30am at Hardy's Aviation terminal in Darwin, where I met the rest of the small group — including a couple visiting from Scotland who were about to have one of the highlights of their Australian trip. After a safety brief, we boarded a Cessna 210 and headed west, stopping briefly in Kununurra to refuel before tracking over the extraordinary expanse of Lake Argyle and down to Bellburn Airstrip. A short drive brought us to the facilities at the start of the Dome Walks.
Meeting Rebecca
Waiting for us was Kingfisher's head guide, Rebecca Sampi — and from the moment she handed us freshly made damper with local bush honey and a cup of tea, it was clear this was going to be a very different kind of tour.
Bec is a proud Gija woman who grew up in this country, and that connection is woven into every part of how she shares it. She opened our walk with a Welcome to Country that felt genuinely personal rather than ceremonial, and from there, she took us into the domes — and into her story.
Walking in the Domes
Despite the temperature sitting in the high 20s, Bec kept us well-paced and never rushed. There was always time to stop, ask questions, and simply absorb the surroundings. She spoke about growing up in the region with her family, about how her family raised dingoes, and about how fresh water was sourced from small natural waterholes — filtered and clean through nothing but the land itself.
As we moved deeper into the landscape, Bec pointed out rock art and explained the distinction between male and female works, along with the methods and meaning behind how the art was made. It's the kind of knowledge you simply can't find in a guidebook.
Lunch Among the Formations
The walk eventually brought us to a breathtaking stretch of rock and cave formations, where lunch had been laid out with real care. As we settled in — and honestly, it was the best cold chicken I have ever eaten — Bec performed another welcome to this particular part of her family's country, this time with clapping sticks and song. The sound echoed through the ancient rock walls, and visitors from other groups nearby stopped and stood in silence, visibly moved.
Then came the stories. Including one about the first time her family visited Perth and encountered an escalator. And the sparkling water on the plane. I won't spoil it — you need to hear it from Bec herself.
The Flight Home
The day wrapped with a direct flight back to Darwin, and I found myself sitting quietly, trying to process what I'd just experienced. In four hours with Bec and Kingfisher Tours, I learned more about this country, its culture, and its people than I have in many years of working around cultural sites.
If you ever get the chance to do this trip — take it. Don't hesitate.