Editing Tunnel Creek National Park

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox Australian place
| type                   = protected
| name                   = Tunnel Creek National Park
| state                  = wa
| iucn_category          = II
| image                  = Tunnel Creek 2.jpg
| caption                = Tunnel Creek in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
| image_alt              = 
| local_map              = yes
| zoom                   = 13
| coordinates            = {{coord|17|36|43|S|125|08|34|E|display=inline,title}}
| relief                 = yes
| map_alt                = 
| nearest_town_or_city   = [[Derby, Western Australia|Derby]]
| area                   = {{convert|91|ha|acre|0|abbr=on}}
| area_footnotes         = <ref name="ParkAreas">{{cite journal| year=2010| title=Department of Environment and Conservation 2009–2010 Annual Report| journal=Annual Report| pages=48| publisher=Department of Environment and Conservation| issn=1835-114X| url=http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/6139/2345/| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110111124319/http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/content/view/6139/2345/| archive-date=11 January 2011| df=dmy-all}}</ref>
| established            = 1992
| established_footnotes  = 
| visitation_num         = 
| visitation_year        = 
| visitation_footnotes   = 
| managing_authorities   = [[Department of Environment and Conservation (Western Australia)|Department of Environment and Conservation]]
| url                    = https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park/tunnel-creek
}}
'''Tunnel Creek National Park''' is a [[national park]] in the [[Kimberley (Western Australia)|Kimberley region]] of [[Western Australia]], {{convert|1845|km}} northeast of [[Perth]] and {{convert|390|km|abbr=on}} east of [[Broome, Western Australia|Broome]]. The natural cave through which  [[Tunnel Creek]] flows is a major attraction of the park.

Many Aboriginal [[rock painting]]s and [[speleothem]]s are present in the cave decorating the walls. The cave was the hideout of the [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal]] warrior [[Jandamarra]], who was killed outside the entrance of the cave in 1897.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.showcaves.com/english/au/caves/TunnelCreek.html|title=Caves of Australia - Tunnel Creek National Park - Cave of Bats|year=2009|access-date=19 February 2009}}</ref> It is part of the [[Devonian Reef| Balili (Devonian Reef) Conservation Park]].

==Geography==
The park is located in the [[Napier Range]] and covers an area of {{convert|91|ha|acre}}. The range is composed of [[limestone]] and is the remains of a [[Devonian]] [[reef]] system formed around 350 million years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,44/|title=Department of Environment and Conservation - Parkfinder - Tunnel Creek National Park|year=2009|access-date=26 September 2010}}</ref>

The [[tunnel]] component of Tunnel Creek has a length of approximately {{convert|750|m|abbr=on}} that runs underground and is one of the oldest cave systems in Western Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kimberleyaustralia.com/tunnel-creek-national-park.html |title=Kimberley Australia - Tunnel Creek National Park|year=2009|access-date=19 February 2009}}</ref> The reef was first exposed around 250 million years ago and the first cave systems began to form; the present cave systems were created about 20 million years ago.

The cave reaches a maximum height of {{convert|12|m|abbr=on}} and has a maximum width of {{convert|15|m|abbr=on}}. The creek was once known as "The Cave of the Bats", with at least five species of [[bat]] inhabiting the cavern. There are large pools of water on the floor of the cave in which [[freshwater crocodile]]s have been found. The pools indicate that the [[water table]] is only just below the present floor surface and water only flows through the area after heavy rainfall.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agfg.com.au/guide/wa/kimberley/kimberley/derby/attractions-tourism/tunnel-creek-national-park|title=Australian Good Food and Travel Guide - Tunnel Creek National Park|year=2009|access-date=19 February 2009}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== See also ==
* [[Protected areas of Western Australia]]
* [[Gibb River Road]]

{{National Parks of Western Australia}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:National parks of Western Australia]]
[[Category:Kimberley (Western Australia)]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1992]]