The Helena and Aurora Range or Bungalbin is a range of mountains and hills in the Goldfields-Esperance region of

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

, north-east of

Southern Cross Crux () is a constellation of the southern sky that is centred on four bright stars in a cross-shaped asterism commonly known as the Southern Cross. It lies on the southern end of the Milky Way's visible band. The name ''Crux'' is Latin for c ...

and north-east of Koolyanobbing within the Shire of Yilgarn. The range is the largest of six banded ironstone ranges that are situated within the Coolgardie IBRA region. The range has a length of and the highest point has an elevation of . The traditional owners of the area are of the Kaprun peoples who speak the

Kalaamaya language Kalaamaya, also spelled Karlamay, is a Pama–Nyungan language of Western Australia. It is poorly attested, but appears to be a close relative of the Nyungar languages. A variety called ''Nyaki Nyaki'' (Njakinjaki) has been variously said to b ...

. The area is home to at least 16 Aboriginal sacred sites. The area is rich in minerals and was considered as a possible site for an

Iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, or deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the fo ...

mine. In 2017, a proposal to develop the area by

Mineral Resources Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. O ...

was found to be unacceptable by the Environmental Protection Authority then appealed and rejected by an independent appeals convener. The decision was supported by the state's environment minister Stephen Dawson. The first stage of the creation of the

Helena and Aurora Ranges National Park Helena and Aurora Ranges National Park, located in the Helena and Aurora Range, is a proposed national park in the Goldfields–Esperance and Wheatbelt (Western Australia), Wheatbelt regions of Western Australia, east of Perth. The proposed nat ...

was completed in February 2021 by Environment minister Stephen Dawson. The park is planned to encompass an area of and includes all of the area that currently belongs to the Helena and Aurora Range nature reserve which is a part of the

Great Western Woodlands The Great Western Woodlands is located in the southwest of Australia. The woodlands cover almost , a region larger in size than England and Wales. The boundary of the Great Western Woodlands runs from the Nullarbor Plain in the east to the West ...

References

{{reflist Mountains of Western Australia Great Western Woodlands Goldfields-Esperance Coolgardie woodlands