Kings Canyon – Watarrka National Park

Arrived at Kings Canyon Resort on Tuesday 9th September. Fuel costs have risen and now paying$2.27 for 1 litre of fuel. Everything else in this area is expensive and it costs about $7.00 for just about everything in the store that was 50ml. Very expensive, but it is an outback resort with few resources except tourism and a caravan park and resort.

Lovely pool and  shady (at last) caravan site. Kings Canyon is stunning and we managed the Kings Creek Walk in the afternoon after we arrived planning on the Rim Walk the next day. This walk is very steep and then takes you right across the Canyon and down into the Garden of Eden and then back up to take the last part of the walk back to the starting point. Unfortunately, Nigel got a case of the squitts (ie., Bendigo Belly I’m calling it!) and was quite unwell and spent the day in bed.  The Rim Walk is a walk that you need to do early in the morning and if the temperature is over 36 Deg C, then the rangers close the track as it becomes too hot and treacherous. Nevertheless, it was nice to have a quiet day, catch up on washing, and relax by the pool. Another time in the future for the Rim Walk!

So, it’s off the Alice Springs and Glen Helen Resort tomorrow. It’s a 600+ kms drive, but it is amazing that you can drive long distances up here without realising it. The roads are minimalist for traffic and so it’s basically on “auto pilot” without having to worry about any other living being fighting for your piece of road space.

Port Augusta – “The Big Smoke and Mitre 10”

Port Augusta had two visits from us. One on the way there (3rd Sept) and one on the way back (17 Sept).

On our first visit, we stayed at the Big 4 caravan park which was very nice and had an ensuite which we luxuriated in! So nice to have one's own loo!

We had one day in Port Augusta to do a bit if sight seeing and a place to buy a few items for the caravan. (We might get ourselves organised by the time we get back to Victoria!)

We visited the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden and it was fascinating to see all the beautiful desert flowers and trees that we would encounter. Absolutely, fell in love with Sturt Peas. They look like little aliens from outer space with big black eyes.  (Reminds me of the book "Day of the Triffids". Now that's scary!)

We wandered over to the Wadlata Outback Centre with the entrance through a large snakes' mouth - interesting! The centre was very hands on and obviously to keep kids entertained, but it was very well done and we purchased some goodies for the family.

BUT, nothing goes smoothly with this motley crew. Got back to the caravan park and the door of the caravan was wide open.  A near "poo panic" as we both looked at each other in shock.  Dived out of the car and found that nothing had been touched. It seems the door lock had come undone and the door came open due to an old lock that had come loose and also not being locked properly.  Instruction to Nigella on the key to lock the door. I must admit it is not an easy lock and caused further investigation later on. So off to Mitre 10 for a new set of screws and a new coiled wire to tighten the mechanism.  All good. Got everything sorted, screwed in and nail glue applied and then realised we hadn't put the new coil wire in!  A short expletive in the form of "bugger it" and we had a cup of tea.

The South Australian architecture always has me enthralled. The beautiful old sandstone buildings with the lined pointing is just fascinating.  A trick to it all is to mortar the rocks to form walls and then render with concrete. After that the concrete is scored with lines and then the lines are painted in white to look like mortar and perfect brick work.  Veeeery clever.

An interesting feature of Port Augusta is that it is a plastic bag free town.  No plastic bags, so if you don't bring your green bags to the supermarket, you will have to buy more!  Good plan though, 'cos no-one arrives without the green bags, except, you guessed it  us!

Also there is no alcohol in any public place, or anywhere for that matter. Alcohol is obviously a real issue in SA and NT. To purchase alcohol has restrictions depending where you live.  Cooper Pedy is one bottle of wine per day and you need to have your driver's licence to prove your identity and be checked for any alcohol related crimes.  In Alice Springs, you can have one bottle of wine and a six pack of beer per day. I was taken by surprise but it seems to work as the crime due to alcohol related issues has dropped and certainly the streets are not as noisy with screaming, drunken behaviour that I remember from 20+ years ago.

Anyway, after Port Augusta, a 5.30 hour drive to Coober Pedy

Lovely sandstone buildings

Sturt Peas or the "little aliens!"

 

 

 

Apologies!!!

Sorry that this is a bit disjointed, but having no reception on wireless or dial-up has left me making notes and then waiting for reception.  So enjoy the jumble. Will get to it when I can!!

How to Describe West MacDonnell Ranges?

Thursday 12th September

On the first day of arriving at Glen Helen Homestead Lodge (previously Glen Helen Gorge Resort) , we were surprised that it was so low key and thought, hmmm, doesn’t look much of a resort. Very wrong. It is very low key and the setting has not been spoiled and it had everything that you could want but not “resort” style like Yulara.   

The more you spend time here, the more you love it because it is so unspoiled and you get to experience the magnificent beauty of the West MacDonnell Ranges the way it should be seen.

We set up camp and met our next door neighbours in the caravan section of the facilities. They were nice people from Adelaide, but seemed to be very negative about everything. But we took this with a grain of salt and went on our way. After seeing the sights we decided that they were just negative people and that it didn’t matter what they saw, it was never up to their standard. So boring. 

We then proceeded to book the things we wanted to see and do and also the lovely restaurant. It has won the Golden Plate Award for 2012 and 2013. Not bad for an outback establishment….and I can tell you, the food was superb.  Real NT wild Barramundi served with Cauliflower Puree and Celery, Walnut and Apple Salsa with Truffled Potato Gratin.  Oooh yumm! Finished with Chocolate Chilli Cheesecake and Coulis. Even more yummmmmm!

On the first full day, we travelled to Ormiston Gorge, where I had to have a swim in the waters. It was heavenly, though Nigella was overcome when I stripped to bra and knickers and dived in. Too much for his sensibilities! Though he did laugh when I ended up with a wet bum in my shorts but the knickers got removed on a lonely bush track to a lookout and then my shorts dried off! Did not tell N this bit as he would have had a total hissy fit! This waterhole has been used in many movies including The Alice among others.

We then proceeded to the Ochre Pits where the Arrernte people get their powder for making ceremonial pastes to paint on themselves during traditional ceremonies. You cannot remove any of this as it is tribal land and the fine is $5000. Best to take a photo!

We then moved on to the Serpentine Gorge which was absolutely and unbelievably stunning as the photos will show. All the gorges are narrow and shaded and this creates the most beautiful cool breeze. I can understand why these were popular places with indigenous communities. Apparently, they only used these permanent waterholes when severe drought was upon them as they were highly valued places and very sacred.  We are very fortunate that they allow us tourists to view these sites. 

Today is our last day in Glen Helen so at 10.00 we did a Chopper flight over the McDonnell Ranges to Glen Helen Gorge, Ormiston Gorge and Mt Sonder, one of the highest mountains in NT. Nigel and I both believe that from the mountain strata this was originally a glacier.  Annnd, what a great place for gliding; updraft upon thermal upon updraft and Mt. Sonder is a glider pilot's dream and a chopper pilot's nightmare!!

After the chopper ride which is on movie attached, we did a morning trek down the Two Mile Beach to the Keyhole and took lots of photos.  I spent the afternoon lolling in the beautiful cool waters of the Glen Helen Gorge whilst Nigel had a “Nanna Nap”.  I want to live here forever!  Tomorrow we move on to Alice Springs for the night and hope to see the Telegraph Station and the Ewaninga Rock Carvings before we head back on the return journey.

So far, the Merc has been purring. I think she likes the long drives! I hope she continues to purrrrr!

Viv at Two Mile Beach, Glen Helen

Viv at Glen Helen Gorge - great peaceful place to swim

The Ochre Pits

Strip off and.........

......and in the water!

Wet and wild!

Serpentine Gorge - stunningly beautiful

Viv and Sam the helicopter pilot at Glen Helen

Dr Livingstone, I presume?! No just Madge!

Bush architecture....

Choppers over the Magic Mountains

Uluru is a mystical place. It’s a place that you want to keep looking at and every corner has another story and another aspect to its character.  Its shades of grey, mauve, salmon, pink and purple keep you attuned to it and wanting more photographs. It is definitely a sacred place. 

After making our home at the Ayers Rock Campground and once again, no shade for the caravan, we unpacked ready for adventures. Day One was investigating The Rock. We visited the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre and hired two bicycles to scoot around Uluru.  We have the bikes for 3 hours – plenty of time you say.  Wrong!  It is a place of wonder and you want to stop to take another photo at each turn. We reached the halfway mark at a beautiful waterhole and Nigel was starting to feel the heat and decided to turn around and head back. I decided to go “hell for leather” and raced around the last part, grinning wildly, and enjoying the speed and thinking, “not bad for an old girl of 60!”  It was a cracker of a ride and I made it back with 10 mins to spare – hand pumping the air – Viv wins the Tour de Uluru!!

The next day was a chopper ride over Uluru and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) which was spectacular and shows these two mountains in stark red contrast to the surrounding flat land.  Make no mistake, they may call this the Outback, but it is lush and fertile with abundant trees, plants and wildlife. Just stunning.  From the air, we could see the old sand dunes, line after line of them, and they date back 30,000 years. Sheesh! Just a drop in the ocean of time!  

The next day we headed to Kata Tjuta by car and spent the morning walking through the Walpa Gorge, which was searing hot walking over the rocks until you enter the Gorge and then it was cool, shady and with waterholes. Pure bliss.  We could not do the Valley of the Winds walk as it was too windy and the track was closed. Obviously, a little dangerous! In the afternoon, we had our camel ride to watch the sunset over Uluru and I had great joy in seeing Nigel snotted by my camel – all over his shirt amid squeals of disgust from N and peels of laughter from Moi!

In the evening, we enjoyed a degustation dinner in the desert called Sounds of Silence. It was a full gourmet meal with wine, aboriginal dancing and an astronomer giving a light hearted lecture on the stars and planets in the sky above us and a look at Saturn and Mars in the telescopes on site.  We also both celebrated our 60^th birthdays and much to our delight,were given yummy chocolates and an iced plate reading happy birthday and the ubiquitous “happy birthday” rendition from the other diners. Very fun!

Viv Maharini and Nigella ready to celebrate their respective 60th birthdays, in style!

 

Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) ready for exploring!

Uluru at Sunset

Meryl the Magnificent! What a lamb even if she did "snot" on Nigella!

Our camel train, ready and waiting...with Meryl even smiling!