The Red Centre

Small salt water crocodile

5.5m long saltie

With temperatures in the north rising rapidly, and the approach of the wet season rains we decided to start on the long drive south, but not before seeing a salt water crocodile. So before leaving Darwin we booked an evening cruise in a nature reserve. This huge area of interconnected waterways is a bit like the Norfolk Broads and has a huge amount of birdlife, including beautiful sea eagles. Our first sighting was of a small salt water crocodile around 2.5m long, but later we came across this huge 5.5m long adult resting on the bank. Salt water crocodiles weigh up to two tons and  can be very aggressive, causing the deaths of several people each year. Our only route was to pass right behind him which made for an exciting moment.



The Devils Marbles

From Darwin to Alice Springs is 1500kms along a relatively straight and flat tarmac road, which can become quite monotonous. As there is little traffic drivers are looking for any distraction so always wave to passing motorists. There are a few landmarks en route and we made a point of stopping at one each day, including a sandstone gorge at Katherine, some freshwater springs in the middle of the desert, surrounded by palms housing hundreds of bats, and further south various rock formations significant to the aborigines such as the devils Marbles.



Chain of Ponds gorge in McDonnel Range

Around 1000kms south of Darwin, as we approached the dryer centre,  we were relieved to discover that night-time temperatures were much lower making it easier to sleep.
Passing the geographical centre of Australia and just south of the Tropic of Capricorn is Alice Springs (of a Town like Alice fame) which now boasts a wide range of modern and upmarket facilities for travellers and tourists. It is the largest town for over 1000 kms in any direction and sits in the middle of the

180 degree panorama from Kings Canyon rim walk

Uluru - Ayres Rock

McDonnel range of mountains. These are red sandstone outcrops which run for several hundred kms across the centre of Australia and are cut by deep gorges which often have cool swimming waterholes year round. On one exploratory walk we came across Emma and her daughter Emily from the UK who are travelling round Australia for a year. After spending a very pleasant evening exchanging experiences we went our separate ways only to bump into each other in various places over the next couple of weeks. It was always great to meet and chat.


Kata Tjuta
 

After exploring some of the gorges we headed south stopping at the stunning Kings canyon, where we walked the canyon rim in the early morning as they close it if the temperature rises above 36 degrees, The walk is stunning. After climbing up several 100m to pass through beehive like formations, it run along the rim with sheer vertical sandstone faces 300m high dropping into the gorge.


Kata Tjuta

Everywhere the rock is red, and the sand and dust are red - hence the name of the Red centre, but there is a covering of tufts of prickly spinifex grass and small shrubs and trees providing a surprising amount of greenery.
Uluru (or Ayres Rock) rose from the flat plain as we approached and is every bit as impressive as it is made out to be. This red sandstone monolith which towers 350m above the plain has no erosion scree or debris with the smoothed rock sides dropping almost vertically to the desert plain below. An extraordinary sight. They have just announced that in two years time people will be prohibited from  from climbing Uluru, but the public are already asked not to climb it as it is sacred to the Aboriginies. However on the days we were there the rock was closed anyway as it was too windy. It is also closed when the temperature rises above 36 degrees, or if it is raining or low cloud.

Painted Desert

50kms away is another extraordinary rock outcrop Kata Tjuta - a series of rounded conglomerate domes rising 500m from the desert, with narrow passageways between them. Paths wind through the outcrops giving a sense of just how large these outcrops are.

Part of 5000km long dog fence

Having spent 10 days around Alice and Uluru we needed to be on the move again to make sure we reach Melbourne for the end of November. After a couple of long days driving we pulled off the Stewart Highway and headed 100kms east along a dirt road to the Painted Desert - an area of beautiful coloured weathered rock which looks like an artists mixing palate. We were the only people on the road, and here is true desert, no vegetation, just a dry stony surface cut by rain channels. Our route took us through the dog fence, a 5000km long fence round south Australia to keep dingoes out and protect the sheep industry, and through the opal fields near Coober Pedy.

Opal mining spoil heaps

This extraordinary town has been responsible for the mining of 80% of the worlds opal. When first discovered there were hundreds of claims and the spoil heaps from the workings are scattered across the desert.

Underground church Coober Pedy

The town developed despite the lack of water and the fierce summer heat when temperatures can reach 50 degrees, and the sub zero winter nights. To overcome this many of the houses, and even the churches are cut into the soft rock where the temperature summer and winter is around 23 degrees. A really quirky town which still is home to many characters and a lot of old mining junk in yards round the town. Our visit coincided with a tremendous thunderstorm and pouring rain, very unusual in this town which sometimes does not see rain for several years.

Quirky Opal Bug in Coober Pedy

Our final stretch of the Stuart Highway took us through Woomera rocket testing range, where the British tested the Blue Streak rockets in the 1960's which has several large white salt lakes either side of the road.  We eventually pulled in to the RV park in Port Augusta, which sits on the southern coast, to be welcomed once again by Emma and Emily

 



McDonnel Range Gorge                                                                                      Ghost Gum

 

 

Pair of Sea Eagles                                            Inquisitive Wallaby