The drive to Alice Springs was fairly uneventful except that we had to stop for a herd of camels across the Lassiter Highway. Not an everyday occurrence. We booked into the Heavitree Gap Caravan Park on someone’s recommendation. A nice park but we soon realised that the birds, which normally we would be happy to see, had a very bad pooing problem at this particular CP.Thursday was car day. Stephen took the car to Toyota as we were having problems with the cruise control and the gear lever. Unfortunately the car doctor was unable to see the patient until Monday. No big deal as we intended to stay in Alice for a week anyway. We basically had a day off although we did manage a ride on our bikes into town in the afternoon. Travelling is very tiring you know!!
Friday we ventured to the West MacDonnell Ranges starting at Glen Helen. A pretty little waterhole but not much else. Next was Ormiston Gorge where we decided to do the Pound walk, a 3½ hour physical adventure. For most of the walk we were wondering where we were going as signage is not a big feature up this way. The track leads us through a pass in the mountains which took us about an hour. We were feeling quite chuffed as we reached the saddle of the pass as most of the walk so far had been over shale and rocks and of course, up, up, up. We are beginning to develop goat hooves and one short leg walking around rocky mountains. Finally we reached the peak where we sat and had lunch. A truly awesome view of the pound. After our cheese and vegie rolls we continued along the path which seemed to be moving further away from where we thought we should be going. Finally the path turned left and we found ourselves walking right across the centre of the pound, surrounded by the most monstrous mountains. At this point, ‘photographers heaven’, Stephen’s camera battery conked out, with the spare being faulty!! Several bad words later we resorted to the video camera. This was the first day we had taken it with us, so he managed to save a little face. Once we left the pound we walked down a dry creek bed for about 1½ hours with no signage at all, presuming we were heading in the only possible direction back to civilisation – if you can call the middle of nowhere civilisation. It was now about 3.30pm and the sun had lit up the walls of the canyon to the most magnificent burnt orange colour and yes, no photos to show. Stephen loved the walk but I found it a tad challenging particularly the last hour walking over boulders and rocks. I managed two little sleeps on the way back to the van. One very tired traveller.
West MacDonnells - Glen Helen Waterhole, Ormiston Gorge - where we were going then where we had been, the pound and the path across the pound
After three days of bird poo and dust all over the car and van we decided to move to the G’Day Mate CP – very corny but a very nice and grassy park with no bird poo and great facilities. A very cold day so spent most of it inside reading.
Sunday we were off to the Alice Springs market. Todd Mall was awash with stalls and people, very alternative. We followed this with a trip to the Desert Park. This was a very pleasant surprise. A nature park showcasing the different types of landscape in the area, desert river, sand dunes and woodlands filled with an array of local trees and grasses and the most beautiful birds. It really gave you a sense of what the Red Centre is all about. It was a very cool day and we had rain, all 4 drops of it.
Sunday we were off to the Alice Springs market. Todd Mall was awash with stalls and people, very alternative. We followed this with a trip to the Desert Park. This was a very pleasant surprise. A nature park showcasing the different types of landscape in the area, desert river, sand dunes and woodlands filled with an array of local trees and grasses and the most beautiful birds. It really gave you a sense of what the Red Centre is all about. It was a very cool day and we had rain, all 4 drops of it.
Desert Park - Beautiful flora and fauna
Monday the car went to the doctor and had a lot of money spent on it. Stephen and I spent the morning roaming around town and purchasing a didgeridoo which could be the end of our wonderful friendship if he continues to play it – very badly!! We visited the Women’s Hall of Fame, which was quite interesting, before picking up the car. In the afternoon we drove to Emily and Jessie Gorges in the East MacDonnell Range which were somewhat disappointing. The weather had improved and we were able to sit with some of our new best friends and have a drink or two that night.
Tuesday we were back at the West MacDonnells to go to Standley Chasm and Ellery Creek Waterhole. We managed to make the trip to Standley Chasm much more complicated than it should have been by trying to reach the second chasm. After climbing like goats once more we discovered we had gone the wrong way and had to come all the way back down. Eventually we found the second chasm which was a bit of a nothing and ended up back at the main chasm at 12pm just as the sun shone down between the two walls, a truly magnificent sight. We had lunch at the waterhole then spent the afternoon restocking at the supermarket to continue our journey the next day. Tuesday evening we dined at ‘Sporties’ – no fine dining at this joint – then finished the evening with a didgeridoo concert up the road. A very talented young man had us all enthralled with his abilities; however one wouldn’t have expected him to be tall, skinny and very, very white.
Tuesday we were back at the West MacDonnells to go to Standley Chasm and Ellery Creek Waterhole. We managed to make the trip to Standley Chasm much more complicated than it should have been by trying to reach the second chasm. After climbing like goats once more we discovered we had gone the wrong way and had to come all the way back down. Eventually we found the second chasm which was a bit of a nothing and ended up back at the main chasm at 12pm just as the sun shone down between the two walls, a truly magnificent sight. We had lunch at the waterhole then spent the afternoon restocking at the supermarket to continue our journey the next day. Tuesday evening we dined at ‘Sporties’ – no fine dining at this joint – then finished the evening with a didgeridoo concert up the road. A very talented young man had us all enthralled with his abilities; however one wouldn’t have expected him to be tall, skinny and very, very white.
Standley Chasm - some photos with people for Jeffrey Dalton - Ellery Creek Big Hole
Wednesday morning we packed up and headed out of Alice. We were not even out of town when we again had trouble with the car electrics.
Stephen: We headed for an auto electrician where it was collectively decided that the load on the stop light circuit was right on the limit of the 10amp fuse. Over time the general wiring has probably become a little resistive and the stop light fuse continually blows. As a short term fix we have inserted a 15 amp fuse and when we get to Darwin we plan to replace all globes on the caravan with LEDs which place a much smaller load on the circuit. Now back to Anne.
Sorry about that, momentarily we were back at Roxby Downs!! Our plan was to get to Tennant Creek but this was revised and we ended up at Wycliffe Wells which is where I am signing off from. This CP, in their own words, has the greatest collection of “beer” in Australia which also includes imported beer. Stephen couldn’t contain himself as they have his favourite, Hooegarten. At $6.00 each it was a steal as XXXX Gold was $5.50. Tomorrow we head north-east towards the Gulf of Carpentaria to do sum fishin’.
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