Tag: Alice Springs

Alice Springs and the East MacDonnell Ranges

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It was the first time we had entered Alice from the north and it was pretty, with the MacDonnell Ranges in the background.

We chose our usual caravan park – Big4 MacDonnell Range and were able to use the afternoon to plan an exploration of the East MacDonnells and then relax.

Our first day took us to N’Dhala Gorge which involved magnificent scenery on the way there and some 4WD work from the main road. It was quite a short hike and although pretty, not worth the tough drive out, with lots of corrugations and sand, unless you planned to camp there. The gorge is the site of a large collection of Aboriginal petroglyphs, but as the track has lots of rocky sections I wouldn’t think a wheelchair would get very far.

Heading back towards Alice, the next stop was Trephina Gorge and this was really beautiful.

We also stopped at the ghost gum, a 300+ yr old tree. The walk was moderate/easy with the climbing at the start and sand at the end. It is quite majestic.

It seemed like a short stop to visit Corroboree Rock, so we took the turnoff. It is a startling structure in the middle of other rock formations, so easy to see why it was used as a meeting place.

We headed back to Alice and registered online for the Parrtjima light show, that another traveller had told us about. A shuttle from near the park took us there in the early evening and, surprisingly, we saw a couple we knew from SA on the shuttle.

Parrtjima is the only Aboriginal lightshow of its kind in the world and started in 2016. It is free to enter and the displays are beautiful, but nothing can describe the stunning projection on the West MacDonnell Ranges, accompanied by a narration that explains the relationship between the people and the land. I don’t think my photos will do it justice and we watched it twice, it was so moving.

I’d definitely recommend the event as it is free, spectacular but quite small, so it’s an early night. There are plenty of activities for children to take part in.

The following day, Ellery Creek Big Hole was gorgeous and had a large body of water suitable for swimming if it had been hot enough. We saw a girl going in and her partner was filming her with a drone. The water was icy cold so sooner her than me.

An easy, short walk.

Next we stopped at Serpentine Gorge which had an easy walk in, with a still pool of water at the end and a demanding, steep lookout walk.

  • past earth movement is obvious
  • views from the lookout
  • views over the Ranges from the lookout

The pool of water in the gorge is so cold that it has kept people and animals from going beyond it, for thousands of years. This has meant the ecology is preserved and both life forms can get a cool drink in summer when they need it.

Close to Alice Springs, we stopped at the original Telegraph Station, which is a well-preserved station with indoor and outdoor displays, showing life from as early as 1871. It is one of the first European settlements in Stuart, later named Alice Springs. There are short walks, bike trails and a walk to/from Alice township. We walked to the top of a nearby hill to take photos of the settlement.

We were back in time to watch the sun set over the West MacDonnell Ranges.

Travel safe. Take water, hats and sunscreen.

A few days in Alice

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It isn’t far from the border to Alice Springs, so we arrived before midday and had time to set up and explore the caravan park, with it’s many facilities, then plan our first day of venturing further.

We began in the town, which has plenty of shops and facilities, and although it was, uncharacteristically, almost empty of people, we read about the first hospital in central Australia and peeked through the windows to where small gatherings sometimes occur.

A bigger day followed and we started at Redbank Gorge, some 150km from Alice Springs along the Larapinta and Namatjira Drives. It is a beautiful gorge, with easy access, although it is mostly on sand, so definitely not for wheelchairs or those with dodgy ankles. It was tranquil and displayed such a huge range of colours, both pastel and bold.

A short drive from here, heading back, to the Mt Sonder lookout gave us fabulous views of the mountain and surrounding ranges.

Ormiston Gorge was about 15km away and you have a choice of walks. We took the loop, from the carpark, up the hill to the lookout over the gorge, then along the hill and returning by the river bed. This is definitely the direction to take if you do the loop, as the uphill is steep but short and aided by stone steps which never go beyond 20 without a break. Again, this part isn’t suitable for wheelchairs, but the short carpark to pond walkway is and should be done. The colours and textures of this gorge are, again, stunning. If you go around a lagoon one way, look back to see the aspect on the other side, because sometimes it is so very different, it’s like being in another location. Parts of the gorge were a seabed, 800 million years ago and geologists believe something extraordinary happened in the area 300-400 million years ago to cause the seabed to rise and turn on its side. You can easily see the layers.

We decided that, as most of Australia was in a cold snap, we’d capitalise on the 27C and heated pools and headed back for some poolside traveler tips (with slide show).

Our final day we kept light, with a trip to Anzac Hill and then out to Emily and Jessie Gaps. The first provides 360 degree views of Alice Springs township and memorial information.

Emily and Jessie Gaps were disappointing, as they are very small and it was pretty blustery, so an ideal enclosure for sand blasting. The walk takes less than a minute each time and there are very unusual rock paintings of caterpillars, which the original owners ate here, and completed by women. You are asked not to photograph them as they are sacred to the people. The towering red rock faces are beautiful, and it’s a short drive out of town to the east, but I’d see Stanley Chasm or Simpson’s Gap in preference.

On our return we came across a huge flock of red tailed black cockatoos, which are considered rare, so I was very happy to get some photos of them.

Even when it’s cool, take plenty of water and a hat with you.