gohavealook: WE'RE IN ALICE SPINGS

SUNDAY 20TH JULY - We arrived in Alice Springs mid-afternoon and were a bit concerned about finding a caravan park to stay in as they don’t take pre-bookings over the phone which we thought was a bit unusual. We headed straight to the Tourist Information Centre for a list of all the dog friendly parks in the area, only to discover that most of them were fully booked. Thankfully we eventually got a spot at Heavitree Gap Outback Lodge which was close to town. It was at the foot of the East MacDonnell Ranges where a colony of black footed Rock Wallabies came down the slopes each night to be hand-fed. There was a tavern beside the caravan park. We went there for the Sunday Roast which was very nice, a choice of lamb, beef or pork or a combination of the three, help yourself veggies and dessert for $17 each – good value.

Alice Springs is in Central Australia and part of The Red Centre. It is the third largest town in the Northern Territory, located by the Todd River and the MacDonnell Ranges, with a population of 28,600. Until 1932, the town was known as Stuart. In 1862 John McDouall Stuart led his third and last expedition through Central Australia and ten years later a european settlement began with the completion of the overland telegraph line linking Adelaide to Darwin and England. It wasn’t until alluvial gold was discovered in 1887 that the settlement expanded. In 1929 the train line to Alice was built and the european population continued to grow steadily. In 2004 the first passenger train arrived in Darwin from Adelaide and started what was to become one of the great north-south transcontinental journeys through Australia. Before the rail lines were completed, Afghan cameleers drove their camel trains 600 kilometres across the desert to deliver essential provisions to the settlers in Alice Springs.

MONDAY 21ST JULY - We went for a drive to the East MacDonnell Ranges which were so vast and colourful and a short drive from the caravan park. We stopped at Emily’s Gap and Jessie’s Gap where we saw some ochre rock paintings on stunning tall rock formations. These were important spiritual sites of the native Arrente people as part of the Caterpillar Dreaming Story. Emily’s Gap is a registered sacred site.

Then we drove on to Corroborree Rock another stunning rock formation that is associated with the Perentie Dreaming Lizard. Lastly, we went to Trephina Gorge.

There was a very serene and spiritual feel to all of the rocks.

The MacDonnell Ranges stretch over 640 kilometres east –west through Alice Springs. They are a magnificent mixture of fiery reds, sunburnt oranges and deep purples and are estimated to be approximately 340 million years old.

We went to feed the rock wallabies at the back of the caravan park. They were absolutely gorgeous and so gentle and soft. Some of them had joeys in their pouches. I was lucky enough to stroke one of the joeys that poked a head out of its mum’s pouch. It felt so warm. The rock wallabies had the cutest little faces and eyes with long eyelashes. They held on to my hand with both of their front paws whilst taking the food out of my hand.

TUESDAY 22ND JULY - We drove out to the West MacDonnell Ranges which took over an hour to reach the first turnoff to Simpsons Gap

and then Standley Chasm,

Ellery Creek, Serpentine Gorge,

Ochre Pits and the most popular Ormiston Gorge, with a permanent water hole. The Ochre Pits are part of the dreamtime where red ochre represents the blood of the sacred ancestors. Women and children are not permitted to dig the ochre or to know the stories. Women are only allowed to use the ochre if it is provided by the men. There was yellow, brown and white ochre.

ORMISTON GORGE

All of these gorges have camp grounds, some with kiosks and walking tracks. The scenery on both sides of the road was just magnificent, words can’t possibly describe the unusual colours, undulations, ridges and shapes of the landscape. It was just breathtaking and kept getting better and better the further we drove on through the Ranges.

Alice Springs has been a lovely surprise, full of such picturesque colourful hills everywhere. The caravan park was very central, laid back and well maintained with lots of on-site units for tourists and workers.