Day 29 to Day 31 Alice Springs to Coober Pedy

My previous entry should have been to Day 28!! not 24. Guess I did not want to see the time go too fast.
After our stock up day in Alice we were upnext morning at 0600 and spent the day on the Bitumen travelling the Stuart Highway.Stopped for the night at Cadney Homestead campground.
Next morning it was back on the Gravel roads, which were surprisingly good, and headed to the painted desert. We reached Arkaringa Homestead at approx. 1030,the closest place to stay for the Painted Desert to do Sunrise and Sunsets.We stayed in cabin accommodation with a camp kitchen. we had a cook up and made a camp oven stew,Damper and another batch of CWA scones-date this time!
In the afternoon went out to the Desert (approx 10 Kl) and went to a couple of lookouts, one involved a 1Kl walk. Both spots in the Arkaringa Hills had some magnificent views and the landscape was incredible.

Had Happy hour watching the sunset which was very special!

Returned to camp had our stew and Damper.
Up very early next morning to catch the Sunrise- 0545!! Bit cool. Graeme was delighted he finally caught the mouse in our vehicle which had managed to evade 4 traps but eat the bait for 3 days!!
Got to the lookout and watched the sunrise

 and then we had pancakes for breakfast.(Had prepared them the night before). Fantastic morning!

0800 saw us  on the road to Coober Pedy. Once again a really good Gravel Road. Cut across from Arkaringa Homestead through Mt Barry station to the Oodnadatta track. We were in Coober Pedy by1030.
Set up camp at the Stuart Range CaravanPark.We did a 4 hour afternoon tour of Coober Pedy and The Breakaways -very similar landscape formations to the painted Desert.

Toured Opal fields and mines

and visited underground churches

 and viewed many underground houses. Amazing to see.

It was a great afternoon and really interesting. All agreed living underground is not for us.
Tomorrow we head off to Lake Eyre-Halligans Bay.Hope to spent a couple of nights there.
Catch you again soon.
Yvonne  

Day18-Day24 Alice Springs-Alice Springs

DAY 18 to DAY 24

 Here we are again! It has been so busy there has been no time to catch up with the news. Although, most of you would have received an Uluru sunset picture from one of us on our phones. That was to make you all envious.

We left Alice Springs and travelled The Stuart & Lassiter Highways to Yulara calling in to the Henbury Meteorite Conservation Reserve and the lookout to Mt Connor.

Camp at Yulara great –No mice!! Plenty of Bunnies but they were no problems.

Up and out to Uluru by 0900. Graeme did the full walk on the Rock. Jan went as far as the chain and Col and I a bit below that – the height was too overwhelming for us.

Uluru was incredible. Went for other walks and saw some aboriginal Art. The changing faces of the rock as you go around it awesome. As most of you saw we went to see the sunset on Uluru and that was special - we stayed after dark to see the full moon rise over the Rock and that was also Special.

Next morning saw doing a helicopter flight over Uluru and the Olgas. It was good despite it being a bit hazy due to some burning off the day before. After the flight we travelled to the Olga’s and did the Valley of the Winds walk which was 7.4 Klms.

It was a bit difficult and hot but really beautiful and well worth it.

That afternoon we were picked up from Camp for “The Sounds of Silence” dinner in the Desert. It was a desert site between Uluru & The Olgas. We were served Canapes & Champagne and watched the sunset – beautifull!

Dinner was served to the sounds of a Didgeridoo playing and there was a Star talk.

Met some some nice people, Including a couple from Houston. Texas and a young couple from a mining camp near Mackay.  All round a lovely evening.

Left Yulara next morning, had a brief stop at Curtin Springs then turned off the highway onto Luritya Rd. and onto Ernest Giles Rd. And Went onto “The Boggy Hole Track”. Advised the track was still impassable but more towards the other end so decidedto give it a go.It turned out to be a 5 Hr Marathon of Sandy Riverbeds/Rocky Riverbeds/Watercrossings-(Finke River)/Bulldust/Grassy,narrow,rocky Tracks.

We travelled through the lovely Finke Gorge National Park. The scenery was truly beautiful.Dark overtook us after 68Kls and we still had not found the Boggy Hole camp area so camped on the edge of the creek – Next morning walked along the track approx 2 Kls and found the Boggy Hole Camp ground –the Creek was passable but the exit from the creek was very deep, dry, boggy sand. The flooding had made many changes to the area. Decided not to continue so packed up and drove the 68 Kl out. It was a beautiful trek back out stopping for many photos.We took a little short cut to Ernest .Giles Rd which meant a long Sandy Palmer riverbed crossing. After letting our tyres down to 20lb we all made a successful crossing.It took another 5 Hours.

Travelled Luritja Rd once more onto Kings Creek Station where we planned to camp for the night. Great camp –baked camp oven dinner and fire. Days are lovely and warm the nights cool.

Sunday morning Jan was dismayed to find evidence of a mouse in her car!! Yes we are in a mouse area again.!! The hunt is on.

Spent the morning doing The Rim Walk at Kings Canyon. It was a 6 Kl walk- Ascents and descents a little difficult but the scenery was awesome! It took 3.5 hours and we all enjoyed it immensely.Checked out Kings Canyon Resort.

Had a lovely evening once more with Jan making CWA Pumpkin Scones, Lyn making (Rhonda’s) dessert and I made a Mango chicken for the main meal all in the camp ovens. We are still chasin’ the mouse in Jans car!Col made an elaborate water trap for overnight( cannot buy a mouse trap –all sold out)to catch it.

Next morning the mouse had been for a swim but had eaten its way out of the trap!! So still mouse hunting!

Had a very productive morning doing all our chores washing,writing journals,down loading photos, and I was writing this to “word” Had Jan,s Pumpkin scones for MT.

In the afternoon went for a walk to Kathleen Springs Walk (2.6 Klm) very beautiful walk and the Kings Creek Walk (2Klm) a lovely walk up the creek bed to a viewing platform with stunning views of sheerCanyon walls. Had thought to stay for the sunset on the ranges at Kings Canyon but decided it was not worth it.

Left Kings Canyon next morning-Tuesday 24^th May- to travel the Mereenie Loop Rd to Hermannsberg all Gravel - Pleasantly surprised   the road was quite good. Saw Albert Namatjira’s house

Called in to see David Fisher (works C7 LBH ) who is out working at Hermannsberg at the moment for approx 6 weeks.Visited the Hermannsberg Historical Precinct- Memorabilia of a Lutheran mission established in the late 1800,s.

Drove into Palm Valley campground very beautiful once more – water crossings, along rocky and sandy river beds and some lovely red Gorges – Awesome!!. We were in the top end of Finke Gorge National Park this time.

Set up camp in the NP camp ground, had a good camp . Had one Dingo visitor which was not problematic.

Next morning-We- drove an interesting 4WD track to Palm valley then went for a walk up the Gorge into the valley with the Palms then along the Ridge of the gorge and back to carpark-Beautiful!!

We left PalmValley and travelled Larapinta Drive then onto Namatjira Drive.Stopped  at Gosse Bluff-very rugged Mtn. Range thought to be a Meteorite basin..The drive to Ormiston gorge was was surrounded with mountain ranges – fantastic!

Stayed at Glen HelenLodge campground which was beautiful with a hugh red gorge wall as a backdrop.We went and watched the state of Origin at the Pub.-go you beautiful Maroons!!

Today Thursday 26^th has been very busy. Packed up by 0800 – very cold!! Went for a stroll to the Glen Helen Gorge then drove to Ormiston Gorge. Went on the Gum tree Walk which was an uphill walk to a lookout over Ormiston Gorge.

Did not do the full walk as you had to SWIM to cross the creek to finish the walk-This definitely was not an option given the temperatures!! Great view of the Gorge.2.6Klm return walk.

Called into the Ochre Pits then onto Serpentine Gorge.

This was a 1.3 Klm walk into a Gorge and water hole then a  climb up a Rocky “Goat track” to a lookout over the Gorge-Awesome!!

Had lunch at Ellery Creek Bighole a beautiful big Rockhole and Gorge.

Travelled back into Alice Springs which is always fantastic through the Ranges

We are now back in Alice Springs to restock before we head south.

Not sure when we will catch up on the Blognext as we are now heading south to the Painted Desert our next place of note.
Yvonne

  

Day 13-Day 17 Alice Springs

Day 13 - Steady morning where the boys went to the Road Transport Hall of Fame museum for the morning, but the girls decided that this wasn't their thing so they went shopping with many coffee breaks for the day, we (the boys) - [written by Col today-] joined the girls for lunch.
Day 14 - Had a fantastic day at the Alice Springs Desert Park,

you really must go to understand how good it is! Graeme booked some bikes (You know - those things that you have to pedal) for tomorrow's ride.
Day 15- Jan, Graeme and Lyn rode those pedal things from Flynn's Grave to Simpson's Gap (17km)

and Graeme and Yvonne rode the return journey, I (Col) was the support vehicle organiser where I copped heaps about driving a Toyoya. So exhausted that we decided that going out for dinner was in order so we ate out at the Overlander Steakhouse,

 another good night, but still cold when the sun sets.
Day 16- We drove out (In cars this time) to Simpsons gap for a decent look and photos,

 then further west to Stanley Chasm for the traditional midday photos in the chasm,

lunch then further west to the Owen Springs Nature Reserve as a short cut to Rainbow Valley, in the reserve, which is a true 4WD trail, we visited the old homestead, haunted tree bore, Hugh River and Lawrence Gorge, then on the Stuart Highway to Rainbow Valley

. Lots and lots of mice here also, after the sunset photos

we drove back to the highway, re-inflated the tyres, then took up the sport of mouse spotting (read squashing) all the way back to Alice Springs, late dinner (9:30pm) and bed at last, What a great day!
Day 17- Reserved for shopping for supplies today as we are heading to Yulara tomorrow.Our first big restock since we started.
(Yvonne writing now) I went to see Mollie Kennedy today. she was known as Bernadette and worked in  Maternity quite a few years ago.She has worked in many aboriginal communities around Alice Springs and now orientates all new staff comingto the area to work in Aboriginal communities. She Orientated David Fisher (fromC7)who has just come to work at Hermansberg for a couple of months.
The other exciting thing to happen today we ran into Nettie Silver in Woollies supermarket!! Nettie works in an Aboriginal community called Utopia. Nettie also worked at LBH.
Sorted out our washing and supplies ready for moving on tomorrow. Have enjoyed our time in Alice Springs although quite cool.
Catch you at Uluru!

Day 9 to Day 12 Alice Springs-East MacDonnell Ranges -Alice Springs

Left the Caravan park at 0900 hrs after Pancake reakfast-Yum! Headed out to Emily  and Jessie Gaps . These were small gorges which were quite pretty.

 Went into  Corroberee Rock and walked around it.

Onto John Hayes Waterhole an interesting 4 Klm 4WD track the a short walk into the Waterhole. A lovely grotto with steep gorge sides.

We then went on a very challenging 4 Klm walk "Chain of Ponds" this included a steep climb to  the top of the Gorge and for a distance along the rim before decending and following a number of waterholes to the end of the Gorge - spectacular and very challenging.

Went onto the Ross River Homestead and set up camp in a lovely grassey setting surrounded by Red rangers. Basic facilities and lots of -----wait for it ------ MICE!!!! We copied a very successful water trap.
Had a lovely campfire every night .Enjoyed our stay.

Spent a day at Trephina Gorge and did two Walks "Panorama" and "Trephina Gorge" .
The Panorama walk which was 3 Klm was a steep climb to the of a ridge which gave a 360 deg. views with lots of flowering wildflowers along the way.
The Trephina Gorge walk was a 2 Klm walk along the Gorge Rim decending into the creek bed to return. Both walks required us to find a high ground pathway through a flowing Trephina Creek.

On our way back to camp we stopped in to the oldest Ghost Gum in the NT thought to be 300years old.
The next day we visited the Arltunga Historical reserved filled with interesting history from a bygone era of goldmining days -fantastic! Old buildings and machinery in original conditions or partially restored.

Walked in to the Reef and Macdonnell mine.

The Gravel road between camp and Arltunga was in good condition with 44 creek crossings.
On leaving camp Wednesday we travelled the Binns track. Drove down the Ruby Gap road Approx.5 Klm to the road "impassable " sign. Disappointment +++. Stopped near a river crossing and had Lyns CWA scones for MT.this road wasvery scenic.

Continued on to Cattlewater pass ROAD CLOSED.Aother disappointment.
Made our way to the Stuart Hwy. Lunch at a waterhole with ducks.All very sceniic -Grassy plains surrounded by Ranges ,lots of fat cattle grazing.
Arrived back in Alice Springs 1530 set up camp for the next 6 days.