Wading bird Ellery Creek

Ellery Creek

Tree roots

Wildflower Standley Chasm

Ghost gum

Conifer on walls of Standley Chasm

Standley Chasm

Standley Chasm

Stunning ghost gums Standley Chasm

Creek Standley Chasm

Standley Chasm

Walked this wonderful creek bed with cyclads all around.

Thursday 14 July - outskirts of Alice

Overcast this morning with the clouds enshrouding the hills around Alice in the Macdonnell Ranges. We headed out into the West Macdonnell Ranges.

Bojangles Bar and Grill Alice Wed 13 July

Award winning restaurant Alice
Rained from 4pm last night and -1 overnight. Andy cooked barbeque in the rain. Rain forecast today so we bailed and went to Alice. Rained all day today. Booked into the Chiffley. Visited a wonderful gallery in Todd Street Mall. Dinner in local pub.

Unintentional bush art Kathleen Springs

Crested pigeon Kathleen Springs

Old stock yards Kathleen Springs

The gorge formed a natural marshaling yard for cattle. They were herded into the gorge then rounded off and carted off.

Birds nest Kathleen Springs

More wildflowers Kathleen Springs

Bird Kathleen Springs

Kathleen Springs

At the end of the gorge a tranquil pool

Wildflowers Kathleen Springs

Kathleen Springs gorge wall

Kathleen Springs, Watarrka NT -12 July 2011

Drizzly this morning. Packed up camp and went over to the resort to get a few provisions. There is a shopping complex with IGA...
Did the shopping and had a cappuccino. Headed off without incident. Drove East then North to Kings Canyon. Stopped on a small track for lunch. We came across a woman who had rolled her caravan. It was a write-off but she and her family were OK.
The landscape changed as we followed the George Gill Range. Beautifully elegant mature desert oaks. We then entered Watarrka Park. Stopped at Kathleen Springs for a walk down the gorge.

Walpa Gorge Walk

We were pretty tired but this walk was only 2.6k return!

Valley of the Winds

Valley of the Winds again

Valley of the Winds walk

The rocks create winds so we did this amazing walk around one of the big rock formations. It was nearly ten kilometers. Quite a lot of clambering over rocks and up some steep inclines.the views were spectacular and the colours incredible. Very difficult to catch on camera the majesty of the formations (higher than Uluru).
We had lunch on the track and then went to a nearby walk up a gorge.

Kata Tjuta July 11

About to leave the campground when someone pointed out that we had a flat tyre. Then Andy had to change it and we dropped it off at a service station to be repaired. We then drove 50k to Kata Tjuta. (The Olgas). They are an amazing rock formation not far from Uluru. Andy reversed to get into a parking bay and......
....yes he backed over a bollard and the van was trapped. This is not the first time that this has happened to Andy.
However this time we built up the sand in front of the wheel and just drove off it - clever.

Sounds of Silence Dinner

At 5 we were collected from the campsite and set off for the dunes in a bus. We had drinks and canapés midway between Uluru and Kata Tjuta both silhouetted on the horizon. Fabulous dinner ensued. I sat next to a priest from Melbourne and his partner a pianist from Arizona. There were 4 blokes from Victoria all with a friend who won the trip when he bought a battery. Dad sat next to a couple from Queensland.
Great food and a fun night. The only problem was that it got colder and colder as the night wore on and the heaters didn't really help.

Cuckoo bird

Spectacular waterfalls over the rock - dry now

Reflection pond at base Uluru

Walking the base

Exploring the base of Uluru - closeup of the flowers collected for nectar

Birds nest Uluru

Exploring the base of Uluru

Exploring the base of Uluru

We did a fabulous walk around the base of the rock. 10.5 k around and another 8k reaching the rock and with diversions into gorges. The plant life around the rock was unique compared to the surrounding terrain. Large sections of the walk were sacred aboriginal sites so photography was not allowed. We ate lunch on the track and spent a long time in the very extensive visitors centre.

The climbers July 10

Climbing Uluru

This is why I didn't do it.

Uluru

Fantastic day exploring the rock.

9 July - arrive Uluru

Continued along the Goyder Kulgera stock route to Kulgera, then north on the Stuart Highway to Eridunda then west again to Ayers Rock. 550k in all.
On route Mount Connor loomed in the distance. A spectacular rock formation often confused with Uluru. A vibrant red in the evening sun. 100k on Uluru glowed in the distance. Settled into the campsite and ate in the bistro- a very nice Thai curry.

Το ποντικό

Even in the centre of Australia, when we pulled up for a photo and a cup of tea, we were greeted by mice.

Lamberts geographical centre of Australia

We detoured along a windy dug up track to the centre of Australia. There was a visitors book, the Australian flag and a plaque.

Red tailed cockatoo

We came across some red tailed cockatoos foraging on the roadside. They have the most amazing splash of vibrant red on their tail when they fly. I followed them but did not mange to catch the co our of their tail feathers on film.

Signs at entry to all aboriginal lands in NT

Departing SA entering Northern Territory 9 July 2011

The great mouse battle! While we were sitting around camp at Mount Dare we noticed a little mouse come out and look around. Soon there were 2 then 3 then 4. They darted around the campsite, over our shoes attempting to get to any morsel of food. They leapt up to the rubbish bag a metro off the ground and when Any got up one managed to get onto his camp chair to have a look. They then went up under the bonnet and scuttled around getting warm...
We managed to keep them out of the camper van.
Then we headed off over dirt roads, bordering the Simpson desert and reached Finke. This was a very sad looking aboriginal settlement in a beautiful location on the Finke River.

Entering Aboriginal lands

Lamberts Centre

The geographical centre of Australia!

Friday 8 July

This is where I sat to do the watercolors - in the creek bed

Mount Dare, Witjira National Park on the western edge of the Simpson Desert

Arrived at Mount Dare and set ip camp. Then we went back down the track to collect firewood. I did some painting....enjoyable