Members Trips

stories from Australia

 

Simpson Desert/Red Centre
part two

30 June to 21 July 2007

 

Monday 9 July

Continuing west, the WAA Line becomes the Rig Road, an old mining route which still has some of the clay topping laid to help the heavy trucks travelling the route. A herd of camels was spotted in the distance this morning but only keen eyes and binoculars could see the live ones. We stopped briefly at the abandoned Mokari Airstrip before turning north and then rejoining the French Line for the run out to Purni Bore, just outside the western boundary of the Simpson Desert National Park.

After lunch we continue west across flat stony plains circled by flat-topped mesas to the oasis of Dalhousie Springs. Here, the springs feed 40+ degree water into a billabong to wash away the dust of the alst four days in the desert.

After the cleansing dip, we change and head north west to camp at Mount Dare Station at the northern end of Witjira National Park, not far from the NT border.

         

   

Tuesday 10 July

After refueling and a late departure, we cross the border into Northern Territory and continue north-west toward the aboriginal community of Finke. We visit the ruins af Charlotte Waters, established in 1872 as one of twelve repeater stations servicing communications between Adelaide and Darwin. After restocking at the Finke community store, we headed out to camp at Lambert Centre - officially designated the geographic centre of the Australian Continent and marked by a flagpole modelled on the flagpole at Parliament House in Canberra.

         

Wednesday 11 July

Heading north from Finke, we spend the morning driving along what remains of the original Ghan Railway line and visiting the ruins of a numebr of stations along the line. After lunch at Maryvale Station, we head into Chambers Pillar, setting up camp just outside the reserve. Late afternoon we drive the final few kilometres to explore the Pillar and watch the changing light as sunsets on this amazing monolith.

         

   

Thursday 12 July

After visiting the Titijkala Cultural Centre, we take the Hugh River Stock Route west crossing the new Ghan railway before emerging onto the Sturt Highway near Stuarts Well where we stop for lunch (and the singing dingo). After lunch we continue west on the Ernest Giles Road to camp near the still dry Palmer River. Tonight's treat was pizaa cooked in the camp oven.

     

    Friday 13 July

We thought we were used to the cold nights - until the temperature dropped to minus 8C in the early hours of this morning! Today we followed the Ernest Giles Road into Kings Canyon for our first (and only) two night camp on this trip. After setting up camp at the resort, there was time to relax, catch up on washing and later, enjoy a meal and music at the bistro.

Saturday 14 July

Today most of the group took the opportunity to do the three hour Rim Walk around the canyon or take a helicopter flight over the area. After a very steep climb, it is a relatively easy walk around the canyon enjoying some spectacular views of the gorge. Having done this walk before in 2001, the kids decided to run the 5-6km loop and then wait a couple of hours for us in the carpark! Check out the little camouflage guy we found along the way. Back at camp, we enjoyed another dinner out at the bistro.

     

 

Sunday 15 July

This morning we took the Mereenie Loop Road and visited Alber Namatjira's house and then spent lunch time exploring the historic mission town of Hermmansburg. After lunch we headed off road again down the dry bed of the Finke River to Palm Valley. After setting up camp, we climbed the nearby ridge for a great view of the river valley.

 

  

 

Monday 16 July

This morning we drive the remaining few kilometres down the rocky creek bed do a short walk around Palm Valley. Its amazing to see this oasis of ancient palms survive amid the surrounding desert. Then we retrace our route back to the highway for a quick run on the black top into Alice Springs before meeting up again to head out to Rainbow Valley for a sunset barbecue to celebrate the end of the tagalong.

     

Tuesday 17 July

For the end of this trip, we organised a long-promised quad bike excursion on a property just outside Alice Springs. After a briefing and a few practice loops, we spent the next hour and a half hooting around the sandy tracks and creek beds of the property. After that, we headed back down the highway to Yulara, set up camp and made it out to the Uluru Sunset Viewing area just in time for our own sunset happy hour.

     

  Wednesday 18 July

This morning our plans to climb the rock were thwarted by the wind but we had sunrise breakfast by the rock and spent an interesting morning at the cultural centre before packing up to start the long drive home. After lunch shared with emus at Curtin Springs, we drove on reaching Cadney Homestead by dinner time where we camped for the night.

 

     

Thursday 19 July – Saturday 21 July

From Cadney Homestead we drove to Port Augusta, then via Broken Hill to Cobar and then home. After 2 and a half days solid driving we reached home on Saturday afternoon.


7,500 kilometres (and $1800 of fuel), 1500 photos, 1100 sand dunes, countless corrugations, perfect days, freezing nights, comforting campfires and a bazillion stars; the new Prado performed perfectly and our other modifications helped make the daily set up/ pack up routine much less of a hassle than on our previous tenting tour! Despite the initial misgivings, it was a great trip and the experience of a lifetime.

 



more photos in Ken & Renee's photobucket album

Trip photos in google map