Day 13 11/08/2009 Alice Springs 7.45 am we were picked up from the Caravan Park for a half day scenic flight from Alice Springs to Ayres Rock airport. Along the way we passed over many natural wonders, some we have never heard of before e.g Lake Armadeus a salt lake and Gosse Bluff a meteorite crator just to name a few. We have a heap of photos of the flight, too many to publish here but the sites were spectacular. On our return we caught the bus into town into Alice. What an interesting experience with a couple of local passengers. [View Full Entry]

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Day 12 10/8/2009 Kings Canyon to Alice Springs We have a half day scenic flight booked for early Tuesday morning so we are heading to Alice Springs today after the a canyon walk. 9.30am a guided tour started for the “King Canyon Creek walk” so we joined in. Brian originally wanted us to take up the challenge of the “Canyon Rim Walk” which starts with 500 steps straight up, affectionately referred to as Heart Break hill and after seeing the beginning of the climb the name fits!. Brian’s calf muscles were a bit sore from the Ayres Rock climb so we [View Full Entry]

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Day 11 9/8/2009 Ayres Rock to Kings Canyon Left mid morning heading to Kings Canyon. Easy drive today as the road was tar all the way and stopping at Curtin Springs for fuel and lunch under the trees again. Fuel $1.70 per litre. From there we turned off and headed north on Luritja Road to Kings Canyon. We called into Kings Creek Station which is a cattle station offering services similar to Curtin Springs but on a bigger scale - Fuel, accommodation, meals, souvenirs and camel, quad bike or helicopter rides. Very neat and tidy and staff very friendly. From there [View Full Entry]

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Day 10 8/8/2009 Ayres Rock & the Ulga What a top day. We returned to the National Park intending to go directly back to Ayres Rock but we found that the climb was closed due to winds at the summit. Brian was pissed off because that was his goal for the day so as a second choice we headed for the Olgas as the walk was still open. Amazing rock formation - the big domes were made up of what looked like rocks imbedded into rocks. We chose to complete the Walpa Gorge, 2.6km 1hr return. Awesome mix of red rock, [View Full Entry]

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Day 9 7/8/2009 Kulgera to Ayres Rock (Uluru) Left Kulgera late today as we needed to do some washing and an old bich, who was staying in camp that day, raced me to the laundry and I lost - not happy Jan!!! I was even crankier when I found she was staying on for an other day. One good thing did come out of it we sorted our gear and are thinking of sending some home that we do not use. The road today was all bitumen what a nice change. We stopped at Curtin Springs for lunch under the shade [View Full Entry]

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Day 8 6/8/2009 Oodnadatta to Kulgera NT Track very very rough in places - sharp rocks and in other places very sandy, corrugated with bull dust. We were glad to reach Marla today and get off the dirt and I think even the truck gave a sigh of relief. Marla is the junction of the Stuart Highway and the Oodnadatta Track and consists of a Service Station complex of a pub, Post Office, supermarket and takeaway all in one. We stayed at Marla for a while trying to update the blog page but the machine there would not allow uploading of [View Full Entry]

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Day 7 5/8/2009 Lake Eyre to Oodnadatta The road from Lake Eyre back to William Creek is badly corrugated with bull dust holes to make sure you’re awake. From William creek to Oodnadatta was a mix of sand, rock & corrugations. We called into the old Peake ruins - ruins of the overland Telegraph repeater station. The road was hard work but it was worth the trip. A lot of work went into the buildings back then - all rock, wide walls and huge fireplaces. Around the ruins are a lot of natural springs which was relied on once but now [View Full Entry]

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Day 6 4/8/2009 Flight over Lake Eyre and the Painted Hills Easy day today. A scenic flight over Lake Eyre and the Painted Hills did not leave until 1pm so we took the time to sort our gear, check the truck for maintenance and catchup on photos and journal over a cuppa at the William Creek Pub. The flight was fantastic! Six seater plane and a dirt run way - that was a first! Lake Eyre is only approx 40% full. The lower the water level becomes the more consentrated the salt content becomes. Due to this all the fish has [View Full Entry]

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Day 5 3/8/2009 Marree to William Creek Awesome weather - Cold nights but glorious days. Marree consisted of a general store, old railway, a couple of caravan park/campgrounds, Pub and the famous intersection of the Birdsville & Oodnadatta Tracks. Campground old and well used but the folk were very friendly. The track leading towards Lake Eyre South was in good nick with changing landscape. From Lake Eyre the track was quiet rough with heaps of corrugations and loose rocky surface. The landscape continued to change from sandy dunes to low laying salty beds. The colours where amazing - va [View Full Entry]

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Day 4 2/8/2009 Tibooburra to Marree Long day on the road today as we tried to catch up lost time but as it turned out there was not a lot to stop and see. Tibooburra to Cameron Corner was mad with continual mountainous woops but the track itself was in good condition but the closer we got to Cameron Corner the sandier the track became with some sections quiet deep. Fuel was $2 per litre - ouch! We stopped and had lunch - nice food, nice people. The toilet block gave us a laugh, old and very well used with ply [View Full Entry]

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